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Awtash Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Persian/Iranian Restaurants Fast Food Persian/Iranian, Fast Food [Edit]
419 College StToronto, ON M5T
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
(416) 203-8008
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 6 pm - 12 am
Fri-Sat 6 pm - 2:30 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dessert
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Joanne W. said: "You cannot go wrong. You cannot go wrong. I've had their sandwiches a few times from the food trucks, and I decided to venture here today with a friend for lunch. Goodness gracious these sandwiches are amazing no matter what. My…" read more »
11 reviews for Awtash Cafe
11 reviews in English
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Review from Howard H.
8/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Great vibe, great owner - a nice little Persian cafe without having to truck on up to the hinterlands - I am a fan.
OK, I love this place. A lot. But I feel sort of compelled to ask... WHY THE H#$%! AREN'T YOU OPEN BEFORE 5PM??????
I know, I know - No dark & sexy before 5pm - BUT - since they already have everything in place to just open the doors early and simply BE one of the best coffee places on College St - Why don't they? Ok, I confess that my ulterior motive is to turn this place into my virtual office - someplace where I can be comforted by the environment and further comforted by the discomfort it would cause to the droids that, quite frankly, make me really uncomfortable.
What was this review about again? Oh yeah Awtash! I love that place! -
Review from Ayesha A.
2/6/2012
Just don't get the sangria.
It was the worst, least-sangria tasting sangria I have ever had. Granted it was the pomegranate-sangria, but still, it should still have some semblance of sangria but didn't.
We went late at night because it was the only place that would let us in without IDing us (we are of age, but one friend forgot his ID) and that didn't charge cover (which it shouldn't).
The shisha is average priced at $15 per hookah, there's a lot of flavours, we had apple. It was pretty good. We sat in the very back, and it was quite cute.
It's not awesome, definitely not the best shisha bar I've ever been to, but it was a nice time, nice place, solid experience that was downtown and there when we needed it. -
Review from Bijan V.
One of the coolest places to hang out at in Toronto (okay fine maybe I'm just overexcited about a Persian cafe opening up downtown!) but I've really enjoyed coming to this place.
It's a perfectly laid out huge area for a cafe (perfect for Parties, especially in the back room), that serves persian desserts, shisha / hookah , and some unique Persian / Italian fusion food (Ghormeh Sabzi Pizza anyone?). I wouldn't necessarily come here for a dinner but it's a great place to hang out and grab a snack and dessert.
It's very rare to see such unique places in Toronto and for them to do such a great job at it too but I think Awtash has hit the spot. Completely elegant decor, but not too expensive. Really intimate but again tons of space. Great tasting offerings, no pretentiousness!
What more could you ask for? Well I just wish it was a bit busier and lively but I'm sure that will come in time! -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
12/2/2010 8 photos
Awtash Cafe really so different from the places I usually frequent!
Yes I love this sexy vibes of this place. And when it is dark, everyone looks 100% more sexy and good looking... (BTW, sucks if you want to take good photos!)
Just love those loungers... Really want to take off my shoes and just laid there.. (I really did take off my shoes!)
Nahna Muddled Mint Tea/Saffron Ice Cream with Faloodeh
- Tea has been sweetened with syrup already so no other sweetener is necessary for me to enhanced the taste
- My first experience with Faloodeh... A-OK... I might have to try some more in the future (My friend ate most of it...)
Sheesha (Blueberry/Double Apple)
- Hey I think they are playing a practical joke on me or something.. I was given a default hookah and doesn't matter how hard I suck.. until my face was red..nothing happened! At first I thought my lungs were defective!
- I find smoking sheesha a relaxing and social experience.. inhale 1-2-3-4, and exhale and look at the smoke coming out......
- Blueberry tasted much better than Double Apple.... and some other people wants to steal mine because they like my flavour more!
Now if I can wear some relax clothings and laid on the coach... hmmmm that will be some really smoking, sexy experience! :P CHILL! -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
12/2/2010
Atmosphere is Dark & Sexy which made me stood out from the crowd as I'm neither Dark or Sexy. I'm the guy that is pissed because I got teased by fake Hookah that doesn't have Tobacco. It's like a Nicotine Patch or those Fake Cigarettes. Obviously laws restrict having indoor Sheesha but it's a nice way to get someone back on the wagon.
It was a good experience overall and now I understand why my Friend commented some Persians have full-scale bellies. Eat an enormous meal and then lay down and smoke it up while enjoying sugary Teas. Now that's the lifestyle we should adopt and love. I want to take a before-and-after photo of me and my Persian friend now. :D
Gol o' Bolbol(Saffron Ice Cream w/Rosewater Faloodeh $6.00), Koma Chai Chai(Persian Tea $4.50) and Hookah were all very complementary to this relaxing environment after our dinner from across the street.
However I guess I missed out on how to rest properly because that WOODEN back of the benches was uncomfortable to most of my body parts even 5 cushions didn't work and I don't have enough body fat yet to cushion myself. The Hookah extensions kept knocking over someone's glassware on the table.
