A new burger concept has opened in Mississauga with a deliberately simple approach and ambitions that extend well beyond its first location. Soul Smash Burgers Mississauga is the latest venture from Shakir Al-Qanbar, founder and CEO of East Tea Can.
Located at 3115 Winston Churchill Blvd., Unit 2, beside the original East Tea Can, the fast-casual restaurant represents a more streamlined culinary expression for Al-Qanbar. While East Tea Can built its reputation on elaborate Middle Eastern mezze and tea culture, this new concept embraces restraint.
The first location officially opened in December, following strong anticipation in the community.
“We had a great launch in December,” said Al-Qanbar. “There’s always pressure with a new opening, but the response has been very encouraging. What’s especially rewarding is seeing customers come back.”
A Deliberate Shift Toward Simplicity
In an era where many fast-casual restaurants expand menus to capture incremental sales, Soul Smash Burgers Mississauga takes the opposite approach. The menu is intentionally tight, anchored by two core burgers and one rotating feature.
“It’s different from a lot of competitors, but it’s also very straightforward,” Al-Qanbar explained. “Customers don’t have to overthink it. They walk in knowing exactly what they want.”
The Standard and The Core form the backbone of the menu, while the rotating “No. 1” burger introduces seasonal experimentation. The current feature, an Oklahoma-style smash burger with thinly sliced onions pressed into the beef, will be replaced in late March with a new creation.
“The first two burgers will always stay,” he said. “The third option gives us room to explore and introduce new ideas without overcomplicating the menu.”
The disciplined structure allows the kitchen to operate with just over 10 core ingredients, reinforcing quality control and freshness. The restaurant shares infrastructure with East Tea Can, leveraging an established central kitchen to support efficiency.
Fresh AAA Beef, Ground In-House
Quality sourcing sits at the center of the brand’s positioning. The restaurant uses a minimum of AAA Canadian beef, ground fresh in-store twice daily.
“We use AAA beef at minimum, sometimes higher,” said Al-Qanbar. “Everything is ground in-house, and we grind fresh twice a day. That’s non-negotiable for us.”
While the team initially worked with a single supplier, sourcing has become more flexible to accommodate seasonal availability and market conditions, while maintaining grade standards.
“In Ontario, supply isn’t an issue,” he noted. “Pricing can fluctuate, but so far it’s been within a normal range. We’ve been fortunate.”
The streamlined ingredient list also enables closer oversight of product quality.
“We keep our inventory intentionally short,” he said. “When you’re only managing about 10 core ingredients, it’s much easier to maintain freshness and consistency.”
Even the bun required rigorous testing.
“We tested 18 different brioche buns before choosing this one,” Al-Qanbar said. “We wanted something authentic and balanced. It had to complement the beef, not overpower it.”
Customer feedback has been equally meticulous. Guests have commented on everything from pickle texture to small design details.
“It surprised me how much people notice,” he admitted. “But I actually appreciate that. When customers care about the details, it pushes us to improve.”
In response to demand, the restaurant recently introduced a gluten-free brioche option, and plant-based patties are available as substitutions.
Early Traction and Weekend Lineups
Seasonality has played a role in early performance. January and February were predictably softer months, yet overall momentum remains strong. Dinner service, particularly on weekends, has emerged as a clear driver.
“Friday and Saturday nights are very busy,” said Al-Qanbar. “Dinner service is where we really see the energy. We still get lineups, and that’s always encouraging.”
Lunch business has been steady, with expectations that warmer weather will drive additional traffic as the community becomes more active.
The concept’s atmosphere also contributes to its positioning. Music is carefully curated, and the space is designed to keep focus on the food and overall experience.
Measured Expansion Ahead
Although Soul Smash Burgers Mississauga was conceived as a scalable, multi-unit concept, Al-Qanbar is taking a disciplined approach to growth.
“Expansion is definitely in the plan,” he said. “But it’s too early to move quickly. We want to give this location time to prove itself. By the end of summer, we’ll have a much clearer understanding of the concept’s strengths and where we can improve.”
Operational consistency is the priority.
“Opening stores is easier than running them properly,” he said. “Consistency matters more than the number of locations.”
That philosophy reflects experience gained from building East Tea Can into a recognized destination in Mississauga. Al-Qanbar is also preparing to launch a separate fast-casual Middle Eastern concept positioned as a more express version of East Tea Can, slated for late this year or early next.
“It will be very different from burgers,” he said. “Think of it as a faster, more accessible format.”
