Rita Khenchet arrived as a refugee less than a year ago, but she already has Calgarians swooning over her home cooking. From her own kitchen, she’s making and selling Syrian delicacies including lentil soup, kibbeh and fatayer, a scrumptious bite-sized pie stuffed with cheese and parsley. While the kitchen primarily runs as a catering business, orders can be placed through her Facebook page.

Dine like a Damascene on the outskirts of Toronto. Summoning old world tradition, Roman Zaman serves superb Damascene delicacies on copper cutlery. The shish tawook is particularly divine; two meaty skewers of chicken are marinated in spices, and grilled over charcoal until tender. End with a tea service steeped in tradition, as the brew arrives in a little copper tea pot.

Once a week, The Depanneur invites newly arrived Syrian refugees to cook a meal in their kitchen. And it’s an epic feast: the ever-changing menu is influenced by family recipes and features Syrian classics like baharat spice-infused kibbeh or kousa mahshi, zucchinis stuffed with spiced meats and rice. Meals are sold online for pickup or delivery, and profits are split between the chefs.

In a bustling stall at Fredericton's Cultural Market, newly-arrived refugees Suphieh Alhishan and her family are filling hungry bellies with home-cooked Syrian dishes. Suphieh rises at 3 AM on Saturdays to make Syrian sweets and meals from scratch, including the ever-popular kibbeh. Dubbed as the “national dish of Syria,” it’s a tantalizing croquette of bulgur, minced beef, nuts, and spices. Arrive early — this stand sells out.

Locals and food critics rave about this bistro’s “out of this world” Syrian-Armenian upscale cuisine, but don’t forget its sibling, Le Petit Alep, equally adored for its casual dining and delicious dishes for under $20. Rumour has it that the terbialy kabab is succulent at either eatery; a skewer of tender fillet mignon marinated in a tomato and garlicky sauce spiced with fléflé and sumac.

Grab a bite at Newfoundland’s newest eatery on the block. Roxanne Jaml and her husband Tarek (originally from Syria) opened this Arabic-style market, filling their pantry with Middle Eastern foods (halal meats, dried figs, spices) and homemade Syrian dishes for take-away. At Sumac Middle Eastern Market and Eatery, gorge on pita stuffed with meats, cheeses and scratch-made sauces, or celebrate the marriage of Canadian and Syrian flavours with a heaping plate of Shawarma Poutine.

How about a Syrian-inspired brunch in Montreal? Kaza Maza Café-Resto offers a hearty Middle Eastern-style weekend brunch, as well as a regular menu offering Syrian and Middle Eastern delicacies. Get settled around the fireplace in the dining room and enjoy lamb confit with eggs and fattet hummus, a layered with chickpeas, yogurt, tahini, garlic, grilled pita and nuts.

It's cheap eats at this Dartmouth joint, but there’s no skimping on flavour at Paradise Damascus Restaurant. With roots in both Syria and Nova Scotia, Fadi Alkhatib makes “true to tradition” Syrian-inspired dishes with a few Canadian twists. Diners rave about the falafel plate with tabouli, scratch-made hummus and pita, as well as the finger-licking shawarma; juicy pieces of chicken marinated and shaved from a whole roasted chicken.