The 'Keith Lee effect' in Toronto: These GTA restaurants left the food critic 'blown away'
“Toronto, I appreciate y’all!”
Keith Lee tries food from Toronto restaurants.
Food critic Keith Lee just declared Toronto to be one of the top three foodie cities he's ever visited, and the TikTok star had plenty of great things to say about the restaurants he tried during his recent trip to the 6ix.
Lee visited Toronto in early April, when he dropped a $3,000 tip at one location and promoted several of his tasting experiences online. Many of the restaurants he shouted out have become overnight viral hotspots, with lineups down the block and plenty of buzz on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaking in his latest TikTok video, Lee said he "did not expect this kind of reception" after making Toronto his first international taste test destination. "I was blown away the entire time," said Lee. "Canada, y'all showed up and y'all showed out."
That's high praise for Lee, who has piled up tens of millions of online followers with his food reviews.
Lee also shared some more love for the restaurants he visited in the GTA, many of which are now enjoying a boom in business thanks to the so-called "Keith Lee effect."
@keith_lee125 Toronto Food taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic @SUMAQ IRAQI CHARCOAL GRILL @Old Nassau @Biscuits To Baskets @The Brandon Gonez Show @D. @Jemilla Mills-Smith ✨ @Afro's Pizza @Jibreel Moore @No.1
Lee didn't get to every corner of the GTA, but he did highlight an Ajax bakery and several restaurants in Scarborough, along with a few Toronto spots as far west as Weston Road, so he did get around a bit.
Here are the restaurants that Keith Lee loves in the Toronto area, and why you should line up to try them for yourself.
Afro's Pizza
@keith_lee125 Afros Pizza taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic @Afro's Pizza @mixinthe6ix
Location: 107 Mural Street, Toronto, ON
Cuisine: Detroit-style pizza
What Lee had to say: “This extremely small, locally beloved pizza shop who had a go of expanding to a bigger space got this closer to their goal in less than 24 hours,” he said in his roundup video.
Lee also left a $3,000 tip at this location, so he's clearly a fan!
Old Nassau Authentic Bahamian Cuisine
@keith_lee125 Old Nassau taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic @Old Nassau
Location: 2047 Weston Rd.
Cuisine: Bahamian
What Lee had to say: "This Bahamian restaurant went from a place that if you knew about it, you loved it, to this in less than 24 hours," he said, before sharing a news clip of the crowds outside the restaurant.
"We've been Keith Lee'd" reads a sign outside the shop.
Biscuits to Baskets
@keith_lee125 Biscuits & Baskets taste test 💕 would you try it 💕 #foodcritic @mixinthe6ix
Location: 49 Beaty St., Ajax
Cuisine: Bakery
What Lee had to say: “This definition of a mom and pop shop, which was in somebody’s garage, went from making $500 on their busiest day to this in less than 24 hours.” He then showed lineups down the block and a post from the owners saying they had to shut down for a day to catch up on orders.
No. 1 Jerk
@keith_lee125 No 1. Jerk taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic
Location: 2859 Kingston Rd., Scarborough
Cuisine: Jamaican/Chinese
What Lee had to say: “This family owned Jamaican restaurant turned the experience that me and my family had to not only a positive, but to an entire meal.”
Sumaq Iraqi Charcoal Grill
@keith_lee125 Sumaq Iraqi Charcoal Grill taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic @SUMAQ IRAQI CHARCOAL GRILL
Location: 1961 Lawrence Ave. E, Scarborough
Cuisine: Iraqi
What Lee had to say: “This already popular Toronto restaurant went from being busy to busier in less than 24 hours,” he said in his TikTok roundup.
Sisters & Co
@keith_lee125 #doordashpartner Sister & Co taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic @DoorDash @Foodie Tiffany
Location: 887 Dundas St. W
Cuisine: Asian fusion brunch
What Lee had to say: He didn't shout out this restaurant in his roundup, but he did have plenty of great things to say in his individual review. "I think this is a great brunch option," he said.
Website
Sahan Restaurant
@keith_lee125 Sahan Restaurant taste test 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic @Sahanresto @mixinthe6ix
Location: 2010 Lawrence Ave. E, Scarborough
Cuisine: Somali
What Lee had to say: "I was told and borderline threatened on multiple occasions that if I came to Toronto and didn't try Somali food, I didn't experience Somali food," he said in his review video. He said it was ultimately an "extremely positive" experience.
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