Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant

My first time trying Ethiopian food and I was very impressed. The food was delicious, so flavorful and a great variety. The service was excellent with a beautiful atmosphere in the back garden patio. I am definitely coming back!

We entered hungry and left so full, so happy and well cared for! The meat and veggie platter is excellent, best prices food you can get in Toronto at this point. The special tea is very nice as well, hope we come back here soon!

If you're looking for authentic food - look no more. This place not only has awesomely tasting food, but their coffee is outstanding! On the hot summer days you definitely want to sit at their patio covered by trees to provide some relief. I was there for a dinner when it was like +32 outside. I was able to enjoy my vegetarian plate in a comfortable atmosphere.

I've been to many ethopian restaurants in Toronto and this one beats all by far. The taste, portion size (eat in), and flavors was not lacking at all. My go-to place for authentic ethopian food.

Follow @bredgyeats for more food pictures! Meat Platter Combo of cooked kitfo, tibs, chacha tibs, split peas, lentil, collard greens, and three portions of injera. Kitfo was well seasoned and spiced, while the tibs had a much more buttery, aromatic flavour. Chacha had a caramelized onion and black pepper sauce which had lots of umami with a rich sweetness, and a slight lamb gameyness. All meats were well done so it was a little tough and dry. Injera wasn't overly sour either and was quite nice to eat.

We had the meat and vege combo and it was the perfect portion and very delicious!

This is my second time here, but it won't be the last. We love the food here! We got tibs and the vegetarian platter. Such delicious, colourful, bright flavours in the veggies. The meat was tender and spiced perfectly. The owner and her niece are so kind. Thanks for everything! We will be back again and again!

I've been to a lot of great Ethiopian restaurants. At Lucy, the food goes the extra mile - every item on the meat & veg platter was totally memorable, down the salad. The meat was tender, every flavour was interesting and well thought out. The kifto was remarkable - the taste, spices, and mouth feel really made our dinner into a food adventure. Very well done. And as always with Ethiopian cuisine, it's a blast to share this food with your friends, drink a beer and chow down.

Some parking along Danforth. It's dark inside, 6 tables and bar spots. No warm cloths, just hand wipes. Ordered a veggie platter, replaced the small salad with more green lentsalad delight and an extra side of red lentil. C$46.31 Veggie platter: beets, cabbage and carrots, greens, green lentil, red lentil, yellow lentil and potato. Nothing is outstanding or tasting the way I am expecting. The red lentil and potato are the only two dishes that have decent flavor for me, it's due to the Berbere sauce. Not a ton of flavor for any dish for me. Totally regretting getting the double of the green lentil instead of the red lentil for the veggie platter. Just tell yourself the lentil is good fiber for the ho The delight salad is quite refreshing. The red lentil is the best of all of the dishes.

The meals were delicious and authentic. I really appreciated the attention to detail and the great service. The back patio area was quiet and a great place to eat. Try the Zingi!

The food was nice nothing too different from any other Ethiopian restaurant. However they have a small bar and there was noisy people sitting there which made it not a very nice dinner atmosphere

Good home-cooked food, with slightly cheaper prices. Great location exactly across from TD Bank.

We had the vegetarian and meat platter. The food is very good, the service was decent. I wasn't a big fan of dining in here. The atmosphere was a little dingy. I did enjoy the food greatly, I just wouldn't recommend eating here. Nobody was in here, it seemed like the owner was sitting in here eating with his family. Occasionally people came in to pick up take out or delivery people would come in. However, the injera was very good, and they gave us a lot, the lentils were spice well, the meat in the meat dish was very tasty the meat platter was a good value. I don't know if I would go back, but i think this place is worthwhile.

Wow.....I was visiting Toronto this weekend and found this gem of a restaurant located on Danforth. I had never tried this food before and decided to sample the meat and vegetarian platter. The food was delicious and fun to eat with the Injera wrap. I also had the pleasure of meeting Lucy and her daughter......wonderful and personable people who made me feel welcome and at home. If you would like to taste authentic foods from this part of the world, this is a terrific place to visit.

