Parallel Brothers

We ordered potato and kale soup. It tasted warm and nice. Good for winters. -3/5 And pita with 4 dips + 2 falafel balls. The pita was okay. Bit dense. Didnt like it much. But the dips were nice and fresh. Hummus, beetrootahini, babaganoush, lemon pesto. Out of which lemon pesto was best and second was hummus The falafal balls were big and warm. 4/5. Very overpriced. Service was good, friendly.

Love this restaurant. The food is top notch and so is the service. The portions are so plentiful. If you are ever in the area, I totally recommend stopping by to try some of these incredible tasty dishes and the non alcoholic drinks.

5 stars – A Must Try Gem in Toronto! I recently had the pleasure of dining at Parallel in Toronto, and I genuinely can’t stop thinking about the experience. From the moment we walked in, the service was warm, attentive, and thoughtful. Yes, there was a slight delay with our food, but the staff handled it with such grace and professionalism going above and beyond to make it right that it only added to the overall positive impression. Now let’s talk about the food: absolutely phenomenal. The salad was fresh, vibrant, and perfectly dressed simple yet full of flavor. But the real showstopper was the mushroom pita with arugula. Earthy, savory, and balanced, it was one of the best things I’ve eaten in a long time. Every bite felt thoughtfully composed. Honestly, with this level of food and service, it’s shocking that Parallel doesn’t have a Michelin star. It hits all the marks: creative dishes, locally inspired flavors, and a team that clearly cares deeply about the guest experience. Toronto is lucky to have this place. I’ll be back and bringing friends

The food here is consistently very good. I've been several times now over the last few years. The menu does seem to change occasionally which is nice. The falafels are nice and crunchy, with a nice seasoning on the inside. The bread and hummus are great. The mains (don't have pictures of every time I've gone) have always been very tasty. I have not been disappointed yet. Definitely enjoyed the Arais, and the Parallel salad. They also have some takeout options available, as well as packages goods like spices, halva, crackers and more. Definitely will continue to return. The place is a bit loud, but it is busy and has a nice patio. The decor is very nice. The staff are generally friendly.

Excellent food!! All the dishes we ordered were tasty and very healthy! Falafel was so yummy with their signature sesame sauce💜 Mushroom mix was excellent too. We regretted ordering 4 falafel though, 2 for 2 of us must have been enough. We had to take home 2.5 lol Hummus was def on the thicker side which we really liked! Tasted like theirs more chickpeas than other ingredients💯 Food was all very filling and felt healthy. Though we should’ve asked for hot sauce (not sure if they have). We needed some spicy kick.

We went to Parallel on a Thursday evening around 5:30pm. The food was excellent — we tried the shawarma hummus, parallel salad, falafel, and the arus beef, and everything was fresh, flavourful, and well portioned. Portion sizes were generous and perfect for sharing. Unfortunately, the service was very disappointing. From the start, it felt like our stroller was an issue, even though we moved it completely out of the way. We had to track down our own high chair instead of staff helping, which set the tone for the evening. The worst part came when we asked to see the dessert menu at 6:10pm — only 40 minutes after sitting down. We were told there was a reservation after us and that if we wanted dessert, we’d have to go inside. It felt rushed and unwelcoming, like the focus was on flipping tables quickly rather than letting guests enjoy their meal and drinks. The food really is worth trying, but the service experience left us with a sour taste.

Parallel is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Toronto, and that says a lot because I’m a big foodie. Everything they serve is incredibly fresh, full of flavor, and always consistent. The portions are generous, and the prices are very fair for what you get. It’s the kind of place where every dish feels made with care and quality ingredients. Over the years, I’ve tried many different items on their menu, and I’ve never been disappointed. Their hummus is homemade, super creamy, and easily some of the best in the city. And their falafel? The best in Toronto, hands down. If you think you like falafel, you need to try the one from Parallel — it’s perfectly crispy outside, soft inside, and bursting with flavor. The service has always been friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere is simple but warm and comfortable. It’s the kind of place you can go to again and again and always leave happy. I don’t know why it took me so long to finally write this review because Parallel has been one of my favorite spots for years. It’s a true gem in the city, and I completely recommend it to anyone who loves good, fresh food.

