Shawarma Palace

Shawarma Palace is a Lebanese-style shawarma restaurant chain based in Ottawa, Ontario. The business opened its first restaurant in 1996 and developed alongside Ottawa’s distinctive shawarma culture, which grew substantially after Lebanese immigrants popularized shawarma shops in the city during the 1980s. Ottawa subsequently became known for having an unusually high concentration of shawarma restaurants, with the dish becoming a prominent part of the city’s fast-food and late-night dining scene. The brand’s best-known location is on Rideau Street, close to Ottawa’s ByWard Market and its nightlife district. Its late operating hours, including service until 2 a.m. on weekends at the Rideau Street restaurant, have helped associate the chain with post-bar and late-night dining. Shawarma Palace serves Lebanese-style shawarma and related Middle Eastern dishes, with its shawarma plates, chicken shawarma, falafel, garlic sauce, and large portions receiving particular attention from local and national food writers. The business expanded gradually from its original restaurant. It had three Ottawa locations in 2017 and nine locations across Ottawa and its suburbs by March 2025. In addition to its restaurants, Shawarma Palace has participated in Ottawa’s professional sports and event economy as a sponsor and concession partner for the Ottawa RedBlacks and Ottawa Senators, serving food at games involving both teams. Media coverage has emphasized the brand’s value and substantial serving sizes. The Ottawa Citizen has described Shawarma Palace as a recurring Ottawa favourite, while commentary on its shawarma platter has highlighted portions that can weigh as much as approximately two and a half pounds. The Boston Globe characterized the restaurant as an example of one-meal dining, praising the contrast between crisp and tender textures in its chicken shawarma and the affordability of its meals. Eater included the restaurant in a list of notable Ottawa restaurants and recommended its shawarma plate as a representative Ottawa food experience. In 2025, Shawarma Palace won first place in a blind taste test at Ottawa’s inaugural Shawarma Festival. The brand has also faced a naming dispute. In February 2024, Shawarma Palace filed a trademark-infringement lawsuit in the Federal Court of Canada against Gatineau-based Le Palais du Shawarma. The claim alleged that the similar name could confuse customers and diminish the value of the Shawarma Palace brand. Le Palais du Shawarma stated in response that it would change its name. Shawarma Palace did not operate a Gatineau location as of March 2025. The dispute illustrates the importance of brand recognition and geographic identity in Ottawa’s crowded shawarma market.

Shawarma Palace opened its original Ottawa restaurant in 1996. Its development took place within a broader transformation of Ottawa’s food landscape. Lebanese immigrants had helped establish shawarma as a popular late-night food in the city during the 1980s, particularly among people leaving bars and nightlife venues. Over time, Ottawa acquired one of the largest concentrations of shawarma restaurants in North America, and shawarma became closely associated with the city’s casual dining identity. The chain’s Rideau Street restaurant became its most prominent public-facing location. Situated within walking distance of the ByWard Market, an area known for nightlife and restaurants, the location benefited from demand for late-night meals. Weekend service extending to 2 a.m. reinforced the restaurant’s connection to Ottawa’s after-hours food economy. Shawarma Palace’s menu centered on Lebanese-style shawarma and related dishes, including chicken shawarma, shawarma plates, falafel, and garlic sauce. The company expanded from its initial restaurant to a multi-location operation. Three locations were reported in Ottawa in 2017. By March 2025, the chain had nine restaurants in Ottawa and surrounding suburbs. The available reference material does not identify the founders, owners, corporate parent, or a separate legal company behind the brand. It also does not document locations outside the Ottawa area. Shawarma Palace has built recognition through both food criticism and local institutional partnerships. The Ottawa Citizen repeatedly identified it as one of Ottawa’s favourite restaurants, with commentary focusing on the size and quality of its shawarma platter. A reported portion could weigh up to approximately two and a half pounds. The Boston Globe praised the restaurant’s chicken shawarma for its crisp exterior and tender interior and described the food as unusually good value. Eater included Shawarma Palace among its recommended Ottawa restaurants and treated its shawarma plate as a signature local dining experience. The chain also became involved in Ottawa sports hospitality. It has acted as a sponsor and concession stand partner for the Ottawa RedBlacks and Ottawa Senators, supplying food at games for both teams. These relationships extended the brand beyond its street-level restaurants and connected it with major local sporting events. In February 2024, Shawarma Palace filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Canada against Le Palais du Shawarma, a Gatineau-based restaurant. Shawarma Palace alleged trademark infringement and argued that the similar name could create customer confusion and devalue its brand. The defendant responded that it would change its name. As of March 2025, Shawarma Palace had no Gatineau location, according to the cited material. In 2025, Shawarma Palace won the blind taste test at Ottawa’s first annual Shawarma Festival. This recognition added a contemporary competitive distinction to the chain’s longstanding local reputation. The available sources do not provide detailed information about its ownership structure, financial performance, employee leadership, franchising model, or future expansion plans.

