YAYA Greek Bistro | Toronto — Restaurant in Toronto

Yaya's: A Taste of Mediterranean Home Cooking in Toronto's Heart

Tucked away in Toronto's vibrant culinary landscape, Yaya's Mediterranean Restaurant feels less like a dining establishment and more like stepping into someone's cherished family kitchen. Since opening their doors two years ago, owners Matilda and her husband have transformed this intimate space into a haven for authentic Mediterranean cuisine that speaks directly to the soul.

From the moment you enter, Matilda's warm presence sets the tone for what's to come. Her genuine hospitality isn't something that can be trained – it's deeply rooted in a tradition of treating every guest like family. She glides between tables, sharing stories about ingredients sourced from local markets and family recipes passed down through generations, making even first-time visitors feel like longtime friends.

Behind the scenes in the kitchen, Matilda's husband works his culinary magic, crafting dishes that transport you straight to the Mediterranean coast. His expertise shines through in every plate that leaves the kitchen, from the perfectly crispy falafel with its herbaceous interior to the tender, slow-cooked lamb that practically melts off the bone. The hummus, velvety smooth and garnished with a generous swirl of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika, rivals any I've tasted in the region itself.

What sets Yaya's apart isn't just the impeccable food – it's the palpable sense of love and tradition infused into every aspect of the dining experience. The moussaka, a layered masterpiece of eggplant, spiced ground meat, and béchamel sauce, tastes exactly like what you'd imagine a Mediterranean grandmother would make for a Sunday family gathering. Their house-made pita, served warm from the oven, is pillowy soft and perfect for scooping up the last bits of their rich tzatziki.

The space itself is modest but charming, with blue and white checkered tablecloths, family photos adorning the walls, and the soft sounds of traditional music playing in the background. Copper pots hang from the ceiling, and the aroma of fresh herbs and roasting garlic creates an atmosphere that makes you want to linger..

Yaya's isn't just another Mediterranean restaurant; it's a labor of love that showcases the magic that happens when passionate restaurateurs prioritize quality, tradition, and genuine hospitality above all else. In just two years, Matilda and her husband have created something truly special – a place where the food tastes like home, even if the Mediterranean isn't your...

TL;DR Cozy, family-run, decent service, language barrier, tasty chicken skewers, near-perfect potatoes, fresh Greek salad, cucumber-heavy tzatziki, online order fee.

Location: Small spot but cozy with a family touch. It has a nice opening to the road and small bar area/take out area.

Service: Their website lets you order for pick up but they have a $1.99 service fee plus ask for a tip...if you call then it seems to get the fee waived. There was quite a bit of rings on a weekend at 10PM but they eventually answered. The lady who answered told me she wasn't fluent in English but was able to take my order without a problem. They offered me wooden like cutlery for my takeout order. I read a lot of reviews about the lady in the front having issues but she was fine with me, besides when I told her not to staple my To Go bag and she said no and did it anyways but maybe she was just looking out for my meal. Besides that, maybe a big part of the issue people had with her, is the language barrier.

Food I purchased the Chicken Stick Dinner w Greek Salad and Potatoes ($28.xx). Pita was a good texture, thin crust. Slightly crisp on the outside. Not much flavour besides the lime transferring from the chicken. Potatoes are cooked to almost perfection. Slight hard on the outside so it does fall apart with slight mushy texture on the inside. Lime flavour is great, but not much flavour beyond that. The size is about 3/4 of a whole potato. Chicken is cooked just right. A bit of a char on the outside and soft but not chewy texture on the inside. BBQ flavour all throughout. Two skewers, about 7 inches long by 1 inch wide. A bit bland besides that but pairs better with with the tzatziki sauce. Skewer has onions between the chicken chunks, nice touch. Tzatziki sauce is a bit chunky with cucumbers, most of the flavour is cucumber. Salad was about 2.5 fist of veggies and good amount of feta cheese. It had a splash of dressing, mostly if not all oil, added no flavour to it.

I was worried I wasn't going to get full, considering most Souvlaki dinners come with 2 sides plus the salad and this one came with 2 sided but not a salad on the side, however this one came with 2 large chicken skewers so i was happily surprised to get more value and get full off chicken instead of carbs like a...

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Lamb On a Spit - Lamb skewer has a more subtle lamby taste and is a leaner cut, cooked to a medium, pretty tender, with a nice char and colour. Seasoned simply with some salt, it has a slight smoky flavour that is complimented with the refreshing, creamy and slightly tangy tzatziki sauce with small pieces of cucumber inside that also mellow out the slight acridness on the charred veggies that are also grilled on the spit. Some pieces were overly charred, but veggies are still tender with a slight crisp, and are surprisingly sweet. The tomato is bursting with juices too. Boiled veggies include some tender, a bit past fork tender cauliflower, broccoli and carrots which are finished and swimming in a splash of olive oil, which isn't super fragrant. The rice is cooked nicely for indiv. grain texture along with some frozen pea and carrot chunks inside, but otherwise somewhat bland, unlike most greek rice. The pita tastes very fresh, fluffy and has a satisfyingly chew, baked with a beautiful charring that develops the yeasty,...