Limon

Artisanal Israeli street food

Toronto has no shortage of good falafel and shawarma places. New entrant Limon had to differentiate themselves from the crowd. Their answer: fresh ingredients and popping Israeli flavours. They appear to be doing quite well, despite opening just before the pandemic.

Exterior of Limon
Limon

The food

Limon has three lines of offerings: pita sandwiches, dinner plates, and salatim (סלטים; salads and dips). It’s a street food bistro.

Their takeout sandwiches are messy to eat. It’s as if they’re designed be eaten with a fork and knife. How else does one explain the overstuffed pita? I hope they keep it that way though. Value is one of their key strengths.

Falafel pita sandwich from Limon
Falafel pita sandwich

The falafel (פלאפל) sandwich was the best I’ve had on the east side of Toronto, excluding Scarborough. It was packed with 5 to 6 falafels. They remained crunchy a few hours after takeout. The diced vegetable mix of tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, and parsley was simple but effective. A dash of vinegar to the toppings added life to the hefty sandwich. The cherry on top was the zhug (Yemeni green chilli paste). It gave a small zing to the palate. I would be remiss not to mention the freshly-baked pita bread. It was toasted gently and still sported a dusting of flour on the outside. It had a good amount of chew. 8.5/10.

Falafel from Limon
Falafel

The lamb kefta (קופטה; ground meat patties) sandwich is on their not-so-secret online menu. As I had come to expect with Limon, it was stuffed with lots of meat. The sandwich was also topped with a modest amount of zhug but it was almost lost in the strong flavours of the kefta and onions. They would have melded better if it were spicier.

Lamb kefta pita sandwich from Limon
Lamb kefta pita sandwich

The kefta was all right but could have been juicier. It was slightly over-seasoned. Thank goodness for the pickled onions which cut through the heaviness. Overall, the flavour balance was slightly off but I still enjoyed it.7.5/10.

Lamb kefta from Limon
Lamb kefta

All sandwiches came with a side of pickles, another point of differentiation for Limon. They were sliced and arranged carefully.

Carrot and cucumber pickles from Limon
Carrot and cucumber pickles

I liked the turmeric taste of the pickled cabbages but they were too thick and crunchy for me. I preferred the carrots which had a hint of sweetness. All pickles tasted as expected: sour. Clearly, these were meant to be eaten with something else. 7/10.

Cabbage and cucumber pickles from Limon
Cabbage and cucumber pickles

The place

You can’t miss Limon’s effervescent, sky-blue, and lemony exterior when walking down Queen Street East in the Beaches. It’s classier inside, featuring exposed brick walls and mid-century light pendants.

I visited before indoor dining was allowed. At that time, Limon used the interior to sell beers, wines, and imported Israeli products.

Groceries at Limon
Grocery section
Wine store at Limon
Wine store

Verdict

Artisanal Israeli street food with generous portions. 8/10.

Practical information

Name
Limon
Rating
8/10
Recommended dishes
Falafel pita sandwich
Prices
Falafel pita sandwich: $9.04 ($8.00 excluding tax)
Lamb kefta pita sandwich: $14.69 ($13.00 excluding tax)
Address
1968 Queen Street East
Hours
Daily 1100h – 2100h
Date of visit
May 2021, June 2021