• 2025

  Chain reaches nine Ottawa-area locations

  [1]Shawarma Palaceen.wikipedia.org

  By March 2025, Shawarma Palace has nine locations in Ottawa and its suburbs.

• 2025

  Wins Ottawa Shawarma Festival blind taste test

  [1]Shawarma Palaceen.wikipedia.org

  Shawarma Palace places first in a blind taste test at Ottawa’s inaugural Shawarma Festival.

• 2024

  Federal trademark lawsuit filed

  [1]Shawarma Palaceen.wikipedia.org

  Shawarma Palace files a Federal Court of Canada lawsuit against Le Palais du Shawarma over alleged name confusion and trademark infringement.

• 2017

  Chain reaches three Ottawa locations

  [1]Shawarma Palaceen.wikipedia.org

  Three Shawarma Palace locations are reported in Ottawa.

• 1996

  Original Ottawa restaurant opens

  [1]Shawarma Palaceen.wikipedia.org

  Shawarma Palace opens its first location in Ottawa, Ontario.

A high-volume, value-oriented Lebanese-style restaurant chain positioned around generous portions, recognizable Ottawa shawarma culture, convenient late-night service, and food suitable for both everyday meals and post-event dining.

• Shawarma

  Chicken shawarma

  A core menu offering built around Lebanese-style chicken shawarma. Food coverage has specifically highlighted the combination of a crisp exterior and tender interior, making it one of the brand’s most recognizable individual offerings.

• Plated meal

  Shawarma platter

  A substantial plated shawarma meal and one of Shawarma Palace’s signature offerings. Reviews emphasize its unusually large serving size, with reported portions reaching approximately two and a half pounds, as well as the accompanying garlic sauce and strong value proposition.

• Sandwich

  Falafel sandwich

  A vegetarian Middle Eastern sandwich sold as part of the restaurant’s broader Lebanese-style fast-food menu. External commentary has cited the falafel sandwich as remaining satisfying even after cooling, underscoring its role as a portable and convenient offering.

• Condiment

  Garlic sauce

  A prominent accompaniment to the restaurant’s shawarma meals. Food criticism has treated the garlic sauce as a defining flavor component of the brand’s platters and sandwiches.

• Ottawa RedBlacks and Ottawa Senators partnerships

  Ottawa, Ontario

  Shawarma Palace has served as a sponsor and concession stand partner for the Ottawa RedBlacks and Ottawa Senators, providing food at games for both professional sports organizations.

  Outcome. The partnerships expanded the brand’s visibility into major Ottawa sporting venues and event dining.

  Source

• 2024

  Pursuit of trademark protection against a similar restaurant nameOther

  Background

  Shawarma Palace alleged that Gatineau-based Le Palais du Shawarma used a sufficiently similar name to create customer confusion and diminish the value of the Shawarma Palace brand.

  Action taken

  The company filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Canada. The defendant stated that it would change its name.

  Aftermath

  The dispute was publicly associated with the two restaurants’ similar names. The available material does not provide the final court disposition.

  Source

1. 1Shawarma Palaceen.wikipedia.org