Arabesque

What is Arabesque? Anchored on College Street just east of Dufferin in Little Portugal, Arabesque (also known as Arabesque Café) is a gentle, time-warp Lebanese daytime haven operated by longtime owner Zoher Hakim. The shop feels worlds away from Toronto's slick third-wave coffee spots, bathed in soft lighting and Arabic music with cafe tables where regulars linger over newspapers and backgammon. It functions as a deeply personal, unhurried neighborhood sanctuary designed for unwinding over hot tea and comforting home-style fare.

Arabesque Menu & What to Order The concise, fully certified halal menu sticks strictly to Lebanese counter classics, savoury wraps, and honeyed baked treats. The falafel wrap arrives packed with crisp, freshly fried chickpea patties, dressed in citrus tahini and stuffed with pickles and fresh greens. Meat lovers should turn to the spiced shish kebab sandwich layered with tangy sumac onions and hummus, or order the house kibbeh. Wash it down with a stove-brewed cardamom Arabic coffee or fresh Bedouin mint tea, and never leave without picking up pistachio baklava fingers or a slab of rosewater-scented namoura semolina cake.

Know Before You Go The cafe operates as a solo operation, so expect orders to be assembled thoughtfully and steadily rather than at fast-food speed. Reservations do not exist; seating is entirely walk-in across a handful of casual indoor tables. The 506 Carlton streetcar stops right outside at Gladstone Avenue, making public transit the smartest way to visit.