What a great first experience trying Ethopian food!! Went on a Thursday night around 7. The owner sat us and left us with the menu. Knowing absolutely nothing about Ethiopian food, the choices were a little daunting at first but the descriptions provided enough information to allow me to make a choice. We also asked the owner a few questions about the menu. I finally settled on the Key Wat but with lamb instead of beef. The owner said this was a spicy sauce based dish. We went downstairs and washed our hands, a must since we were about to eat with our hands, the traditional way. When the food came out, my dish smelled absolutely delicious. It was a deep red spicy sauce and the lamb was so tender. I loved finally having a dish where I wasn't familiar with all spices and seasonings. Now injera, I think I'm in love lol. If you love the texture of pancakes/crepes you will love injera. I took the extra injera we were served home and ate it with nutella lol. Blasphemous I know, but sooo good!! It really is a perfect "bread". Overall, this was a great introduction to Ethopian food and I would highly recommend Lucy Ethopian Kitchen for your next injera fix.

Got the mixed plate for 39$. Wasn't flavourful, the meat was to gamey and we couldn't chew it. Service was great but food could be improved. Likely not returning. If you want a really authentic place, check this out : https://king-solomon-and-queen-of-sheba-ethiopian-restaurant.business.site

I love popping into Lucy on the occasional evening. It's a cozy little place with amazing Ethiopian food and a friendly atmosphere. Sometimes you do just need to wander up to the bar if you're looking for more prompt service, but the food is amazing and they usually provide extra injera with meals. There's often been a big screen TV with a basketball game or something else on as well. In general I've loved to go there and highly recommend it.

This place is great. Lucy is the cook, she is friendly and makes awesome food. We ordered the meat platter and the meat and veggie platter (number 16 and 17), along with a separate dish of kitfo. First, I gotta say the salad that comes with the platters is so good. It's lightly seasoned with something that just makes my taste buds happy. The meat is tender and flavorful along with the veggie dishes. All in all, this is one of the better Ethiopian experiences I've had. This restaurant is also small, and quiet (at least when we were there at 7pm on a Saturday). I'd definitely come back, and definitely recommend.

What a great first time trying Ethiopian food! This little restaurant doesn't seem like much from the outside, but the food more than makes up for any lack of ambience. The fire alarm went off while my partner and I were the only ones in the restaurant and the woman serving us, who seemed to be managing everything alone, came out and waved a tea towel underneath it. While some people might not have appreciated that, I loved it! It gave it a really homey feel. The food though!!! I ordered the Meat and Vegetable Platter which came with plenty to feed three people. Though you might need extra injera which was offered readily. The beef was cooked to perfection and the lentil dishes were all distinct, being spicy or more subtly flavourful. I really enjoyed the variety on the platter and had a lot of fun scooping it up with the injera.

Lucy was lovely! I sat at the bar chatting with the owner (also lovely) whose name I assumed was Lucy... nope... she's (the restaurant) named after the famous Australopithecus!!! One... I'm a science whore. Two... Ethiopian is my favorite. Three... the owner is so friendly and inviting. So I was basically already 5 stars before even ordering. Anyway... I got Kitfo and Dulet. ALL THE MEAT!!! Both were delicious, and the portions were more than ample... basically the Dulet was breakfast the next day. Everything was super fresh... and this was on a Monday night! She literally went back and made everything after I ordered... nothing was prepared. As for the flavors... among the best Ethiopian I've had. I recommend Lucy 500%! I'm the worst at remembering names, so I can't personally address you, but to the owner... AMESEGINALEHU!!!

