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    African Palace

    3.9 (103 reviews)
    ModerateEthiopian, African
    Closed 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM

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    Business Info

    AFRICAN PALACE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - African Palace

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    Vegetarian platter. I really enjoyed the cabbage, spinach, tomato, and green lentil ones.
    Amy L.

    Had the vegetarian platter ($11). Was just enough for one - I finished the whole plate and was a good level of fullness. The platter is kind of a small portion size but the crepe-like pancake (injera) that comes with it really fills you up. Of the different offerings that came on the platter, I especially liked the spinach, cabbage, tomato, and green lentil ones. They were each very uniquely flavourful. The injera had a nice, unexpected tang to it which I enjoyed. After the meal, we had the Coffee Ceremony which consisted of a lady bringing out a pot of roasting coffee beans to our table which filled the area with a warm and inviting smell of dark roast coffee, and the pleasant sound of coffee beans tinkling against metal. The coffee, although very dark, had an almost fruity aroma and didn't have that bitter taste I was expecting. Note: Don't drink to the last drop in your cup or you'll get all the small bits of coffee grinds which is not good. The service was fine but slightly slow. We had to wait a while for someone to come by for water refills and for the bill. Overall, I had a good experience here. It was my first time trying Ethiopian food and I really liked it. P.S. The coffee saucers for some reason had little red ants crawling everywhere. Not that I minded but those that are antsy should be aware.

    Aastha S.

    We had not been to Ethiopian in a long time, so when a friend suggested African Palace, we were all excited to try it out! The place is convenient to get to, as it's right on Bloor street, with easy access to the subway and many Green P parking spots. The restaurant is casual with an interesting vibe - almost authentic but not quite! The menu is a mix of appetizers, platters and drinks. It also has tons of veggie/vegan options . We were 4 people and we went for the meat + veggie platter and added a veggie dish on the side as well. The idea with Ethiopia food is to make it a communal experience and to use your hands! The platter was delicious and so was the veggie dish. By the end of it we were all stuffed! We had to follow that with their traditional coffee ceremony, where they roast the coffee beans in front of you, and then once they are ready, they bring out 4 small tea cups and pour it out for the group. The food was really good, but I would also want to try Lalibela, that's just by this restaurant to compare. The service was good but the washrooms were a bit dingy. Overall a nice experience if you're craving Ethiopian, but not something I would come back to on a regular basis!

    Menu as of March 2018
    Andrei A.

    I honestly have nothing bad to say about the food or the service. The food was very tasty, albeit my chicken and beef were a little spicy. I can't recommend this place highly enough if you're into Etheopean food. This and Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant down the street are my 2 favourite Ethiopian restaurants in Toronto so far. BTW: If your diet prescribes gluten-free stuff, African Palace offers injera flatbread. Now, stop reading my review and go check out this place already :)

    veggie platter (my favourite was probably the spinach)
    Cheska S.

    The ambiance of this place is perfect for dates: small tables, low lighting, slow music, and very cultural decor. The service, however, was alright. At the beginning, they are very friendly and accomodating. However, they never came around to refill the waters and when our table was towards the end of finishing (still food on our plates) they came over to collect them abruptly. The meal: we ordered a veggie platter and a meat platter to share amongst 3 people. Although we all expected to enjoy the meat more, the veggies definitely took the W on this one. The veggie platter came with 6 different types, plus a salad with vinegrette in the middle. The sauce of the meat was not as spiced as we had hoped for, which was a total bummer considering Ethiopian food NEEEEDS to be spiced well. On top of that, the meat was lacking; most of the dish was served with bones. This meat platter is also served with a salad on the side. Just a heads up: although this resto closes at 23:00, their kitchen closes by 22:30!!! Sooo, if you want to come for dinner you MUUUST come by 22:15 latest.

    New location next to Pizza Pizza
    Sam G.

    It's nice to have an alternative to Nazareth right on the same block, especially with the insane popularity of the place attracting people from all over the city now making it nearly impossible to go there without a lot of planning. Ousted locals can find their way to African Palace which recently moved from the Christie Pits area to Cleopatra's old digs. You can't miss this place. In honour of Oprah's departure of daytime tv they painted a portrait of her wearing a sash that says 'Queen of Hearts' in the window. It's pretty awesome. A vegetarian combo platter for two rings in at $17.50, a good $10 more than what you'll get for the same dish at Nazareth. The quantity is also smaller, however the quality is noticeably better. Unlike Nazareth, which really shouldn't be eaten or viewed in the light of day, African Palace's selection of wats are an impressive feast for the eyes and mouth. We had corn, lentils, collared greens, a cabbage and carrot stew, and salad. The best part is that you can order this dish for one if you don't have someone to share it and you'll get the perfect amount of food. They also have a middle eastern menu for falafel lovers.

    Meat and veggie platter! Yumm... Sorry about the bad lighting.
    Nisha N.