Parallel is a hidden gem for anyone craving authentic Middle Eastern flavors. The moment you step inside, you're greeted by a warm, cozy atmosphere that feels like a home away from home. The menu is filled with delicious, well-seasoned dishes, and everything I tried was bursting with flavor. The staff is friendly and attentive, making the whole dining experience feel personal. Whether you're a fan of Mediterranean cuisine or new to it, Parallel offers an authentic taste that’s sure to impress. Definitely worth a visit!

The pros: The restaurant is rather lager with a heated patio which is lovely to sit in especially in colder months. The service is great and they play good music (ambiance is great). The salads and drinks are usually really good (we didn't get any this time). They also accommodate gluten intolerance and bathrooms are on the main floor and are accessible. The cons: We just weren't impressed with the food and have felt it deteriorating over the last few times we have visited. We got the Hungarian kebab (2/5 - the potatoes were burnt, the kebab didn't taste great), the arayes (2/5 - the pickled veggies didn't taste pickled, I didn't love the strong taste of the meat), the falafel (2/5 - they have a bitter taste and feels like they aren't changing the oil they use to fry foods in often enough), the eggplant dip (3.5/5) and the beet and tahini dip (3/5).

An absolute must-visit! My cousin and I had a truly fantastic meal yesterday. We were both blown away by the quality, starting with how quickly our food arrived--less than 20 minutes, and everything was piping hot and incredibly fresh. I ordered the Arais, and my cousin had the Butter Miso Sesame Salmon, and both dishes were absolutely delicious. This place clearly prides itself on quality and fresh ingredients. To top off our meal, our server brought us complimentary, in-house made pistachio Halva. It was a truly unforgettable "chef's kiss" moment. The service was excellent from start to finish, and the entire experience was memorable. For two amazing meals and a grape juice, our bill was about $80 after tax and tip, which is a great value for such an exceptional experience. We will absolutely be back to this amazing spot!

Parallel is one of those special Toronto restaurants that deserves a visit if you want delicious Arab/Mediterranean food. I highly recommend starting your meal with the four dip sampler plate, which comes with the perfectly fluffy pita bread. Also, I really enjoyed their unique *savoury* take on knafeh, which is normally more of a sweet dessert. Great service and nice covered patio. Reservations recommended!

I enjoy this restaurant! Great middle eastern / tahini type dishes but also great hot dishes. The meze dips are a must get IMO. The pita is excellent here. Service is good and as expected. I think the restaurant it self had a really cool vibe and is somewhat located in an old industrial type building. I'd recommend this place.

Came here on a busy Friday evening. It was quite loud in the restaurant, but the staff members were very friendly and helpful. The stars of this meal were actually the drinks my friend and I got! The In the Garden mocktail was bitter yet fresh. The tumeric chili house lemonade was not sweet which let the flavours shine. The falafels were moist and as large as tennis balls-- a great shareable! Compared to other falafels, they were definitely on the minty side. However, don't expect the "melt in your mouth" falafels that you would get in places like Morocco. If you are a mushroom lover, I would definitely recommend the mushroom mix on za'atar pizza. I wish you could smell the picture! It was a little salty near the end of the dish though. The savoury knafeh's presentation was immaculate. Careful: the skillet is very hot! I was expecting it to be more melty and gooey in the middle. Overall, if you're a fan of fresh herbs and a friendly atmosphere, I would definitely recommend this place!

PROS: Salads were phenomenal. Citrus and honey flavours mixed with fresh mint. Superb. Beef Kabob was cooked perfectly, potatoes had a nice crispiness to it with a ton of flavour/spice. Atmosphere was fun, energetic and decor was trendy in a warehouse setting. CONS: Fryer oil needed to be changed. BADLY! All the falafels were coming out dark, dark brown. It took the taste away. ZERO service. Made a reservation, hostess was great ,sat us then we sat and sat and sat. And waited some more. Finally we asked the hostess if our server was around. Hostess ended up taking our order in between seating other guests. Bartender ended up dropping our bottle of wine at our table. Or at least we thought it was a bartender.Food runner ran our food all while our server was no where to be found, never once quality checked or inquired in on us. Management needs to rethink their scheduling. It was a busy Saturday night in June. Too bad.