The food here was pretty good, but the service needs some real work. The owner was clearly entertaining family or friends when I visited, and for the first 5-10 mins I wasn't even given a menu or a glass of water. Afterwards, unless she was going to and from the back to get something for the family/friends table, I wasn't able to flag her down to order or get more water. Sadly, due to this service I will not be coming back. Also, the lamb had way too many bones and had very little meat. But all the other dishes in the vegetable and meat platters were quite tasty. Since Danforth has a plethora of good Ethiopian restaurants, I would recommend you give one of those a try. You're not missing much here.

Came here to try a new Ethiopian place. The place was small and the menu was simple and easy to understand. We decided to go for the meat and veggie platter, as it is recommended for 2 people and had a nice variety of food in it. The presentation was great and I loved their plates! Unfortunately, as someone commented in an earlier review.. The meat was chewy and had quite a bit of bones in it. And most of the vegetarian sides were kind of bland. We've eaten at a few Ethiopian restaurants, so we have some experience with this cuisine. Unfortunately, the flavours were missing here.. I don't think I would come back here.

great people, amazing food, chill ambiance

This is truly one of the best restaurants in Toronto, and certainly the best Ethiopian. The food is outstanding, and the atmosphere and service are unparalleled. Try the honey wine!!!

Quality and super delicious Ethiopian food. The exterior and interior could use a little more pizzazz but I can't deny how authentic their food is. Yumm! The meat and veggie platter is good value and probably can feed three people!

On my mama; I've never had food this good in such a long time!!! When I tell you EVERYTHING was seasoned perfectly. The onion & tomato salad was seasoned with vinegar that gave just enough kick to balance the tender, pepper lamb with sautéed onions. The injera was fresh, soft, and fluffy like a pancake. The presentation was stellar too; my lamb was served in an individual skillet still sizzling...the smell was incredible! This was my first meal that I only ate with my hands; I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Do yourself a favor and come check this charming restaurant out. It's perfect if you don't like big crowds; it has a mom & pop feel.

I think this restaurant needs to kick it up a few notches regarding their cleanliness. The bathroom I went into was gross and had no soap. We had initially intended to eat but I was turned off by the bathrooms so I figured we would just get coffee. When we first got here there was a cloud of smoke from the incense that they burn during the coffee service. It is quite overpowering and the 3 of us smelled like that for the whole day. I didn't like that at all. We ordered the coffee. For coffee it took quite sometime, but that was because they were roasting the beans! I thought that was pretty cool. We got cups that were cold and wet, which led me to believe they had belonged to the guests before us who also had coffee service. Wondering if they were cleaned properly because they didn't go through a dishwasher. Coffee service ($10) comes with popcorn, which is a nice touch, we were hungry after all, but the popcorn was in a knit bowl--the bowl was literally made of yarn. That doesn't seem too sanitary to me, and it's unlikely you can wash a bowl like that. How would you? Dishwasher? Laundry washing machine? I'm pretty sure that yarn bowl has seen hundreds of hands without passing through a method of cleaning. If a restaurant grosses 3 people out so much they decide to get just coffee instead of eat food there, and even the coffee service grosses them out, then I think it's time to pick it up a bit. I would've 1-starred it but the service was friendly. The coffee service was quite a neat experience where they roast the beans in front of you. They also burn incense which I thought was neat but I didn't like smelling like it afterwards. Would've been better to do something like that outside on a patio. The coffee itself was quite mediocre but the experience was interesting. I really think they have the potential to do well, just gotta gravely increase their cleanliness standards. There is a level of cleanliness Toronto restaurant goers have come to expect and unfortunately this place doesn't make the cut.

Really nice dish here called Dulet, a spicy liver tripe and minced lamb mix served wrapped in deliciously spongy injera bread. Lucy's brings the heat while hitting the spot for flavour, freshness, authenticity.

The service is very good and the people are very friendly. I had a dish called tibs and it was very good as well as filling. Very good and will definitely go again.

