Toronto's newest registered Greek restaurants

New Greek restaurants in Toronto: 6 have been licensed in the past year (1 in the last 30 days), tracked daily from the City of Toronto business-licence registry (chains excluded). The most recent is SOUVLAKI STATION, first seen 17 days ago.

The Danforth's Greektown is the historical anchor - souvlaki houses going back to the 1960s - but new openings have spread to Etobicoke and the Junction, often leaning more Cretan or Aegean than the standard pita-grill template.

Where are Greek restaurants in Toronto, and which neighbourhood has the most?

Danforth Avenue between Broadview and Jones — known as Greektown — is the historical anchor, with souvlaki houses and tavernas that go back to the 1960s. Salonika Restaurant at 402 Danforth Ave sits squarely in that corridor, serving moussaka, saganaki, and grilled octopus in the neighbourhood where Toronto's Greek community first settled. Newer openings have spread west: Greek Gordo (1028 St Clair Ave W) brings modern souvlaki and mezze to the Junction area, and The Greek Freak (3836 Bloor St W, Etobicoke) is a family counter operation with roots in the owner's meat business.

What should I order at a Greek restaurant?

Start with saganaki (pan-fried halloumi or kefalograviera cheese, usually flamed tableside), tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic), and a Greek salad with barrel-aged feta rather than crumbles. For mains, souvlaki — skewered pork or chicken, charcoal-grilled — is the standard, either plated with pita and rice or wrapped to go. Moussaka (baked eggplant and spiced ground lamb under béchamel) is the slow-cooked alternative worth ordering if it's on the menu. Salonika on Danforth runs the full classic lineup; Greek Gordo on St Clair specializes in souvlaki and mezze-style small plates.

Is Greek food halal or vegetarian-friendly?

Greek kitchens are not typically halal-certified — pork is central to the cuisine (souvlaki, gyros, kokoretsi) and wine appears in many braises and marinades. Vegetarians eat well, though: the mezze table covers spanakopita (spinach-feta phyllo), dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), gigantes (giant baked beans in tomato), and horiatiki salad, none of which contain meat. Vegan options are thinner — butter and cheese appear in most phyllo pastry, and many dishes finish with olive oil that has been used across the whole prep line — so calling ahead is worth it.

What is souvlaki, and how is it different from a gyro?

Souvlaki is meat (usually pork, chicken, or lamb) cut into cubes and grilled on a skewer over charcoal — the cut and the flame are what define it. A gyro is the same seasoned meat compressed into a cone and slow-roasted on a vertical rotisserie, then shaved off to order. Both are served in pita with tzatziki, tomato, and onion, but souvlaki has a charred, slightly smoky edge that gyro meat lacks. Greek Gordo on St Clair Ave W is built around souvlaki; The Greek Freak on Bloor St W in Etobicoke runs gyros alongside street-food-style plates.

How is Greek food different from Turkish or Lebanese?

All three cuisines share the eastern Mediterranean pantry — olive oil, lamb, eggplant, yogurt, flatbread — but diverge in preparation and emphasis. Greek cooking leans on lemon and dried oregano, uses phyllo pastry extensively (spanakopita, baklava), and features aged sheep's milk cheeses like feta and kefalograviera that don't appear in Turkish or Lebanese kitchens in the same form. Turkish cuisine adds more spice heat and relies more heavily on ground-meat kebabs (kofta, adana) and stuffed vegetables. Lebanese food uses a broader spice palette (sumac, allspice, cinnamon in savoury dishes), features raw dishes like kibbeh nayyeh and tabbouleh, and leans toward lighter mezze over heavier baked casseroles like moussaka.