    **3.5** Mr. H and I wanted to introduce our friends to Ethiopian cuisine and picked Nazareth. We got there and realized that its closed on a Sunday! Their yelp page doesn't have the open-close timings, but luckily for us there are 2/3 other options in the same location. That's how we all ended up at African Palace. Our orders were taken pretty quickly and we were served quickly too. The food by itself was very good, we ordered the meat and veggie platter for four and the quantity was perfect. It was the service that was lacking, there was just one server and one other person (chef) in the kitchen. It took extremely long for us to get refills and although we really wanted to try the coffee ceremony we were told that it would be a 40 minute wait! Needless to say we left a little disappointed due to the lack of service.

    the entrance to the restaurant
    Adam P.

    So this was my first time trying African food, and it was quite the experience. When we walked in the restaurant we were seated by a nice lady. Right off the bat I noticed that there were no utensils at the tables, only a napkin and a wet nap. I found this a little interesting. The lady serving us knew that we were noobs because she asked if we've had Ethiopian food to which we said never. So she recommended we get some dinner platter for 2 for $23 and some samosas for an appetizer. I have heard from other places that Kitfo is an interesting dish of raw ground beef so I figured I'd enquire about it. The lady offered to put that in with our dish for $5 more (cheaper than the menu). I got Gored Gored instead because it was beef cubes rather than ground beef. The samosas came out pretty fast and they were very flavourful. They were bordering on too much spice (for me at least), but they were good. The sauce they came with was a jalapeño sauce that gave it some kick. In between the samosas and dinner was quite a long wait. I had read in other reviews that you don't get African food if you are in a rush. It may be the culture but this was true. During our down time there was a group of 'tards' (I mean some guys who just yapped the whole night away that the restaurant could hear) that bought this coffee ceremony thing for $10. The lady brought out this coffee tray with frankincense, popcorn, and coffee. The frankincense was lit and she poured coffee for everyone. The coffee smell of the beans and the frankincense filled the restaurant with a nice odour. I had never seen this before and was quite intrigued. The meal for two came out on one plate and it was served with some kind of bread (it reminded me of a chamois). This was like a sampler platter where you rip off some bread and grab the items on the dish. There were a bunch of things like beets, cabbage, spinach, some bean pastes, beef, lamb, and my raw beef cubes. I didn't care much for the bean paste things but I did enjoy these beets, cabbage and spinach. We were kind of glad the lady recommended this because it gave us a taste of a bunch of things. After dinner I asked the lady if I could get some of that coffee (without the ritual). I had wanted to see what this tasted like. She gave me a coffee (which is like an espresso shot) and brought some frankincense. The best part was that she said it was ON THE HOUSE. I was impressed with that. I was really impressed with this place because the lady went the extra mile to make sure we got a taste of African food and I appreciated that. She was very nice and charged us less than the menu price for the samosas.. The restaurant is fairly small, can only seat about 30 I think, and the one knock I have on it is that there is no A/C in there and it got a little hot. Overall the lady gave us a great first experience and I'm glad I went there. I would recommend people check it out, but only if those other tards aren't there.

    Beef and veg platter for 2. $21
    Stephanie M.

    I would rather eat here any day of the week vs. Nazareth's!! Great quality and quanity of food!! The owner is such a lovely lady!! Nice and clean atmosphere.

    front cash area
    Stephanie S.

    In terms of Ethiopian places, I have eaten at Nazareth (down the street), Nunu, and now African Palace. And this is how they compared... Nazareth - dim, more bar-like atmosphere. Lotsa ppl just came in to have a beer. Small restaurant is crammed and decorated with fake vines. Service was alright, but not super friendly, food was GOOD & cheap! I think it was like $8pp (or even less) when sharing a platter. Nunu - contemporary décor, bright 'n colourful lighting, I believe the owner is Caucasian. Interior of restaurant is nice 'n new, saw quite a few couples on a date while I was there! Server pushed alcoholic drinks. Service was alright, aside from owner, not super friendly. Food was good, not as good as Nazareth, but prices are quite expensive. I remember paying ~$20pp even after sharing a platter. And now African Palace - like Nazareth, the restaurant itself is quite small, but not as cramped, brighter, not as cluttery. They don't try to fit as many bums as possible. I believe African Palace would also get quite a few of Nazareth's overflow customers. Server was nice and even hand-fed us! She noticed that we finished our injera and automatically brought us more. She then showed us that we can grab more than 1 "stew" with the bread and then put it in our mouths. (I thought it was quaint, but some germos may think it weird.) Food-wise, I don't think it was as good as Nazareth. However, female server was definitely more personable. Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony was $10 for a serving of 2-4ppl. It took approx. 30mins for the coffee to arrive to the table, after we finished our food. I believe that the beans are freshly roasted. Coffee was served black with a cinnamony taste. No milk, but you can add sugar. Server also brought popcorn and burnt frankincense at the table. It was an interesting experience. If budget is a concern and you like to drink, check out Nazareth. However, if you prefer a quieter, more comfy atmosphere with warmer service, definitely choose African Palace!