I really enjoyed our New Year's Eve dinner here. The menu is small, with only one option for vegetarians (the veggie platter with a big salad and a few items). We ordered the cooked beef, the lamb and one veggie platter. I can't remember the actual names for anything. The food was absolutely delicious. The four of us didn't have a chance of finishing the food. And I tried. Hard!!! They also gave us a thin soup type thing (vegetarian) that she served on the injera at our table. I have no idea what it was, but it was fantastic. The restaurant became quite lively, with many of the owner's friends sitting at the bar, blasting Ethiopian pop videos on YouTube on their big screen. It was pretty great. Booze was reasonably priced. The atmosphere is very casual and friendly. It's a bit out of my way, but I would make the effort to visit again.

Brought some friends here Thursday night to try out Ethiopian food which none of us had had much experience with. We decided to each order a different dish and just split it so we could try a little bit of everything (best way to do group dining in my experience). We ordered Kitfo, Doro Wat, Tibs, and the veggie platter, along with coffee/popcorn. What we were served was some of the best quality/quantity food I've had in ages for the price; We were all on the verge of a food coma by the end of the meal. The various spices were all nice and comfortably warm, and made for a very hearty meal. The doro wat is now one of my favourite chicken dishes, and the Kitfo was downright delectable. The only dish I didn't care for was the Tibs but somebody liked it because it was gone pretty quickly. The staff was awesome, inviting and very attentive (though for the record we were the only patrons there at the time). The whole vibe of the place is very relaxed and made for a great night out. Overall the experience was quite memorable and I can't wait to go back there with some other friends to introduce them to this kind of food. There were four of us and our bill worked out to only $16/person; most place I've been to of equal quality/quantity would cost twice that.

Their 2pm-2am hours are kinda wild and we were able to get this spicy lamb and injera mixture at midnight and boy must I say did it really hit the spot. Great spicy flavor with a richness from the special butter they use in the dish.

The best Ethiopian restaurant in Toronto. Staff is incredibly friendly and genuine. Food is flavorful and filling. Really well priced. Must try the coffee. Will definitely be coming back regularly.

I came here one evening with a couple of friends. The waitress (I believe it was Lucy) was very friendly. Both of my friends were vegetarians, and there was only veggie option on the menu. We thought there would be more. I had the lamb, which was really tasty (loved the sauce), but there were bones. There was a pancake that came with everything. I wasn't really a big fan of it myself. I didn't care for the texture and didn't seem to have much flavour. The kitchen was open late (until 12). It seems like Lucy is the one that does both the cooking and serving. It took a long time to get our bill afterwards (we had to go up to the bar and ask for it). The music was pretty loud for a restaurant, though it seemed like more of a local hangout as there were people sitting at the small bar watching sports on the huge TV. It seemed very authentic, just not my kind of food.

Amazing flavours, and super friendly staff! We don't both with the small dishes we go right for the meat and veggie platters! It comes with endless Injera bread (which is to die for) and you will not leave here without a full tummy! Hands down my favourite place to get authentic Ethiopian food!

Nice food we loved it , very cosy place we ask the host we want to try everything in one platter she served it.so good

Amazing atmosphere and the owner is such a sweet person. Located in a calm neighborhood the place give an authentic feel.

Amazing lamb! Very flavourful and tasty. The beef was ok, but it was too spicy for me. The veggies were ok. The owner sat at our table and did a traditional coffee roasting, which was very cool to watch. The coffee is unfiltered and kind of reminded me of Balinese coffee. She was very friendly and educated us a bit about the Ethiopian culture. I've been to other Ethiopian places before. The food is comparable, but their lamb is good! The only big difference is the owner was very personable and did a traditional coffee ceremony with us which was very unique. The prices were ok. I just wished we could order the platter on weekdays! It was hard to pick one plate because I wanted variety. A solid 3.5 in my books!