We came on a Friday night and it was bumping! It was a chilly night and we sat on the heated patio which was quite warm actually! Our server was friendly but our dirty dishes piled up and we had stack them on the nearby planter. Many staff came by but failed to take them away. Cocktails were well balanced, I enjoyed my basil bourbon. Overall the food was good. The stand out was definitely the falafels. They came piping hot, crispy on the outside and well seasoned on the inside. We all echoed that they were the best falafels we have had. There were some misses such as the tapenade and the tofu (over seasoned and too spicy). Lamb shank was tasty and it fell off the bone but I found the pomegranate molasses a tad too sweet. The sauce for the special fish of day (whole sea bream) was a flavour bomb and it brought me back to Morocco but the fish was fishier than we anticipated. The Challah bread that came with the fish was expertly baked and it looked like a piece of art! The chicken schnitzel was tasty with 2 yummy sauces (green tahini and honey mustard) but nothing too special about this dish. Lastly the lemon tart was well made and not too sweet. Reservation is highly recommended to avoid a wait. Ample of free parking at nearby streets. This restaurant is very on trend right now with gender neutral restrooms, both a store/factory and a restaurant. Bar seats overlooking the kitchen, high tops, low tables and heated patio so lots to choose from for different a experience. Great place for a casual date night or gathering!

June 2/2023: Dinner with my Al. This was a very inexperience. The location is in an industrial area & is half manufacturing & half restaurant. Limited seating is available, so I'd recommend reservations. Started off with a Gaslight Helles Muddy York Lager ($8.50) & a East Street Landmark Dry Cider ($9.00), both we very good. The food was delicious. We had the 4-Dip Meze Plate ($20.00) to start (beet tahini, walnut/lemon pesto, sun dried tomato, hummus) with 2 pitas, all very tasty! Also had tabouli salad ($20.00 - not my fav) & the Chicken Schnitzel meal ($32.00). The chicken schnitzel was GIANT & very delicious. The corn salsa that came with the meal & fabo! A star was lost as our server seemed Uninterested in service & wasn't as pleasant & I think a server should be. Although all was tasty & the serving size for the Meze was undersized based on costing. This was a good experience but not good enough for me to repeat. 4-Star.

My wife and I had a wonderful time at this restaurant. The falafel balls are the size of softballs, and the tahini is to die for. The pita is fresh and when they have the tomato salad in-stock, GET IT! Fantastic experience.

Went for a friend's bday and the person who answered the phone was very accommodating. Everything was delicious, esp the kebabs but not piping hot. The salads were unique and tasty. Would definitely go back!

I have been seeing the "vibrant green" falafels everywhere on social media and knew I had to try! I've been here multiple times now and everything I've ever ordered has been amazing! The hummus is so fresh and warm perfect when meals arrive and the service is pretty good aswell! The patio was lovely to sit on to enjoy the weather. I will recommend this place over and over.

Hummus is my go to food, I always have it in my fridge and it's always something I order if offered on a menu. This said, I can honestly say Parallels hummus is probably one of the best in Toronto! If it was closer to the downtown core I would definitely be here more often! I've never had anything I didn't like from here- and their pita is so soft and yummy! The vibe is very casual, but the space is eclectic and I do consider it one of my go to spots. Just wish they were closer. I do believe they may be on Uber eats now... which is a bonus!

Oh man, Parallel is the bomb. I've been looking forward to coming to this place for literally years now. I've been told that ordering their food through Uber Eats doesn't do it justice, and every time I've been on Geary street (usually late at nights), Parallel was always closed. To say that it lived up to my expectations would be an understatement. The dips are absolutely fantastic (the labneh being my favourite as per usual) and the portion of the chicken schnitzel was something to behold. But the two things that truly surprised me were the Parallel Salad and the falafel. The salad might be the best thing on the menu, and I'm usually the carnivore of the group. The falafels didn't even have a hint of dryness and it was served hot, fresh, and with some delicious tahini. I'm truly happy that I never caved and got these dishes on Uber Eats, because what I've been told was right - they deserved to be eaten fresh, inside the restaurant. If you're ever in the neighbourhood, you should DEFINITELY consider Parallel. I get it - there are tons of amazing spots on the block, but you won't regret it.

Highly recommend their falafels -- such a fun green colour and they're super soft on the outside, and crispy on the inside. Parallel also has lovely pita; they're fluffy and thick and they last for a few days in the fridge. Lastly, you can also buy their jars of tahini, which I've been mixing with a bit of honey to make salad dressings! Their meal items are sized perfectly for sharing; order a variety of things and you have a gorgeous party spread. Check them out on Geary Ave -- and for the TG2G crew, favourite them and grab a surprise bag! Shout-out to Parallel's commitment to food waste reduction!

