Ethiopian House
4 Irwin, at Yonge, 416-923-5438, ethiopianhouse.com
Steps from the soulless Yonge Street strip, this long-running East African eatery may as well be a world away. There, set against a series of vibrantly decorated rooms, heat-seekers forgo forks for injera flatbread to scoop up communal platters of slowly cooked stews and complex veggie sides that might offer a mild tingle on the tongue or full-blast nuclear meltdown. Put out the fire with strong Ethiopian coffee, finished with salt and clarified butter.
Runner-up
Nazareth
969 Bloor West, 416-535-079
