Story and photos by Curtis Comeau
Sometimes I like to fire up the boys on my Dirty Birds ball hockey group chat. A month ago, I asked a simple question. ‘Fellas, where is the best donair in Edmonton?’ Fourteen friends gave me sixteen different answers.
Richard’s. Swiss. Firezone. The list went on and on. Seeing there was no consensus, I decided to ramp up the debate; ‘should a donair have sweet or garlic sauce?’
Chaos on the chat. I then took it to another level: ‘does lettuce belong on a donair?’
The debate raged. One of my chat friends, Melly, posted a poll to block me from future chats.
I had gone too far with the lettuce question.
As middle-aged native Edmontonians, we all agreed on one fact—donairs are Edmonton’s most extraordinary culinary treasure. Hey, if Philadelphia claims the Philly cheesesteak and Chicago claims the deep-dish pizza, why can’t we claim the donair?
According to a 2023 Edmonton Journal story, Edmonton boasts more than 120 donair shops, while Toronto has around 20. We have the ONLY pro sports team with a Donair Launcher. It is a fantastic sight to see the Oilers hype team fire delicious foil-wrapped donairs into the air to the applause of 20,000 screaming fans. Our civic donair loyalty gained international attention when Prime Time Donair owner Adil Asim bid a whopping $16,000 for a giant-sized Donair mascot costume, so that it wouldn’t end up in the Maritimes. Where is it now? Still safely in Edmonton.
What is donair anyway?
Beef (or chicken), spices and some binder that has been squooshed together into a big cylinder by a special machine called gyro in Greece and doner in most of the Mediterranean basin and Germany. Both mean spin, in reference to the slowly rotating cones of meat found in every donair shop.
Donairs were first introduced to Canada via Halifax sometime in the ‘70s. The Halifax Donair, as it is known, has strict culinary rules: shaved donair meat, sliced tomatoes, cubed onions, wrapped in pita, and covered in donair sauce, which we call sweet sauce here in Edmonton. The Edmonton donair, by contrast, often contains lettuce and is offered with sweet or garlic sauce. I have learned, thanks to my Dirty Birds chat, that donair traditionalists think this is an abomination—lettuce should never be put on a donair.
By and large, most donair meat served here comes from three major factories in the Edmonton area: Aladdin Donair Wholesale, Athena Gourmet Foods, and the relatively new DK Donair Factory and Restaurant.
In 1995, after getting married, Athena owner Sam Tawachi decided to leave construction in Fort McMurray and enter the food business in Edmonton.
“I started with a Mr. Sub, and I followed that with Mister Donair and Sub. The first donair shop was a Greek guy downtown, then Charles Smart from Nova Scotia, and I was the third.”
Why name the business Athena? “Our meat looks Greek (the cylindrical shape is like gyro), and, remember, this was when we had phone books? A is at the beginning of the book!
“We make beef only, 13,000 kilos twice per week. We sell primarily through distributors, and I believe we have 80 per cent of the market, including selling to Swiss Donair.”
The other titan donair meat supplier is Aladdin Donair Wholesale. Owner Alaadin Rakhamiah bought Richard’s Donair in 2001. By 2006, he had opened the large CFIA-certified plant, Aladdin Donair Wholesale. You can still find Aladdin Donair meat at Richard’s, and many other shops throughout the city. It is truly a family affair—all four children work in the business.
The Dirty Birds hockey chat debate motivated me to take my own Donair City Tour. I decided to try some of the donair shops touted as the ‘best.’ I will reserve judgment on calling any one shop the best, but it’s safe to say the boys certainly know how to pick a donair joint.
Richard’s Donair
The cheese donair at Richard’s
A vocal group of the Birds held fast to Richard’s. Soccer blasting on the TV, a stocked Pepsi cooler, and a tile-adorned ordering counter make you feel like you’re at an OG donair shop. Fresh baklava for sale at the counter and a super-friendly staff with a slight air of overconfidence in the quality of ‘Their Donair’ topped off my ordering experience. The cheese donair was recommended. Sauce isn’t a joke at Richards. Make sure to get extra napkins because that little bag it comes wrapped in won’t help. Awesome experience.
Swiss Donair
Swiss Donair’s jumbo combo with fries
The fellas definitely mentioned Swiss a lot. It’s a lively joint, packed with families, solo diners and small groups. A massive 12-foot mural of the Canadian flag, with welcome messages in dozens of international languages, greets you. Staff members immediately recommended the ‘jumbo donair combo with fries and a side of sweet donair sauce.’ A solid recommendation, but I was unable to finish the donair itself. Incredible value and vibe.
Firezone Donair
Firezone’s jumbo donairs
Complete transparency: My visit to Firezone came about because I lost a hockey bet to one of the guys on Birds Chat. The loser had to buy lunch. Firezone was his choice. I could see why. Again, like most donair joints, it’s nestled into a small area in a random strip mall, blink and you miss it. “My dad has had our restaurant for 12 years now, but there are so many donair shops in Edmonton, we keep our prices low and do our best to give people the best food possible,” said the owner’s son, who brought us our jumbos. I didn’t mind paying for lunch that day.
Famous Donair
The donair poutine at Famous Donair
Up for a drive? Famous Donair is nestled into a quaint strip mall in Sherwood Park. If I was surprised that one of the boys mentioned this place, it didn’t take long to realize why it was called Famous and why it was recommended. I decided to change things up a bit and order the regular donair poutine. (I have learned during this quest to order the regular size, of anything.) It didn’t disappoint—a heaping bowl of crispy fries, curds, gravy, donair sauce and shaved meat piled high. It was impossible to finish. God help those who order a Jumbo Donair Poutine.
Simon King Donairs
Simon King’s classic donair
I remember visiting the legendary Charles Smart when I was younger. Simon King captures those retro donair shop vibes perfectly. Located in an industrial area of South Edmonton, it is precisely what you expect—white interior, simple tables, red chairs, red platters and plenty of napkins—the perfect backdrop for ordering one of their many donair choices, such as mushroom, super mix and the king spicy donair. Parking is plentiful at all times of day. Want retro vibes? Visit Simon King.
Burger Baron (99 Street)
Burger Baron’s donair with milkshake
A random Bird recommended the donair at the Baron. Seemed a bit of an odd choice, but he is an odd fella, so it evened out. Given that this location recently underwent a renovation, I thought I would check it out. They did a fantastic job on the interior, a slight retro vibe that stayed true to the Baron roots. Their donair didn’t disappoint; quick service and a milkshake to boot made for a perfect top-off. They do have a drive-thru, so next time I may try ordering the donair in my car.
Simply Donairs
The donair platter from Simply Donairs
Simply was sixth on my list, and my waistline needed a break. I ordered a donair platter—generously shaved meat, with a nice mix of fresh veggies and garlic sauce, which made me feel a little less guilty this time around.
I mean, come on; it’s basically a salad. Due to its location, it gets quite a lunch rush, so get there early if you can. Parking can be a little challenging. The restaurant itself has a humble feel, giving it an in-and-out kind of vibe.