Israel lands in Toronto in a serious way. Parallel has one of the best collection of middle eastern food. To begin you must have one of the two salads. They are both massive and full of flavor. No meal is complete without the hummus and the selection is perfect from the traditional to the adventurous with a truffle hummus. When it comes to falafel you have hit the jackpot with one of the best falafel I have had in years. The crunch and the amount of parsley is off the hook. Finishing off the meal you must try the Babka. The cinnamon and nuts a burst of wow. By the time you finish this meal you will need to enjoy a Turkish coffee or mint tea and talk how amazing this meal hit home.

Parallel is located on Geary specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine which includes hummus, falafel, and a variety of hot dishes. I've been meaning to try this place for a while now but the location is a bit far for me. I was able to get takeout recently due to the pandemic restrictions. Their restaurant/store also sells a variety of homemade sesame butters and halva. I got these 3 items for lunch: - Hummus (chickpeas, sesame butter, parsley, olive oil and schug): delicious creamy hummus! Comes with 2 pitas which fill you right up. - Falafel (fresh herbs and chickpeas): these falafels were filling, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. delicious! As I was transporting them home, all I could smell were these falafels! - Cauliflower (fried cauliflower, fresh herbs, walnuts, olive oil, lemon, grated tomatos, spicy green and beet sesame butter): This was such a delicious dish with all the different contrast in textures as well as flavours. Overall, solid Middle Eastern eats! Do try if you're ever around the area!

I went recently for brunch. They have some vegan options. They charge extra for oat milk in the lattes. My HUGE Toronto Pet Peeve. Blacklisted! And they charge $2 extra if you request hot sauce. Food is ok. Casual ambiance. Repeat visit unlikely.

Finally tried Parallel for brunch. I made a res but they only had availability at the counter or on the heated patio. I chose the counter but should've gone for the patio, which looked cute and quite comfortable even in the winter. The interior of this restaurant felt cold to me, and not temperature wise. The shakshuka was quite good but not the best I've had (hello Eggstatic on Bayview). Overall, for me this was probably a one and done, but other people absolutely love it -- so definitely try it out for yourself.

Tbh, I never had falafel in my life. So coming here was a different experience for me. #1: I'm not a big salad eater #2: I'm a big meat eater #3: I've never tried falafel. Came here for a friend's gathering and I was shooked! I got the parallel salad ... and hands down ....literally HANDS DOWN.... one of my favourite salads of all TIME! This dish was huge and yes I know it is for sharing... but I just ate this cause most of the items had pita bread or cheese. Aside from the awesome salad, I ordered the notorious falafel. And my GOD!!! It was soooooo good. Like the falafel balls were the size of my fist and it was fried to PERFECTION! I can't praise this place enough. And you know it is good, especially coming from a carnivore like me. lol

The food here is so nice. I was very pleasantly surprised. I recommend to everyone. Delicious crisp on the falafel, nice spreads- I liked the tahini beet the best. Lamb was fall off the bone. Wonderful.

Unexpectedly one of the best Middle Eastern meals I've had in a while. Though Parallel is located on an assuming street, it has a quaint patio and serves delicious Middle Eastern fare underpinned by flavours from their house made Tahini. The falafels are the best I've had in the city. The baba ganoush, hummus, and labneh dips are good too (though I wish they included more bread). The chicken platter was enough to feed 2-3 and was tasty (albeit a bit oily) as well.

Absolutely stellar food. Great vibe. The falafel is extraordinary. Been a few times and haven't been disappointed yet. Make a reservation if you don't want to wait. Enjoy!!!

Very delicious truffle humus and super puffy and soft bread! The truffle one my favorite! Their hummus portion size is also huge (as it should for $16-18 price) I also really like their falafel. It's different from other ones because it's soft on the inside and has some green/mix of herbs? It's also super crunchy on the outside so I really like it! Another notable mention is their parallel salad. It's got so much stuff that goes well together! The aria dish was alright. I thought the mixed meat in pita (arias) was good to try but nothing too amazing. Make sure you order their truffle hummus and falafel! :)

