A new yet-to-be-named smashburger concept is preparing to open in Mississauga beside the original East Tea Can location at 3115 Winston Churchill Blvd, Unit 1
The new restaurant will launch in a 1,400-square-foot space in early November 2025, according to Retail Insider. The new fast-casual restaurant will offer a streamlined menu that emphasizes quality and simplicity. Owner Shakir Al-Qanbar says customers can expect two or three premium burgers made with 100 percent Canadian beef.
East Tea Can, founded in 2016, is a full-service Middle Eastern restaurant renowned for its immersive souq-inspired atmosphere, fresh bread baked in full view of diners, and signature dishes, including saffron chicken skewers. The Mississauga location spans 4,200 square feet and supports other operations through its central kitchen. The brand expanded to downtown Toronto in 2024 with a second location at The Well, focusing on corporate lunches and catering.
The burger concept represents a shift toward fast-casual dining within the existing footprint, targeting quick, accessible meals while maintaining East Tea Can’s standards for quality and authenticity. The new concept shares production resources with East Tea Can’s central kitchen to ensure consistency and cost control. If successful, Al-Qanbar plans to open two to three more locations in 2026.
The menu will center on a limited selection of smashburgers using single-cut Canadian beef per batch, avoiding blended wholesale cuts. This approach draws inspiration from California’s In-N-Out Burger, combining simplicity with premium ingredients.
“It’s going to be small, unique, and very focused,” Al-Qanbar tells Retail Insider. “We’ll serve only two or three burgers, but we want them to be the best. We’re planning to use 100 percent Canadian beef, sourcing a single cut per batch rather than mixing wholesale cuts. It’s all about quality and simplicity. I wanted something that was easy to order, accessible, and quick. When I was in California, I was inspired by the popularity of In-N-Out. There isn’t really a similar concept here that combines that simplicity with premium quality.”
