East Danforth Food Guide
Updated: Dec 8, 2021
I lived near Coxwell and Danforth, in the heart of East Danforth, for a number of years around 2010-ish. At the time it wasn't what you would call a destination neighbourhood. Long overshadowed by its vibrant Greek neighbours a couple of kilometres to the west, the east end of Danforth was a quiet pocket filled with some run down restaurants, vacant store fronts and dive bars with names like Happy Days and Cheers that looked neither happy or cheerful.
It wasn't without its charm and even in those days it still had some real gems. The neighbourhood was long propped up by the Ethiopian community that opened restaurants, shops, bars and numerous other businesses in the area in the early 2000's. It was also home to great fruit stands and butcher shops but for the most part you were heading to Greektown or further west across the DVP if you were looking for a great dining experience or a fun night out.
I haven't called East Danforth home for some time now but still find myself back there quite often and have witnessed an evolution in the area that's been especially noticeable in the last few years.
A number of factors have resulted in an impressive amount of new businesses, especially restaurants and bars, to open in the area. The ever rising real estate prices across the city have pushed people into neighbhourhoods that might have been seen as less desirable in the past but are now seen as affordable and "up and coming." People that possibly have more disposable income moving into the area for these reasons have spurred new businesses to open and give these new neighbours places to shop and eat. The DECA (Danforth East Community Association) and the local Business Improvement Area (The Danforth Mosaic BIA) have done a remarkable job changing the image of the East Danforth and supporting and helping businesses thrive in the area as well.
In true Toronto fashion a great number of these businesses were opened by immigrants and new Canadians creating a new and exciting pocket for some incredible international cuisine in the city.
In a reasonably short amount of time the "other" end of the Danforth has become a destination very much worth visiting. Here is a rundown of some of the standouts you can look out for in the area:
Borrel
1333 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON
This Dutch-Indonesian snack bar can temporarily transport you to Holland without leaving the Danforth. It's modelled after the classic Dutch Brown Cafes with lots of dark wood and shelves covered in Dutch knick knacks and has a great cosy neighbourhood bar vibe.
The menu is a mix of Dutch and Indonesian favourites featuring everything from Nasi Goreng and Beef Rendang Sliders to Mussels and the quintessential Dutch bar snack; Bitterballen.
If you're interested in exploring the Indonesian side of the menu in more detail, Borrel hosts a monthly Rijsttafel (Rice Table) that is definitely worth checking out. These monthly private events feature many, many courses of Indonesian dishes covering everything from sweet, to savoury and spicy. It serves as a great introduction to Indonesian flavours and is a fun setting as all the guests sit together and dishes are served family style.
The "bar" part of this snack bar can't be forgotten either. They feature hard to find liquors such as jenever, an ancestor of Brittish Gin and Indonesian Batavia Arrack Rum. For beer drinkers they have an excellent rotating selection of local craft beer as well.
Wazema
1360 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON
You can't talk about the East Danforth without talking Ethiopian food. This neighbourhood has long been known at Toronto's Little Ethiopia (even if a push to make that an official name fell short). There is no shortage of great options but a favourite is Wazema, one of the older Ethiopian restaurants on this stretch of Danforth.
Wazema features Ethiopian staples like tibs, a dish that's part stir fry and part stew as well as kitfo, a dish of minced raw beef that is something like an Ethiopian beef tartar. This dish can also be cooked to your preferred level of "done-ness" if you're uncomfortable with the idea of eating raw beef.
As with any good Ethiopian restaurant, Wazema also offers a large variety of vegetarian and vegan options. The Ye'Miser Wot is a spicy lentil dish in a pepper sauce. Be prepared for some heat from the bird's eye chillies used in this dish. The Shiro be'Gomen is another outstanding lentil dish. Seasoned ground chickpeas in a berbere sauce are brought to the table sizzling in a pot. The aforementioned berbere is a spice mix that forms the base of many Ethiopian dishes. It usually contains chili, garlic, ginger, basil and a number of other spices local to the region.
Meals here are a great social activity. Dishes are shared and eaten communally with your hands using injera, a spongey fermented flat bread. Coffee lovers should definitely spring for the coffee ceremony at the end of the meal.
Pomarosa
1504 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON
This Latin cafe has quickly become a neighbourhood favourite. The colourful, beautifully decorated spot offers expertly crafted coffees made with beans from Pilot Coffee Roasters. Other hot drinks, smoothies and a traditional Venezuelan Horchata made with sesame seeds round out an outstanding drink menu.
As great as the drinks are here, the real star of the show is the selection of arepas. Arepas are fried flatbreads made with a ground maize dough and are staples in Colombian and Venezuelan cuisine.
Pomarosa serves up the more sandwich like Venezuelan style of arepa. With options like pork, beef, chicken bean & cheese or a fantastic vegetarian version (that can also be made vegan) featuring hibiscus flower and cauliflower.
Each arepa comes with an assortment of other toppings that really tie the whole thing together. For instance, the pork carnitas arepa features slow cooked marinated pork loin with cheese, pickled watermelon and a chipotle-lime crema. Don't miss out on their house made garlic mayo and pepper sauce on the side too. Each one adds some distinct flavours that pair well which whatever arepa you choose.
Pomarosa has become popular with many of the young families in the area and even offer special stroller parking and baby meals so the little ones can have a nutritious meal while you enjoy your arepa & cortado.
Finally, the small selection of baked goods are not to be missed here either. Guava & cheddar or roasted poblano & cheese scones will fill either your sweet or savoury needs.
East of York Gourmet Food Co.
1904 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON
East of York has a tight menu of creative, delicious items. Front and centre when you enter the shop are the samosas. These gourmet versions of one of the worlds most popular snacks have been reworked by Ash, the owner, to correct deficiencies he found in other Toronto samosas.
Different flavoured fillings that actually taste vastly different from each other, best filling to dough ratio in the game and little-to-no greasiness while still being fried are the trademarks of the East of York Samosa. Available with meat fillings like buttermilk beef curry, jerk'd chicken & kale or vegan versions such as honey garlic aloo gobi and Caribbean sweet potato, you can get a real mix of flavours between the eight or more options that are normally available to try.
The Butter Chicken Schnitzel will probably catch your attention when looking over the menu and for good reason. The thin breaded pieces of chicken covered in a butter chicken sauce and then topped with a cilantro & lime sauce and mango jalapeno coleslaw are as good as they sound. The Jerk'd Jackfruit is another great option from the vegan side of the menu as well. You can choose to have any of these meals on gluten free tortillas, a ciabatta bun or accompanied by coconut rice & beans.
The fridge here is always stocked with large mason jars of stews and soups that can be taken home and heated up for a quick and delicious meal. The Buttermilk Beef Curry is a personal favourite.
Finally, East of York offers amazing catering options for any occasion. Ash and the team really excel at playing and coming up with creative and amazing meals for any event.
Mary's Brigadeiro
1912 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON
Fans of CBC's Dragon's Den might recognize the "Chocolate Heroes" from Mary's from a recent episode where they had multiple Dragons vying for the opportunity to invest in this Brazilian confectionary company.
You may also recognize their Brigadeiros from various cafes and shops around the city but if you haven't visited the flagship store on Danforth you're missing out.