Picked up Parallel for dinner and was thrilled!! I had seen their gorgeous falafels on Instagram and was so excited to try it out! I had a friend also rave about them, so I went myself! The location is in a bit of an I retesting area and finding parking was very challenging, since the street is so busy and many spots have "no parking" signs. Thankfully, someone was leaving and we were able to take their spot on the street. There are many options to choose from for takeout from the fridges and shelves, but you can also order from them as well. We picked up 2 salads (parallel and tabouli) both for $17 from the fridge area. We didn't get any drinks, but they were having a sale! We also picked up a bag of pitas, a chocolate halva babka, and 3 containers of halva. From the counter, we ordered 9 falafels, the fried cauliflower, and the vegetarian hummus (I don't remember what it was called). Each dish was delicious and I really couldn't pick a favourite. Starting with the salads, I wasn't sure which dressings to use, since both came with more than one, but overall, they were both SO tasty. The falafels were much bigger than I had anticipated and I couldn't eat more than 2. The fried cauliflower was very nice and had many walnuts to accompany it. Finally, the hummus was nice and came with many toppings. The egg was sadly over cooked so the yolk had a grey ring around it and was quite chalky. However, this was my first tome having preserved lemons and they were quite delicious! The babka was surprising! It was less chocolatey than I had expected but was perfectly sweet with a nice crust on top. We had tons of food leftover and they stayed very fresh. I enjoyed them for lunch today! A great spot to check out.

Parallel is great... if someone else is paying lol. The parallel salad is fantastic, as is the falafel and their hummus dishes. The salad is really unique and I could eat it daily. It's delicious. I do wish the hummus dishes came with more then 2 pitas as it's not enough for the dish. The falafel is amazing. But, I don't know if 6 balls is worth $20. There are places in city that do good falafel for less than half that, while also being upscale establishments. I also wish they sold a mini hummus dish to dunk them in. Currently you have to order a giant hummus if you want to do this. That being said ... the portions are fairly generous for most dishes. So maybe I'm being too harsh. I will eat here again. I do give it 4 stars though because I feel the price is more expensive then the value. I get that upscale places charge more for various reasons. But, it's a little too much. If the dishes were just a little less expensive, it would get 5 stars. I do recommend it though.

The herb falafels here are a must-try!! (especially if you like cilantro and other green herbs) This Israeli restaurant is located on the up-and-coming restaurant street on Geary Avenue (in Davenport area). The inside is quite airy and there are 2 floors. You can see the machine used to make in-house tahini; they also sell their homemade tahini in jars and halva (Middle Eastern sweets) at the front. All the dishes we tried were truly delectable. Sabich Pita - Reminder of the popular street food in Israel Herb Falafels - Crunchy on the outside, soft and flavourful in the inside (SO green inside!) Parallel Salad - Healthy mix of ingredients with nice crunch from the walnuts Grilled Asparagus - Delicious with the labneh, smoked eggplant cream, and roasted almonds Mushrooms Mix on Crizpy Za'atar Pita - My favourite dish from Parallel - truly phenomenal! Branzino Bandora - Delicious fish with garlic, tomatoes, and herb crumbles Beet Tahini

Most amazingly moist and flavorful falafel I've ever had, and I've had many. Very green (less chickpea and more herbs than most). Also they are huge so 1-2 is enough per person. Had a mixed mezze plate - baba ganoush, beets, and tzatziki were to die for, but I'd skip the labneh. We didn't even make it to the main courses. Worth seeking this place out. Wish we'd bought some tahini to take home!

We really like to go here for brunch. Their food is so good ! Pre covid, you sometimes needed to wait 2 weeks to get a reservation for a table. They only have outdoor dining at the moment and their patio is really nice. We love their falafel which are nice and crispy but still light on the inside. Their hummus is a must try ! Nice and smooth and delicious ! This time, we tried some of their specials of the day. It's really filling too. They used to have amazing smoothies (we cannot forget the tahini and date one) and unfortunately, they do not offer these at the moment. Their staff is nice and friendly. You can also buy some of their products to bring home. Definitely worth going there.

This was the most delicious Mediterranean food I've ever eaten. We had a mezze platter and shakshouka and everything was extraordinary. This restaurant is worth going out of your way for.

I can't wait to return to Parallel in person when this terrifying nonsense is over. Thankfully, they are delivering through UberEats to satisfy my Israeli snack dreams. My little family adores their huge, parsley-forward falafel, their lamb and beef arais are wonderful and their labeneh is second to none. If you want to treat yourself at home, please consider having Parallel delivered tonight!

Had Parallel recently, and still VERY over the moon about it. The Tabouli, Arais and the falafel turned a regular afternoon into a spectacular one. The labneh was very eye opening. They are generous with their side hummus, so plan ahead!

