Rendez-Vous Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant

With the smell of roasted coffee beans, hut-like decorations and orange, red and brown colour schemes, it's no wonder people feel like they’re truly experiencing a little bit of Africa when they walk into Rendez-Vous. The restaurant is filled with Ethiopian art: paintings and photographs depicting the vast and vibrant culture the country and its people have to offer are on display as visitors relish the unique cuisine.

Staying true to its translation, Rendez-Vous is named after a famous spot in Ethiopia known as a meeting place where people come to socialize and have a good time. The Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurant has been serving the East Toronto neighbourhood since its opening in 2001. Banchi Kinde, the owner at Rendez-Vous, took advantage of Toronto’s multicultural environment after moving to the city, deciding to offer a bit of her ethnic roots through its cuisine. “Ethiopia is very rich in culture. We are unique in the way we eat and in the way we take care of our guests,” she says.

Banchi’s passion for cooking and hosting comes from her mother, whom she always helped around the kitchen. Growing up in a big family, she was surrounded by relatives and a culture of cooking and hospitality, skills that became ingrained in her very early on. “Whenever I cooked, everyone loved it! That was a great motivation for me,” she says. “We really make sure our guests are satisfied. We take a lot of pride in that,” she adds.