Keeffaa Ethiopian

Elsabet is running a lovely eclectic spot with amazing homecooker food. It’s different every day with a veggie focus. She treats you like you’re in her home, so genuine and kind.
On top of this her cooking and tea is some of the best Ethiopian food I’ve ever had. Homemade injera, gluten free most days except Wednesday. I had the veggie platter with eggplant, lentils and a raw beet salad. Super flavourful and perfect amount of spices.
Elsabet cooks by herself for the entire place, every day is a different meal! Come here and support an amazing local place and local artist.

highly over rated hole in the wall for the vegan vegetarian cohort.
If you want Ethiopian in Toronto don’t go there.

We were looking for Ethiopian food and entered this place where the host was amazing. She has no menu, no fixed dishes and just started cooking for us. Her tea is amazing and her food was delicious. Highly recommend

Just from speaking with the owner, you could tell she was very passionate about food — «Ethiopian cuisine is a story of [her] ancestors.» At that moment, I knew this will be an unforgettable experience!
As she prepared each dish, she was explaining to me the different ingredients used and the flavors to expect from them. The food was delicious and unique. If you are ever in the mood to try something new, this is the place to go!
Who needs to fly to Ethiopia when you can come here!

I didn’t know I liked Ethiopian breakfast but now I do.
Maybe there are prices? We just let the host cook us anything and serve us tea and coffee and we paid $ 15/​pp at the end which felt very fair. Cash only.
It just feels like you’re in someone’s special place. The lady who cooks and serves is super friendly.
She told us every Friday @ 5pm she does a buffet-​style/​family style dinner.
Can’t wait to come back!

Went here for lunch on a Thursday. The owner was so kind and incredible, we sat down with no clue of what to order and apparently our befuddlement was evident. The next thing we knew we were being served delicious cinnamon tea and she said «don’t worry I’ll put something together for you».
Later we were presented with a giant plate of beautiful rainbow vegetables that had an assortment of different flavors and spices. They were all delicious and we ended the meal with some coffee, tea and these special Ethiopian crisps.
We didn’t even know what the prices were but it came to around $ 15 a person which is super good for the quality of food and service we received!
Definitely coming back with some work colleagues in the near future!

I’m not usually one for reviewing restaurants, but for Keeffaa I’m making an exception. The service here was so amazing, the owner so kind, and the food so delicious that it would be an insult for me not to recommend this place to everyone I can.
My friends and I went to this shop a few days ago, after a hectic day of the TTC being shitty and the weather shittier. We were greeted warmly in the small, mostly empty space and sat at one of the old tables. The owner immediately brought us hot cinnamon tea (delicious!) and began making us a plate of the most amazing food. We stuffed ourselves on a veggie platter, which was one of the most amazing and filling meals I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating — the spices were spot-​on and it was so fresh — and she kept coming over to make sure everything was alright and giving us more injera. The price for all three of us together, for a huge amount of food (we had a lot of leftovers to take home with more complimentary injera) and tea before and after the meal, was only around $ 45!
But even more amazing than the food was what happened afterwards. When I got home, I realized that I left my phone at the shop and, since I lived an hour away, I didn’t have the chance to go back for it. Since it was after closing hours, I went to her facebook page and left her a message. She messaged me back saying that she found it and was keeping it for me and, when I went there today to pick it up, she gave me great free coffee and biscotti for the road!
This place is truly a gem, and one of the best places I’ve ever been to. If you’re in the area, I highly encourage you to come here for great food and conversation, and to meet the kindest, most talented woman with the best drinks in Toronto!

Love the homey atmosphere and its lovely owner!
Food tastes amazing and the special ginger tea she serves is also excellent.
Tip: they close early at 7pm on weekdays.

