Tzatziki delivery driver Nisar Safi poses with souvlaki at the Pape Street eatery.
Up and down Pape Street and along Danforth Avenue in Toronto’s Greektown, you will find one thing on every corner — souvlaki.
Traditionally souvlaki is made with grilled chicken or pork served on a pita with vegetables and tzatziki sauce.
Tzatziki’s souvlaki comes with chicken or pork, and is served with fries, vegetables, and tzatziki sauce.
The Observer canvassed the neighbourhood known for its servings of chicken and pork dishes in search of some of the best souvlaki Greektown has to offer.
One local hotspot is frequently mentioned. It’s called Tztaziki, named after the sauce that tops the Greek delicacy, and is located on Pape Street.
Tzatziki features a small patio for enjoying a Greek treat during the summer months.
Meanwhile, a restaurant named ‘Souvlike’ also received accolades among locals.
Souvlike fan Zindeh Uelddl is a regular for takeout at the eatery, located across from Pape station. His says the smell of tzatziki — which comes with cucumber and a helping of garlic — draws him in.
Tzatziki head chef Kimon Sikaris says the key to making perfect souvlaki is, “it has to be slow-cooked on a low fire. Be patient about it.”
Sikaris does not put his meat on the pita until it’s, “crunchy on the outside, and juicy on the inside.”
The smell of the garlic and juicy meat wafts out the door as one enters the cozy restaurant. The tzatziki there is made using fresh with yogurt imported from Greece.
Customer Mario Dhimojjni says “I have been to Greece and Tzatziki is the most authentic.”
Mario Dhimojjni (left) loves the authentic souvlaki at Tzatziki, but James Knapp (right) prefers The Greek Grill.
Sikaris, a chef of 22 years, says his diners know what they’re talking about. “Our customers understand, it’s not the first time they eat souvlaki, they know.”
Sikaris credits his three-step system for the popularity of his souvlaki. “First thing is freshness, then is the marination, and last is the way of cooking.”