Lalibela Ethopian Restaurant

What is Lalibela Ethopian Restaurant? Operating on Bloor Street West just west of Ossington since the 1990s, Lalibela stands as one of the long-standing pillars of Toronto's Ethiopian dining community. The room is warm, unpretentious, and adorned with traditional artwork, featuring comfortable dining tables and front windows that open out onto Bloor during the warmer months. The setup is built entirely around communal dining, catering to groups gathered over wide sharing platters.

Lalibela Ethopian Restaurant Menu & What to Order Everything here is served atop generous rounds of tangy, house-fermented injera meant to be torn and eaten entirely by hand. The house Lalibela Platter is the essential starting point, combining deeply spiced doro wat, tender lamb, and a colorful spectrum of vegan staples like misir wat, split peas, and seasoned gomen. For a standout beef dish, order the Special Lalibela Kitfo—finely minced lean beef warmed through with spiced niter kibbeh and fiery mitmita—or the sizzling zilzil tibs sautéed with peppers and onions. Conclude the meal with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, freshly brewed in a clay jebena alongside frankincense and popped corn.

Know Before You Go Reservations are accepted online through their website or by phone, though walk-ins are routinely welcomed outside of peak weekend dinner hours. The kitchen runs daily from late morning through midnight, making it one of the neighbourhood's most reliable late-night dining destinations. It sits just a short two-minute stroll west from Ossington subway station, with metered street parking available along Bloor.