Usually, when I like a place, I recommend certain dishes for people to try. Here, EVERYTHING is amazing! Try it all! Every time we come, we spend at least 3 to 4 hours, eating, sipping tea and coffee, eating more.
Coming to Keeffa is like going to an old friend’s house. You’re greeted with great warmth, served heavenly drinks and delicious home made food. You sit, you eat, you chat and then more drinks and food appear and then you eat and you chat some more and more food and drinks appear.
Elsabeth, the owner, is a wonderful host, cook and talented artist. She makes pretty much everything herself, from scratch, she even roasts her own coffee. If I can give this place more than 5 stars, I would!
Free up your Saturday, go to Keeffaa, bring some friends, the more the merrier, experience a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, enjoy some exciting food.

Loved this little spot. Went out of the way to get here based on Unilocal reviews and was very happy with the experience. Don’t ask for silverware though, it offends the owner!

I’m impressed. I love living in corktown but when it comes to good food it is a desert (don’t even bring up the distillery ones I can’t even). I am so glad to find this Restro on queen and Parliament where I could walk up easily from king and the food is just great. Flavorful, nutritious, creative. Always love Ethiopian food. And the owner is so nice. She talkes to customers and make them feel special. I will definitely come back again.

The woman who owns this place is one of the nicest, sweetest people I’ve meet in a long time. She’s also a painter. But BOY CAN SHE COOK. We wandered in for lunch and ordered an assortment of vegetarian dishes. All of them had individualized spices and were presented in a beautiful manner. Now, normally, I’m not a huge fan of the spongy bread you get at most Ethiopian restaurants, but the bread here was much lighter and had a much better flavor. A true gem of a restaurant. You must try this wonderful little place!

Wow
I was so impressed with this place!
From the authenticity of the food to the personality of the owner.
We ordered an assortment of veggie dishes.
Every dish was better than the other.
The food is light and seems really healthy.
To top it all, the owner spoiled us with a ginger tea that she made in-​house. One word– Wow!!!
A different experience that will pleasantly surprise you.

My advice:
Free up your upcoming weekend and ask for the «meal of the day», aka «what do you recommend?».
You won’t regret it.

Elsabet: The owner, the artist and the woman who makes this place so amazing!
I called before I went asking for a reservation and was told they don’t do reservations. We reach the place and the minute I walk through the door, I know I’m going to like this place.
With a huge smile and a big welcome, we are seated in the cute little corner next to the window. We get water in mason jars and I notice that everyone has a different glass/​cup/​plate/​chair etc. Its like someone shopped from thrift stores and its amazing! The place exudes warmth. There are paintings done by Elsabet hanging on the walls and a small menu written on chalkboard wall. She does not have printed menus and will explain everything verbally. She will say it with such passion that you will want to order everything. We started with our drinks, a latte with almond and coconut milk and Ethiopian tea. The latte was amazing as my husband said but my tea was better. It was black, sweet and spiced with cinnamon, star anise and some more spices. It was absolutely the best and the size of the cups was huge!
Then arrived our lamb and veggie platter which included a cold lentil salad, a beetroot salad, kale and spinach dish followed by another lentil dish with 17 spices! Every single dish was amazing but my favourite was the lamb. The spices were so well balanced and new to my tastebuds (and I have had a lot of Ethiopian food). The quantity was great and we even had some leftover (none of the beetroot salad cause my husband wiped it clean!).
In between our meal we saw some of the customers helping Elsabet clear a table and just going up and talking to her while she prepared the food. Customers moved chairs around and walked up and down the restaurant like it was a friends place. That is exactly the kind of atmosphere that Elsabet wants to have and she does it well. She is extremely social with customers and will answer any questions you have without making you feel rushed. There is no one but her running the place and yet you will never feel overlooked. She is always smiling and very approachable!
The vibe of the place is that of a home, like we are all long lost friends, so if you are the type of person who likes a waiter at your beck and call and aren’t very social, you might not enjoy the place. The food too is a testament to that, she makes concoctions for drinks based on what she feels like for the day. She will have no qualms about making changes to a dish if thats what you want, it’s this level of service that will make you want to return.
The entire experience is fun and relaxing, we will definitely be going back :)
PS: Our bill came up the $ 33! Amazing price for such good food!

