SHAY

"Shay executive chef Joseph Awad experiments with traditional Lebanese flavours at this Griffintown restaurant — and his brunch menu is no exception. He serves waffles with shish taouk-spiced fried chicken, makes shakshuka with an amatriciana sauce, tops pancakes with whipped labneh, and pairs eggs with lamb shawarma." - JP Karwacki, Valerie Silva

"Griffintown’s Shay Express (pronounced “shy,” which is Arabic for tea), does “gourmet Lebanese pub food,” so think a selection of mezzes like baba ghanouj and za’atar cauliflower; shish taouk hoagies, Philly cheesesteak shawarma and cherry kabab meatballs as mains; and Ashta cream donuts for dessert. They also do sharable platters and park picnic baskets, but now that on-site dining is permitted its terrasse on Notre Dame is where it’s at." - Joel Balsam

"Griffintown’s Shay Express (pronounced “shy,” which is Arabic for tea), does “gourmet Lebanese pub food,” so think a selection of mezzes like baba ghanouj and za’atar cauliflower; shish taouk hoagies, Philly cheesesteak shawarma and cherry kabab meatballs as mains; and Ashta cream donuts for dessert. They also do sharable platters and park picnic baskets, but now that on-site dining is permitted its terrasse on Notre Dame is where it’s at." - Joel Balsam

"Newcomer Shay Express, whose team describes its offerings as “gourmet Lebanese pub food,” does a $65 picnic basket of cold items that’s fit to feed two to three people and includes shrimp rolls, labneh and tomatoes, fattoush salad, muhammara and Beirut cream pies." - Holly Tousignant