TikTok star Keith Lee and his FamiLee have made their way to Toronto for their first-ever international food tour. Keith rose to internet stardom through his honest food reviews of popular and underrated restaurants across the United States. His reviewing style is inviting and approachable — highlighting what he loved about the meal, price and overall rating of each dish. When Keith officially announced he was visiting Toronto to his over 16 million followers on TikTok, social media went ablaze.
The famous food critic’s TikTok videos have provided much-needed visibility for many small businesses in the United States, and there is no doubt that it will do the same for our beloved Toronto restaurants. So, to get you started on your very own Keith Lee-inspired food tour, we’ve rounded up all the spots he visited along with his honest reviews. Read on to learn more about Keith Lee’s favourite foodie finds in Toronto.
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Sumaq Iraqi Charcoal Grill
Address: 1961 Lawrence Ave E, Scarborough, ON
Shawarma is a Toronto staple, and the number of comments on Keith’s videos urging him to try the wrap in Toronto was astronomical. Keith’s first stop was Sumaq Iraqi Charcoal Grill in Scarborough — a highly rated spot in the area. Keith spent about $37 on chicken, veal and mixed shawarmas. The TikTok food critic noted that they were all very flavourful and spicy — retaining tons of well-seasoned juice. While the mixed shawarma might not have been his favourite, he rated the chicken and veal 8.2/10 and 8.4/10, respectively.
Biscuits and Baskets
Address: 49 Beatty Rd, Ajax, ON
While Keith doesn’t typically make “house calls,” he was willing to venture to Ajax and try out the highly-rated cakes from a backyard business called Biscuits and Baskets. Keith recalls his experience as some of the best customer service his family has ever experienced. The TikTok food critic spent $36 on carrot cake, banana cake, chocolate cake, Biscoff cake and a Korean sponge toffee latte. Though Keith doesn’t typically drink coffee, he rated the latte 8/10 and the cakes, on average, a 7/10.
Afro’s Pizza
Address: 107 Mutual St, Toronto, ON
Afro’s Pizza is definitely an underrated pizza spot in Toronto. After welcoming Keith to their restaurant, Afros’ was flooded with hungry fans — the power of Keith Lee everybody! Keith tried the mac and cheese, the Davis Jr., Hendrix Experience and Shehnaz’s Samosa pizzas during his visit. The most surprising dish had to be the Hendrix Experience, featuring compressed watermelon with tequila — rating it a 7.7/10. The Davis Jr. pizza received a very rare rating of 9/10 for its perfectly balanced sweet and spicy flavour. Keith spent about $79 for all the dishes he tried.
Sisters & Co
Address: 7725 Birchmount Rd Unit 18, Markham, ON
To switch things up, Keith decided to try a brunch spot in Markham, Ontario. Sisters & Co. takes classic brunch dishes and infuses popular East Asian flavours into every bite. Keith tried the Earl Grey Pancakes, Citrus Mascarpone Waffles, Barenaked Benny with bacon and Vietnamese coffee. Overall, his ratings were very high, with the average above 7.5/10. The standout food item was the Citrus Waffles for its perfectly soft and buttery flavour. Keith spent about $74 on his entire meal.
Old Nassau
Address: 2047 Weston Rd, York, ON
The Keith Lee effect was in full swing for the owners of this highly-rated Bahamian restaurant. After a viral video callout on TikTok by the owner, Keith promptly made his way over to Old Nassau. It was Keith’s first time trying Bahamian food — and boy, it did not disappoint. Keith spent $80 and got to try the Cracked Chicken (with everything on it), Fried Red Snapper, Steam Pork Chops with rice and peas and the infamous Banana Pancakes. Overall, the dishes received extremely high ratings, with the pancakes and fried fish receiving a 9.6/10 rating — fans on TikTok said this is the highest rating Keith has ever given a dish.
No.1 Jerk
Address: 2859 Kingston Rd, Scarborough, ON
Like any honest food critic, Keith was very candid about his experience at No.1 Jerk—and overall, it was alright. Keith spent about $52 on a BBQ Jerk Chicken Sandwich, Oxtail Rice and Peas, and Curry Goat Roti. While fans on TikTok expressed their love for other Jamaican restaurants in the city, this is a neighbourhood staple, and Keith felt inclined to try it anyway. His standout dish was the Curry Goat Roti, which he rated 7.5/10.
Sahan Restaurant
Address: 2010 Lawrence Ave E, Scarborough, ON
Keith’s fans on TikTok demanded that he visit at least one Somali restaurant in Toronto, and we have to agree. Sahan Restaurant in Scarborough landed Keith’s attention for its highly-rated food and excellent customer service. During his visit, he got Awlal (goat and rice), Beef Stew, T-Bone and Pasta, Suqaar (chicken strew) and their popular Milk Cake. Overall, the visit was a success, with almost every dish being rated 8 or above out of 10. Though the texture of the milk cake wasn’t to his preference, he absolutely adored the flavours, rating it 8.5/10. Keith spent about $98 during his visit — making this spot the most expensive of his Canadian food run yet.
To watch the full videos of Keith Lee’s food tour of Toronto, visit his TikTok page here.