Brunch cooked with Persian love. The shakshuka is loaded with warmth, the chai is spiced perfectly, and the staff will make you feel like family every single time.
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market · Address: 180 Baldwin St, Toronto, ON · Hours: Wed–Mon 9am–4pm · Price Range: $$ · Phone: (647) 748-9888 · Editorial status: Not yet verified
Chef Anar serves Persian-inspired brunch classics you’ll hardly find elsewhere in Toronto, from deeply spiced shakshuka to creamy feta omelettes. It’s friendly, relaxed, and genuine—like coming home to someone else’s Persian auntie.
Unlike the usual eggs benny or pancakes, Chef Anar’s menu is built on Iranian flavours and hospitality, with every dish prepared and served by the same family. Their chai comes brewed table-side with their own spice blend, and brunch here always ends with a little complimentary sweet. You won’t get this mix of comfort and authenticity at Toronto’s trendier brunch spots.
Chef Anar is tucked into Baldwin Street in the Kensington Market/Chinatown corridor — a small Persian brunch spot that has built one of the most devoted regulars lists in Toronto without ever trying to. The shakshuka here is the version by which you should measure all other shakshuka: a deeply spiced tomato base with eggs poached to a perfect wobbly set, finished with herbs and a drizzle of something sharp. It arrives with flatbread that's still warm. It's the kind of dish that makes you want to come back the following Sunday.
Chef Anar is named for the chef-owner whose Persian heritage runs through every dish without announcement. The spicing is warm and confident — cumin, turmeric, saffron, dried limes appear in preparations that borrow from Persian culinary tradition without being constrained by it. The weekend lamb stew (when it appears as a special) is the menu item that regulars plan their week around.
The chai is made properly — spiced with cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon, brewed strong, and served with a patience for the steep that distinguishes it from an afterthought. The room is small and warm. The staff are the kind who remember your name by the third visit and your order by the fifth.
The line on Sunday morning confirms the reputation. Arrive at opening (9am) or expect to wait. It is worth it.
Chef Anar is a Persian-inspired brunch restaurant on Baldwin Street in Kensington Market, known for its shakshuka (eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce), Persian chai, and rotating specials including lamb stew and other dishes drawing from the chef-owner's Persian heritage. The restaurant has a devoted following and regularly fills up, particularly on weekends.
The shakshuka is the essential order — eggs poached in a deeply spiced tomato base, served with warm flatbread. The Persian chai (cardamom, ginger, cinnamon) is the correct drink. Ask the server about the weekend specials; the lamb stew when available is exceptional. For a lighter option, the seasonal grain bowls are consistently good.
Chef Anar does not take reservations and operates as a walk-in café. Arrive at opening (9am Wednesday through Monday) to avoid the weekend brunch queue. Saturday and Sunday mornings are the busiest; weekday mornings are much calmer. The café is at 180 Baldwin Street in the Kensington Market/Chinatown neighbourhood.
Chef Anar is at 180 Baldwin Street, in the Kensington Market area between Chinatown and the University of Toronto. The nearest transit is Spadina Station (Line 2, 10-minute walk south) or the 510 Spadina streetcar. Baldwin Street is a pedestrianised block in this area, making it easy to find on foot.
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