Absolutely loved it. I was first introduced to North African/Middle Eastern brunch about a decade ago and fell in love. Oddly however, it feels like it took some time it to catch on, but it looks as though more places are popping up now. One thing to be aware of is that the food at Parallel is plated and intended for family-style dinning. Perhaps they may offer a couple things you could go alone with later in the day, but the brunch menu was very much served with platters intended to share. However, even a group of two would manage well and my group of three had lots to choose from. It very much has a warehouse feel to the place. In fact it is still a functioning warehouse in some respects as they have an upper level which has various equipment, including a massive mill - which according to their website, creates their sesame butter, which they say is the heart of their dishes. Prices are a little on the higher side, but the value is apparent even upon just seeing the presentation. The portions are very large too and even 3 of us had a hard time finishing the 'parallel salad' which consisted of: kale, sweet potato, lentils, walnuts, goat cheese, beet, tahini, and a mint lemon vinaigrette. If the ingredients sound great, I'd also go back and state just how well they do presentation as well. Next was the hummus. I absolutely love hummus to the point that I've never even disliked any hummus I've ever eaten - it's just a question of how much I'll like or even love it. Now I've never been to the Middle East so I can't claim to be an expert, but I'll only say that for my experience, their Sabich Hummus (which included a boiled egg and fried eggplant) was perhaps the best I've had. The menu indicated it was made with fermented lemon and perhaps that was part of the extra taste that really made it stand out. I also loved the texture mix between the smooth hummus and lots of full sized chick peas left in. And the eggplant, it was so crunchy and savoury that it could make you forget about any want of meat. We ordered their falafels which were also fantastic and of course flatbread to go with everything. Finally, we ordered Merguez Shakshuka. This, along with the hummus, would very much be an example of how the dishes are intended to share as it is a large bowl of Shakshuka, with several pieces of flavourful merguez sausage and a couple poached eggs. I could go on about how wonderful this one is too, but suffice to say is I loved it as well. I'll return when I can - provided I make reservations as this place is understandably busy. But I don't expect them to be going anytime soon as they really stand out. Now if there was a just some way of getting a few bites of that fried eggplant to hold me over, that would be nice...

My friend suggested this place so we got take out! While we waited I got to try the Halva. Thanks to the blue eyed guy who gave me a free sample! We ordered the Herb Falafel In Regular Pita, but I was left wondering where the falafel was?!? It was just veggies and sauce. By this time we were already home to do anything about it. Quite a disappointment.

I LOVE THIS PLACE. This Israeli fusion restaurant reminds me of being back in Israel, pretty much like I'm in Tel Aviv. The food is always on point....I highly recommend sharing multiple dishes to get a taste of the delicious food that this restaurant has to offer. MY FAVE dish is the TRUFFLE hummus - its legit to die for. Additionally, I always get their FRESH FALAFEL.....it's the best! I just recently tried their Chicken thigh skewer (it was good but I wouldn't choose that item again, plus it was 24 bucks!). The vibe in this restaurant is great, its in an old auto body shop so it has very high ceilings and very spacious. The service is great even though it's ALWAYS busy....always busy. Make sure you make a reservation in advance to avoid disappointment. Enjoy the pictures below!

There's only one name you need to remember for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine: Parallel. Owned by two brothers, this spacious café is best known for its vibrant green falafel, ground-on-site sesame butter and homemade halva. At Parallel, the falafel (3 for $6) is some of the best I've had in terms of technique and flavour. The blend of coriander, mint, scallion, parsley, and green pepper adds a refreshing twist. And the hummus ($14) is silky and generously topped. Be sure to try the truffle hummus ($18) for a decadent treat. Also, you can't go wrong with the Arais, crispy lamb and beef pita ($19), and fried cauliflower ($17). When it comes to overall satisfaction, Parallel is unparalleled! Looks like takeout is the new normal for the next little while. The next time you need a break from cooking and want to treat yourself, add Parallel to your list.

