A Montreal-based restaurant bested the self-proclaimed “Shawarma Capital of Canada” on its own turf at the second annual Ottawa Shawarma Festival competition on Sunday. Judges ranked Boustan as the best tasting shawarma during a blind taste test of the dish from various restaurants participating in the festival. The chain has a location on Rideau Street and dozens of restaurants across Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Second and third place went to local favourites Three Brothers and Shawarma Palace, respectively. The judges included Ottawa-Vanier MP Mona Fortier, Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante, Ottawa Tourism CEO Michael Crockatt, Ottawa Festival Network Executive Director Tara Shannon, CEO of Gabriel Pizza George Hanna, food critic Mat Beasoleil and hospitality director MJ Naim-Brown. Shawarma Palace got first place at last year’s competition. The Middle Eastern dish typically served as a wrap has made a name for itself in the nation’s capital. In 2024, Ottawa’s city council declared the city as the “Shawarma Capital of Canada.” “The shawarma this year has been known as the number one sandwich worldwide. And nobody does it better than this right here,” Boustan manager Charbel Khoury told CTV News Ottawa. Ottawa Shawarma Festival took over York Street in the ByWard Market on Sunday, featuring dozens of vendors and performances to celebrate the capital’s 200th anniversary. Ottawa artist Xav Trudeau, the son of former prime minister Justin Trudeau, was scheduled as one of the performers. New Guinness World Record achieved A new Guinness World Record was set at the festival, creating the longest line of shawarma sandwiches ever made. An official representative from Guinness World Records handed the organizers of the festival and Shawarma Palace an official certificate marking the record of 2,451 sandwiches all lined up together. The previous record was set at 2,187. A team of more than 30 volunteers set up a long line of tables along the festival path to create the over 1,100 foot sandwich. The wraps will all be donated to the Shepherds of Good Hope. “A lot when people believe in our concept and come to support the food, the culture, the project in general. That shows how strong our community is,” said Moe Mosalam, creator of Ottawa Shawarma Festival. With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Joshua Marano