Myself and four friends walked in after an impromptu decision against the McDonald's across the street. This quickly turned into one of the best food decisions we've made in a long time. Food and service was top notch. Owner came and made us feel very comfortable by entertaining our questions about what was good and I couldn't help but feel confident that the food would be great. And as predicted it was awesome! The four of us highly recommend this restaurant if you're ever craving something new. You will not be disūùýappointed!

Wonderful little Ethiopian spot on the Danforth. The restaurant decor is as welcoming as the host. The food was really good, and the coffee ceremony made all the difference.

Very good Ethiopian restaurant - I was unfamiliar with the neighbourhood and came in here only because I was tired of walking at 9 PM and hadn't eaten in hours. The server was a very nice young woman who couldn't have been much older than myself; it seems she was running the show entirely by herself at this hour of night, as she came out to show us our coffee beans as she was roasting them. I came with a date who had never eaten Ethiopian before. I usually stick to vegetarian dishes when I go for Ethiopian food, but this night I decided to try kitfo - a mixture of raw lean beef and cottage cheese with spices. It was very delicious, tender and soft - they offer you extra pepper if you'd like, which I sprinkled liberally over my food - it cleared my sinuses quite a bit... I don't remember what my boyfriend had; it was some mixture of beef and injera. It was also quite good. Also of note is that the water was unusually pure and clean tasting. The restaurant was a calm atmosphere, but offers some rather funky Ethiopian music at a pleasant volume. The other patrons all seemed to be Ethiopian or Eritrean themselves, and most only came in for a drink. They were familiar with the woman running the restaurant. For $10 you can order an Ethiopian coffee ceremony, which includes a bowl of popcorn, some fancy incense (if you wish), and a strange-looking pot of delicious strong coffee with free refills and sugar on the side. It was, needless to say, a great experience, and my boyfriend was impressed. Around 10:30 pm a group of men came in - one of them was the owner, who was very friendly and asked us how we felt about the food and service. Cost for two entrées, a beer and the coffee ceremony was $38. We tipped generously. Will come back again.

Owner/staff was very attentive especially towards my kids. We wanted the meat platter which is supposed to be a weekend option but she was happy to oblige. Food was very tasty including the fresh salad with beets in the middle of the injera bread. Even my son, who I dub "Mikey", loved it. We were given extra injera when we were running low. At the end of the meal we were surprised with a popcorn treat! That pushed this place to the top of the list for my kids! I also think it's a fun place for families since you eat in communal style from the same plate. The price I was charged was different from the menu but I figure it's too expensive to update the glossy pages. Not a big deal to me but it would be nice to know in advance. Excellent service, great food... we'll be back!!

On the lookout for vegetarian food we read rave reviews of this place. Firstly, the location off Danforth is very small and a bit noisy with Ethiopian ethnic music. There is a GreenP nearby for parking. We ordered the vegetarian platter. Our server quickly recommended one for the three of us instead of our order of two. We also were given Tachmino, which was the ingera rice pancake but in the form of rolls. The dish was served on an ingera pancake in a giant plate to be eaten by hand, and by everyone sharing. We had a choice of three vegetables and two lentils. Service was quick and the place is very clean.

The best Ethiopian food in Toronto! Amazing and welcoming staff...come as customer, leave as a friend. Be sure to try the Coffee!

I'm from New Mexico and when I'm in Toronto visiting my family this restaurant is a priority. Hadash, the owner is always so sweet! The service is wonderful and friendly. The food is delicious. We always have meat or veggie platter. Even my 2 year old Granddaughter loves this food. I urge you to give it a try!

Tried Lucy Ethiopian last night. Had the vegetarian platter which was simply amazing. While we were eating the owner came to us to present us the coffee beans she had been freshly roasting for our coffee. When we're finished eating she brought the freshly ground and brewed coffee and popcorn to our table and in keeping with tradition she personally sat down with us and poured our coffee. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. I will definitely go back again and again.

