A small Ethiopian community continues to thrive on Danforth Avenue in Toronto's East Side

While many in Toronto consider Danforth Avenue home to the city's Greek community, it has become an important destination for the Ethiopian community.

Little Ethiopia is concentrated mainly on Danforth Avenue between Greenwood and Coxwell Avenues. Most Ethiopian businesses in the area are restaurants and grocery stores.

Banchi Kinde was the first person to open an establishment serving the delicacies of the community. In 2001, he opened Rendez-Vous, an Ethiopian restaurant near Monarch Park Avenue.

“There (were) no Ethiopian restaurants, shops, barbershops and things like that, but one day we came here and we were like a team,” he recalled as he toured his restaurant. CityNews' Your community news report.

“We wanted more businesses to come to the area, so we encouraged people to come and open up.”

According to Kinde, low rents and the desire of nearby residents to try something new have been a big draw for Ethiopian entrepreneurs. Fast forward to 2024, and Kinde estimates there will be several dozen businesses.

Eating at an Ethiopian restaurant in Kinde is an experience. There are no dishes. Instead, diners use their fingers and pieces of sourdough flatbread to pick up their snacks. He noted that there is a tradition where diners feed each other.

“There's a saying in our culture: people who eat together never betray each other,” Kinde said before describing the feeling the food evokes.

“You can feel the spice in your mouth. You have a lot of parties going on.''

Kinde said Ethiopian cuisine is good for anyone looking for a balanced diet, pointing to the healthy ingredients that make up injera, a wide range of vegetable and bean side dishes, and a variety of proteins. He added beef and Tibs meat dishes along with lamb stew.

Another signature on the menu is the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Many people consider Ethiopia to be the birthplace of coffee. Mofer Coffee Cafe at the corner of Danforth and Coxwell Avenues is a business that specializes in Ethiopian coffee.

As part of the ceremony at Rendez-Vous, Kinde roasts the coffee beans in a pan on the stove before grinding the beans. Using clay, coffee is brewed and many bitter substances are removed. Coffee is served with a side of popcorn, and incense is burned to help create a peaceful environment.

“So when all the diasporas come, the food might be a little more expensive for them to go out and eat, but when they come here, they know that this is one type of Ethiopia. They go and buy their food at an Ethiopian grocery store,” Kinde said.

As for the client base, he said that sense of loyalty has sustained his business for 23 years. Kinde also said that his business has become a hub for the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

“When people come, they don't disappear,” he said.

Also located in Lesser Ethiopia WoodGreen Immigrant Services. The organization provides access to English language classes, as well as employment, housing and social support in 60 different languages ​​to diverse communities.

Steve Vanderherberg, the agency's vice-president of community services, said cultural neighborhoods like Toronto's Little Ethiopia should be respected.

“It's a very important kind of safe landing pad for a lot of newcomers, where they can find people who speak their language and adapt,” he explained. “They all help newcomers — especially the Ethiopian community here — to really settle in and find a new life in Canada.”

Vanderherberg noted that there are also economic benefits.

“It's not just the professional skills they bring to the area, but the cultural vibrancy they bring to the neighborhood. Whether it's the new restaurants opening, the different cultural music or the events they host, it has a lot to offer the city of Toronto.”

Additionally, for anyone who hasn't tried Ethiopian cuisine, Kinde has invited avid diners to visit his East Side Toronto business or other restaurants in Little Ethiopia to experience something new.

“Once you experience it, you'll love it,” he said.