    A two person vegetarian platter
    Kirti S.

    This was my first visit to African palace. Though I have always loved Ethiopian food because of it's close similarity with Indian food. My husband and I ordered a two person platter. It was sumptuous and amazing. The place is nice and the food is not expensive at all. The owner is super nice and came and personally demonstrated the way to eat Ethiopian food. Important thing you note is that they are a cash only place .

    meat and veggie combo - on injera (the sour dough)
    Karen N.

    I was here for a reunion with some old colleagues, it was a growing group and they accommodated us nicely. The atmosphere is nice and chill with African art pieces on the wall. Most of us were new to Ethiopian food, our server recommended for me the meat/veggie combo and gave us a brief intro on how to eat with our hands. Everything came quickly and tasted fresh. The injera was delish!

    Meat & Veggie platter
    Shirley C.

    African Palace was my first experience with Ethiopian food, and boy, was it good! We ordered the meat and veggie platter, and it was filled with such flavourful, saucy goodness. It was spicy, but tolerable (this coming from a person who is absolutely terrible with handling spice). It was also quite interesting eating with our hands and using the Injera as the food scooper. However, in the end when we all ran out of Injera and had some of the meat and veggies left, we asked for forks to finish everything up. I don't know if we committed some sort of cultural taboo, but what is one to do when there is no Injera left to scoop the meat and veggies? (Serious question.) The service was friendly. The restaurant was beautifully decorated with a serene atmosphere. I will be returning!

    2 person meat and vegetable platter.
    Sarah D.

    My boyfriend and I initially wanted to visit Nazareth but because it was closed we chose this place. The menu is not very extensive. We ordered the 2 person meat and vegetable platter (2 meats, 6 vegetables). We have been to another Ethiopian restaurant and this one was was a lot better in terms of flavour for the lentils (I'm a vegetarian!). The spinach was good but i found it way too salty. My boyfriend liked the meats that were given (lamb and chicken), however he found the chicken to also be quite salty. I would recommend but I probably wouldn't come here again, I would like to try other Ethiopian restaurants!

    $21 beef tip and assorted veggies dish for two people. More than enough!

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    Page 1 of 3

    African Palace Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - African Palace

    Upon browsing, I came across African Palace, and they offered my go to meal - beef tibs served with injera.

    Mentioned in 25 reviews

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    Selam Restaurant & Lounge - Collards with Flaxseed

    Selam Restaurant & Lounge

    4.2(89 reviews)
    0.5 kmChristie Pits
    $$

    This place is around Odsingtom and Bloor parking is around the residential area. The place is…read moreclean, nicely decorated have friendly servers. We sat in the front where there is like a tent and you could see outside interestingly enough after the front area you have the bar area and then the back area. Most of the people decided to sit at the back area, (more condensed tables) which I feel less cosy. There was a tent area in the very back, set up for a large group.In any case, it's great that they serve a variety of alcoholic drinks and has lounge atmosphere in the front area. They play instrumental music without lyrics that is very relaxing. Ordered the SELAM special for two it included three veggies and the chicken and beef tins which were not a lot of meat to be honest so we added a side of kitfo which was actually a good portion of meat. If I had the SELAM special for two without adding the extra, I would've been very disappointed as the meat amount is very little. The cost was $40 for the platter and $12 extra for the kitfo.

    It would have been perfect if only the service was up there to match the food. The servers were…read morepolite and a pleasure to speak with, but all the long wait times were just unacceptable. It was good that we were sitting in a spot closest to the bar, at least it sort of made it easy to spot us whenever we call for service. I can only imagine how hard it could be for those sitting way out at the back. We had to call for attention several times to follow up on our requests for a glass of water and our dessert. For our order of cheesecake, we followed up at least 2 times (maybe more) but later ended up with a server coming back to mention that it was no longer available. I would have also appreciated it if they were a lot more transparent with everything. They should have mentioned if requests for injera costs more and by how much. The final bill amount was just a total they gave you shown in the machine. It would have been only proper to give a breakdown of all items listed to just double check if calculations were correctly done. The saving grace was that the food served was such a treat. I got the Ethiopian dining experience I came for. I especially loved the chewiness of the lamb that came with the Selam platter, and the people I dined with have good comments about the mushrooms, which were a part of the veggie options of the platter.

    Photos
    Selam Restaurant & Lounge - Seating in the front under a tent

    Seating in the front under a tent

    Selam Restaurant & Lounge - Meat Platter for 2

    Meat Platter for 2

    Selam Restaurant & Lounge - Coffee ceremony

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    Coffee ceremony

    African Palace - ethiopian - Updated May 2026

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