This place makes me so happy. Elsabet is such a warm and caring personality, that walking in the door I felt like family. Her passionate and loving spirit is clear in the delicious food she cooks. She made me, my wife and kids the most delicious fresh beet dish we’ve ever tried (actually the only cooked beet dish we’ve ever tried). This was accompanied by an exceptional egg dish (as we arrived at 11:30, so this was like an Ethiopian brunch) that my kids loved, lentils, and spinach. Coupled with injera and a delicious strong coffee, my heart and stomach were singing. In summary, I’ve found a new favorite restaurant in Toronto.

I had to create a Unilocal account because this restaurant was so excellent and Toronto needs to know about it.
Instructions:
Go to this restaurant.
Tell the lovely lady behind the counter that you are hungry and you would like to eat anything she wants to make.
If she suggests something, say yes. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand what it is. Say yes.
If she offers you some wondrous concoction of ginger and lemon and honey, say yes.
If, at the end of your meal, she offers you some strange brew that is part coffee and part hot chocolate and part something completely different, say yes.
If she looks worried about whether you’ve had enough, whether you’re having a good time, whether she succeeded in making you feel at home, say yes.
When the meal is done, tip her handsomely because she will try to give you the food for far less than it’s worth.
When all is said and done, rejoice, for you have just eaten the best Ethiopian food in Toronto.
If you need food that is gluten-​free or halal, she’s got you covered, so let her know.
If you’re happy to try anything and are open to suggestions from a very kind and experienced chef, this restaurant is for you.
If you’re picky about what you eat, need to know everything that goes into a meal, or need the control of choosing from a detailed menu, move on. This restaurant is not for you.

We went here based on other Unilocal reviews and they were dead on. Everything is warm and authentic. The proprietor is a natural open spirit who exudes hospitality. There isn’t really a proper menu, she just told us what she was preparing that day and we said what we would like. She then went and made it all from scratch right then starting with the incredibly rejuvenating ginger tea. (Note: when I asked her what was in it she said it changes on her whim and she shared some variations which included cayenne! So if you are sensitive to certain spices be sure to ask what the days recipe is.)
The main dish was incredibly fresh and flavorful. Injera was delicious and 100% teff flour so gluten free (my spouse is gf)! We couldn’t believe we ate it all. She also brought us more injera when she saw we ran low.
We took coconut milk mochas to go and they were rich and decadent as well, without being cloying or too sweet.
I would recommend this place to anyone. I hope it succeeds for years to come.

I love Ethiopian food and I rarely eat it. It’s a shame, I know, but I hope that I have rectified the situation by starting the ball rolling with future visits to this lovely place.
What is said about the owner/​cook/​server is true: she is a beautiful human being. She has amazing cooking skills and she just radiates joy.
The food is delicious. I ordered the veggie platter for one and I ate everything single piece of food on the plate. How could I leave anything behind? It would have been sacrilege of me to do so. And the price? Well, for someone on a budget, the price is perfect.
Of course I want to return! Not just because their brunch sounds like heaven or because they serve a coconut latte. I also love the smell of the place. The mixture of spices and coffee beans roasting on the stove. To me, it’s a comforting feeling and a sense of warmth. Very few places can achieve that.

If I could give it even more stars, I would — the four of us loved the
1) owner, cook, server and artist who created our food and drinks — go there just for her if nothing else;
2) Ginger tea — who knew you could love liquid ginger! It cleared up my sinuses :) And it was AMAZING!
3) Food — vegitarian platter for four and lots of injara! We were all filled up and licked the plate (and our fingers)!
4) Coconut latte — YUMMY — I died and went to coffee heaven!
5) The price — super inexpensive and an amazing bargain!
Dont wait — gogogogogogogogogo!!! And tip your server — she deserves it so much!
the room is not big — we had the biggest table and that could fit 6 people.