To study at U of T is to be in the heart of a thriving food scene. From Chinatown to Kensington to Koreatown, there is no shortage of places one can go to in Toronto to indulge in a good meal. However, studying at U of T means being in a perpetual time crunch. From schoolwork to club work to actual work, the student experience is a juggling act — one where students often drop the ball on nourishment.

Thankfully, shawarma trucks line up across St. George Street for those who need to beat the clock. The variety in trucks is our blessing, but it is also our curse — is it fair to expect a student nursing a headache amid a busy schedule to gamble on an unknown wrap? We at The Varsity didn’t think so. 

Over the course of two days, we set out with the intention of finding the best shawarmas. We ordered mixed shawarmas — which are half chicken, half beef — and a side of fries from every truck lined down St. George, an order we deemed reflective of the typical pick-me-up. Below are our results. 

Fiyu Food Truck (Black truck with white writing)

Where we found it: Across from Bahen

  • Flavour → 4/5 
  • Freshness/Juiciness → 5/5
  • Variety of toppings available → 4/5
  • Did they get our order right? → 5/5 
  • Service → 4/5
  • Fries → 3/5

Busier than most of its neighbouring trucks, we started our day with Fiyu. And what a gem Fiyu was! Drawing heavily on Turkish cuisine, Fiyu’s shawarma was perfectly juicy. Piled high with fatty beef and nicely balanced by fresh and crunchy onions, you’ll want to ask for a napkin (in the best way). If you’re a fan of heat, their hot sauce takes the wrap to another level and is worth the glass of water you may need after. 

Best for: A filling and plump dinner, and those who love a good presentation.

Food from East (Black truck with flames)

Where we found it: Across from Sid Smith 

  • Flavour → 4/5
  • Freshness/Juiciness → 4/5
  • Variety of toppings available → 2.5/5
  • Did they get our order right? → 5/5 
  • Quality of service → 4/5
  • Fries → 3/5

Place your order, and soon after, the vendors — highly attentive, and, we found, mildly flirty — will hand you garlicky bliss. The combination of pickles and lettuce made for a crunchy wrap, but when it came to flavour, the garlic sauce was the star of the show, keeping everything moist and flavourful without overpowering the well-seasoned meat. Enriched with white sauce, this wrap is fresh, zesty and balanced. 

Best for: Garlic sauce lovers, and anyone who wants a good lunch.

Pita Express (Red truck) 

Where we found it: Outside of Robarts 

  • Flavour → 3/5
  • Freshness/Juiciness → 5/5 
  • Variety of toppings available → 2.5/5
  • Did they get our order right? → 4/5 
  • Quality of service → 5/5 
  • Fries → 5/5 

If you are looking to take a step aside from your cold, professional routine and step into a bubble of comfort, Pita Express is the place for you. You may likely be greeted by the sweet and friendly woman who operates the truck with her husband. Their wraps are highly reminiscent of home meals, to us: imperfect but nice to depend on. 

We found that the vendor under-delivered the sauces we were promised, and the toppings were inconsistently distributed. Still, the small wrap, full of delicious and flavourful meat, satisfies the expectations of anyone looking for a wrap to grab on the go. The truck also had the best fries we’d tried out of all the shawarma trucks: seasoned, pillowy, and crisp. If you’re looking for some heat, ask for extra hot sauce directly in the wrap, as the Pita Express spicy version is a little milder than you’d expect. 

Best for: Fries, and potentially even Shawarma poutine. A wrap to snack on and a home away from home. 

Ali’s Wraps (Green truck)

Where we found it: In front of Bahen 

  • Flavour → 4.6/5
  • Freshness/Juiciness → 4/5
  • Variety of toppings available → 4/5
  • Did they get our order right? → 3/5 
  • Service → 3.5/5
  • Fries → 2/5

We ended our food tour with Ali’s, which was the furthest truck south along St. George. The sweet and soft wrap hugged the savoury meat and standard toppings: lettuce, tomato, and pickles. This freshness, however, did not carry into the fries, which left us tasting the staleness of the oil used for frying them. 

However soft their bread may be, we found the folks at Ali’s don’t believe in pleasantries; charmingly hostile, they let the peppery and feisty wrap do the talking for itself. 

Best for: Those who like their meat smoky and charred, and have a fondness for mean uncles.

Combatting hunger in a timely manner, the trucks that decorate campus are every student’s friend. Next time you and the rumble in your belly gaze up St. George Street to its seemingly endless stream of trucks, rest assured in knowing there is a wrap out there for you.