I had a great meal at Lucy Ethiopian Kitchen for two, my girlfriend and I. We ordered the veggie combos and Cha Cha Tibes which gave us so many portions altogether on one big platter. The food was delicious and we couldn't finish it. If you are looking for Ethiopian restaurant you definitely come here for the food first, and interestingly, the service second. Service is top notch!

Great place to be and it feels like home. I loved it and I highly recommend. Finger licking

Excellent food, charming and friendly service. The food is made to order so it's not fast, but well worth waiting for. It's not an extensive menu, but we found a huge variety to share amongst 4 people. There are only half a dozen tables or so and I imagine service could be pretty slow when it's busy, but it's a pleasant atmosphere and dinner for 4 with 3 beers was under $80 before tip. Highly recommended!

Easily the best Ethiopian or Eritrean cuisine I've had in my life. Sample of 20 plus years including NYC, Boston and Toronto. We are vegetarian and 3 of us had the veggie platter while our son had the Shuro. All dishes were exceptional and a tad bit spicier than the typical Ethiopian restaurant. The injera was moist and wonderful. The restaurant is kind of small and located a bit east of the more crowded part of the Danforth. There is a Green P 2 blocks west for parking. Service was warm and friendly. All in all, an exceptional place.

The taste is just wonderful. The waitress is so attentive. Nice and clean environment, very warm and cozy.

I've visited Lucy's twice. The first time, the food & service was fantastic. The second time was horrible - The injera seemed like it was very old and you could feel the stale feel to it, the dishes were sub par and the service was horrible. (The first time, lucy served us...this time it was a much younger women). When we asked for injera, she simply told us they ran out of it and there was no more. I couldn't believe this as it was 9'ish and the restaurant was open until 2 am. So we walked out of the restaurant hungry after paying for 3 dishes. We are avid fans of ethiopian cuisine and have a lot of experience with this kind of food. We would never go back there nor recommend.

Amazing Ethiopian food and very hospitable service. Ordered the special meat & vegetable platter to get a taste of a variety of dishes. Will be back for more!

Absolutely LOVE this place! This was our second time at Lucy's and it was just as good as we remembered, if not better! The food is fantastic and the staff always go above and beyond to make us feel welcome!! Last time we went they opened the restaurant early so that we can celebrate our son's birthday! Would definitely recommend and will definitely be heading back!

If not the best Ethiopian restaurant I've been to, then at least top 2. We found this place on Yelp and decided to try it out. My bf and I were visiting Toronto, we make it a goal to try Ethiopian in the cities we visit, if available of course. We had the kitfo and the cha cha (lamb) tibs. Everything was amazing and fresh. Very high quality meat and it was extremely tasty. The injera was also very good, with a moist quality about it. I would go back to this place in a heartbeat. It was also affordable and the service was excellent. Saw a lot of people come in, and it seemed like almost everyone was a regular. The lady that seemed to be in charge knew everyone and made sure that they were happy at all times. I loved it and can't wait to go back next time I visit Toronto.

Came here on a Friday night craaaaving some good Ethiopian food and I was taken care of! The wait staff is super friendly and helpful, and the food is to die for! They have a large tv and projection screen to watch as you eat. The atmosphere is so casual and awesome I was sad when I came back and it was a little too early so they were closed. Easily my favorite restaurant I've visited during my time in Toronto. They've made a fan out of me!!!

CONSISTENTLY WONDERFUL SERVICE, YUMMY FRESH HOME COOKED LIKE MEAL AND FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE. A few months later, we went back with a group of 12 friends and had another FANTASTIC meal. This time, we had more of the yummy zilzil tibs as well as the chicken version of that same dish. If there are at least four of you, you must try the entree (I forget the name) that has a little of everything. The owner usually only offers that on weekends but she may accommodate you. We had the lovely Ethiopian coffee ceremony this time where Hadas (the owner) roasted the coffee beans, bought it out to it to let us smell the fragrance and then she ground it. Then she explained the significance of the coffee ceremony to us. Great time had by all. Thank you!