toronto shops: african grocery/food? middle eastern?

[eddielike2eat]

i have a friend who moved from the states and she's looking for african and middle eastern grocery/food shops. unfortunately i also just moved back from states so i am not too sure.
we are located at university of toronto. where would we be able to find good african and middle eastern grocery shops that is close to the subway/ttc grid? or even batter, to walk to?? i think i may be able to find some spices in St. lawrence mkt *where i shop, but wanted to have some more options... THANK YOU for TIPS in ADVANCE!

[smartygirl]

it's an old thread, but... any updates on where to buy african foods closer to downtown?

specifically i'm looking for zambian foods, biltong, maheu (maize drink), and polony (chikanda).

[hungry_pangolin]

There's the Ethiopian Spice Shop on the north side of Baldwin (I think - the one north of St Andrew St, anyway), west of Spadina, in Kensington Market. I get a lot of mideastern stuff at Kabul Farms, on the west side of Parliament St between Dundas and Shuter. For west African goods, it might be more difficult, but I know that at Dundas just west of Parliament is La Congolaise, which does carry some food.

[smr714]

I get my middle eastern groceries and food at Nasr in Scarborough. It is on Lawrence and Warden. The whole area has this type of shopping. Some use ARZ which is also on Lawrence and within blocks of Nasr.

If out in Mississauga, I get them from Nader's on Dundas (Hurontario/Dundas)

and In Burlington, from Nabil's on Plains Road, right at Brant.

There are also a few threads on Middleeastern foods including:
Desserts: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/541790
groceries: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/528409
Sharwma: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/521300

[eddielike2eat]

hmm... is there any in downtown??

[smr714]

Not that I know of. I also get fresh and frozen bastarma at all of these locations. There might be more African places in and around Kesington Market. I know there are ethopian restraurants in the Danforth between Coxwell and Woodbine -- there is even an Ethopian Canadian centre there that might have more suggestions.