Came here for lunch today and the restaurant was packed. I love Mediterranean food and was really looking forward to trying this place but I wasn't impressed with the food. The service however, was amazing. Super friendly waitresses - not to mention beautiful! The food came out fresh and a lot quicker than expected especially considering how busy it was. We ordered the regular hummus, tahini salad, falafel and shakshuka. Sadly the only item I enjoyed was the tahini salad which was delicious and flavourful. Everything else I found left a bitter aftertaste. The falafel was fresh and had a beautiful green colour but was so bland and flavourless. The shakshuka tasted sour, I guess due to the tomatoes. All in all, I was disappointed. I absolutely love Taboule and Fet Zun restaurants and Parallel Brothers just did not compare.

Evelyn's review brought me here! :) Tried this place yesterday. They've been on the block for 2 years already and they seem rather new and definitely modern. Kinda felt intimidated walking in. The food was absolutely delicious. I split a marinated lemon chicken thigh platter and tabouli salad with my sister. It was filling, satisfying and complete. There were no additional sauces needed. Sometimes, you need to add hot sauce or another sauce to have that extra je ne c'est quoi, not with this meal. It was well seasoned, well flavoured and balanced. During my consumption of the chicken I realized I actually do not enjoy the char bbq meat can have. The chicken had this flavour and I didnt enjoy that. On the menu it does not mention it is grilled chicken or bbq chicken. It simply mentions fermented marinated lemon chicken. My sister did however love it. She said it was bbqued to perfection, the moisture of the chicken meat was maintained. And it was incredible. She could not stop raving about how happy she was about it. The tabouli salad was amazing; so fresh! I also purchased the cheddar chili bites. They were good. In my opinion they could have used more cheddar, as that ingredient which was first named in its title, was faint. The person who served us was rude. Their attitude was unimpressive. And only cuz of the food would I return, yet I will state it is very unfortunate how an unpleasant service experience can sour the excitement of trying out a place for the first time. They didnt tell us the platter is a wait of 20 minutes. This is essential information to pass on to your customers. Meanwhile people are walking in and walking out during our wait time. I dont mind waiting for great tasting food, especially since it is meat, there needs to be quality assurance. Simply communicate though the wait time. So I can understand! That's the proper thing to do! They also made a point to tell us to wait outside, while we were exploring their take away and ready made goodies. Wow! Again, covid19 restrictions only permitting certain amount of patrons in establishments. And they were fairly busy, considering the pandemic. However to kinda push us out, doesnt bode well for that overall lovely experience that could've otherwise likely happened. And to top it off, when this employee handed the food to my sister, they were rather dismissive and eager to get back to their customer. Perhaps some further service training is required here.

I've been about 5 times now so I consider this a weathered review. I'm giving 4 stars because although I have always had lovely wait staff, they are never ready for my reservation time. Each time I've been left standing at the door for 10 minutes waiting for a table, and I've never been without a reservation. The food is excellent however, good flavour. I like the dinner menu better just because there are more meat options, but the lunch is delicious too. Great for groups of 3+ because it's great to share so you can try a few dishes at once! Great restaurant if you like Israeli food!

Amazing restaurant. The shakshuka is the best I've ever had. Nice service and great food. Can't wait to go back.

Pretty good - if you're not going out of your way. They take reservations too so safe yourself the headache! It's very very busy here. Honestly the highlight was the hummus, which it definitely should be. But nothing else really blew my socks off. Truffle hummus was the favourite over the regular hummus. It was just a little bit more flavourful but they are both rather similar overall. 3 of us ordered the shakshuka. It was good but nothing stellar... Just an egg in good tomato sauce - what you see is what you get. We also ordered an e-ja which kind of looks like an egg quiche type of thing, this was my least favourite dish. Oh yes the falafel was VERY very good actually. One of the stand out dishes. And we also really enjoyed the pistachio dessert. Other than that it's a cool casual spot to check out and probably pick up one of their tubs of tahini.

I live in the area and came here for lunch on my way out of town. I asked for a table for one and the host didn't want to seat me. She said point blank there was no room, and she didn't even give me an estimated wait time. When I asked, she said it was a 40 minute wait, but when I said I was happy to wait, a seat at the back of the restaurant magically became available. In fact, there were three open seats and by the time I finished eating, the restaurant was nearly empty. Not sure if they acted that way because 1) I was by myself, 2) I had a suitcase, 3) I'm black, or 4) she thought i looked too "poor" to be worth their time, but it felt like a very clear and hostile attempt to shoo me out of the restaurant and left a VERY bad taste in my mouth. I'm actually really disappointed because I'd been meaning to try this spot since last summer. The shakshouka was good, miss jessop cocktail was fine, turkish coffee was weak. The server was as kind and considerate as the host was rude, but I won't be coming back and will be telling my friends and family about this uncomfortable experience. It was entirely unacceptable.

My favourite place in the city for some creative middle eastern eats!! Great quality, super fragrant and good portion sizes. Loved the truffle hummus, falafel (favourite that I've tried) parallel salad.

Tapa style restaurant but what I love most is the rolling kitchen setup where plates come out when they're ready so you share/test the plates as soon as they're ready vs waiting for all of them to be ready ! Their lamb hummus was unbeatable !! Well textured with warm bread creates a experience you'll want to share again Overall creative flavours ! My favourites were the hummus and the parallel salad ! The parallel salad was lightly coated with dressing but not drenched so you can actually appreciate the body of the salad

Great food, great atmosphere! We were seated right away inside and were waited on very quickly. I had the arais, which was very tasty between the kebab and the spicy tomato salad. The sesame butter latte was too bitter for my taste and tasted faintly of grinds, but the matcha latte was excellent according to my friends. My favorite dish though was herb falafel on tahini. It was so fresh (all herbs are grown on the top floor of the establishment) and aromatic. Would highly recommend!

As much as I wanted to love this place, I was left very disappointed. The one very positive point was the delicious falafel, which were perfectly crispy and light compared to most other places. Amazing flavor as well. The truffle hummus on the other end, was extremely bland and as liquid as a soup. The Labneh was good but nothing special either. I would, however, get that over the hummus any day.

My favorite middle eastern food place. The salad is great and the pitas are nicely cooked. Their hummus might be the best thing they offer on the menu. It is full of flavor and so authentic. Im constantly telling people to go try out Parallel since it is good for someone who has never eaten middle eastern cuisine. Great experience overall.

Decor is nice and the waiter staff is friendly and accommodating. The food isn't spectacular. I ordered a tumeric latte, shakshuka and a side of falafel. First to start was the tumeric latte, the design was nice and you can see the yellow colour for the tumeric. I was expecting the latte to have a nice tumeric flavour but what I got was watered down milk with yellow coloring. I didn't even taste any tumeric. As for my shakshuka, it was filled with tomatoes paste only. I couldn't even taste any other flavour or seasoning as the tomatoes overpowered everything and my eggs were overcooked by the time it arrived to me (no runny yolks). I also ordered the falafel as everyone on here recommended it but I didn't think it was as good as what everyone have said on here - maybe I'm just not a falafel type of girl. Overall the service was great and the staff were very friendly but food wise, I wouldn't come back here.

This place moved up quickly on the bookmarked places. I am not that familiar with this area as don't venture out here much. This place is nestled in an odd mixture of workshops , industrial warehouse (I think I even heard a few lathe machines at work on a Saturday as well) and an odd park on what seems like a back road. I think they have done well with the space they got as they kept the industrial structure and added neat touches that somehow bring character to this place. The restaurant was packed for starters. The ordering system seems straightforward. One orders at the cashier and gets a buzzer and food is brought over. We ordered the following: Labneh: I am neutral to this dish. This one is a better take on the one's I have tried. Seasoned well with nice olive oil and sweet roasted garlic and tomatoes to boot. Comes with a pita which was very hefty. Shashuka: this dish seems to have become the norm as I see it almost everywhere. A better take on this dish as not as oily as the one I tried recently at the other place. Arais: I am a big fan of this dish and almost seek out the places that serve it so was looking forward to it. Hmm plated nicely it wasn't the version I am used to as way heftier owing to the pita bread they have here. Spiced well though a bit oily again due to the thick pita. The yam on the side was good. Decent take on this dish. The service is functional which is just fine for this space. I missed out on the highly recommended flafel though. I will be back I think to just try that out. 3.5 stars with a potential for a 4 star.

In two words: delicious and thoughtful. Every dish was mouthwateringly delicious. And every detail in this restaurant was thoughtfully attended to, whether it was the food, decor, or service. The falafel was the best I've ever had! Fresh, crisp on the outside, and smooth and flavourful on the inside. The beet tahini was a nice finish. The branzino bandora was a mild, crispy fish with bold, intensely flavourful cherry tomatoes. Yum. The grouper was good -- served in wax paper with veggies. The parallel cookie was AMAZING! Baked fresh in a cast iron skillet, the still hot chocolate chip cookie was topped with tahini, vanilla ice cream, and fresh mint. Just divine.