Now it makes me want to smoke in lying down on the seats while watching a sports game and snooze away. It was almost to that level of comfort and enjoyment. The only staff there was amazingly friendly gentleman that did everything for us.
Thanks Bijan for sharing this with us.Listed in: Middle East Scoops, I-ran for Persian Cuisine
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Review from Soren M.
Vancouver, BC
11/7/2010 1 photo
WHAT THE HELL was that 'special pizza' and WHY THE HELL was it so exquisite, I don't know. I just know I gotta go back there SOON for more.
Recommendation: half Fesenjoon half Ghorme Sabzi pizza.
Very chill place, good for relaxing and socializing. And the food, It's definitely a NEW taste, a delicious one.
Try to get the house Specialty food and dessert instead of regulars, so you know what I mean by "new taste". -
Review from Andrea W.
Toronto, ON
Awtash Cafe opened just a few days ago and I am so delighted! It's close enough, and good enough, to become a regular lunch hour destination for me.
I have a decent imagination but I cannot comprehend how Awtash Cafe used to be that somewhat dive-y Tea House 168. The interior and exterior are completely different. Dark wood furnishings, cushioned couch banks, heaps of pillows, dramatic light fixtures, Persian print posters: it is all such a remarkable upgrade from the former shabby, scuffed-up bubble tea cafe.
The drinks menu includes coffee shop staples like cappuccinos, lattes and teas as well fruit shakes, lemonade and special Persian-fusion creations. There are several different chai, rosewater and saffron beverages on the menu, which I'd say are quite unusual.
For lunch today, a friend and I each tried a specialty pizza and a shake. I had a coconut shake which was rich and tasted of actual, real, fresh coconut. My friend tried the saffron shake, which came in a dish with sliced fruit on top. The saffron shake also had a delicate essence of rosewater. My dining buddy declared she wanted to order a second one immediately. I think this is going to be her new "I'm having a rough day" treat.
For meals, the menu lists sandwiches, hummus platters, salads and two genres of pizza (standard combinations and Persian specialities). The pizzas are $8.50 for a dinner plate size (I took half home for later). I tried the Fessnjoon pizza with chicken, pineapple, pomegranate-walnut sauce and a sesame crust. It was an unusual combo but a very good one. I recommend it. Some of my other co-workers tried the sandwiches earlier this week ($6.50 each) and declared them to be extremely good, too. There is a dessert menu: cakes by the slice and ice cream too, I think.
Awtash has applied for a liquor license, and I can definitely see myself reclining on those piles of pillows enjoying an after work drink - perhaps a saffron martini or similar? And did I mention this place is also a shisha/hookah bar? AND there's wifi, a big TV projection screen and also a separate lounge room at the back, perfect for a group event. It's all here! And as an added bonus, the staff is super friendly, too.
*note - they are still new so they don't take debit or credit cards yet*Listed in: College and Bathurst Lunch…, My ROTD
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Review from Leeor J.
12/3/2010
This is a brand-spankin' new shisha place near my place. I'm no shisha head, but i'll have it from time to time. This is the best shisha place i've been to overall in Toronto for both atmosphere and quality. They also have some really interesting food there.
I ordered some dessert that was a kind of sorbet in rose water with vermicelli noodles in it. It sounds disgusting I know, but it was really good!
Also, their shisha pipes are pretty frickin' cool looking (though I think they need some breaking in -- i got a bit of a plastic-y taste every now and then)
Owner is pretty friendly too.. I would go back.. -
Review from Lauren M.
Update! I told you I would return for the food. I finally got the chance.
The food menu is small - basically there is a selection of 5 dips (hummus, etc), a couple salads, a pizza menu and a sandwich menu. Also note that the prices have increased since June (more expensive than quoted in Andrea's review, but everything is priced reasonably)
The pizza is divided into two types - traditional (Italian) selections (all $10), or persian-"fusion" ones ($12).
We tried 2 of the pizzas with very mixed results. The pizzas are extremely thin crusted (yay!) and are made with persian flatbread (kind of crunchy with sesame seeds)
Fesenjoon (Chicken breast in walnut and pomegranate stew topped with pineapple) - This one was REALLY good. Slightly sweet from the pomegranate.
Ghormeh Sabzi (Beef & red beans in a mixed herb stew) - This was F*CKING AWFUL. Please do not order it. Really seriously disappointing. It looked pretty but tasted very bland. It had way too many herbs on it, lots of parsley sort of slathered on and looked liked cooked spinach.
The service was really slow. Server was extremely friendly but we had to flag him down a zillion times even though the cafe was close to empty. The pizzas took a long time to come out.
As beautiful as this place is, I just cannot give it the 5 star upgrade. (-0.5 stars for make-me-puke pizza, -0.5 stars for slow service)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/1/2010
This place totally has 5 star potential (I will upgrade to 5 stars if - a) they get their liquor… Read more »
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Review from Stephanie C.
Toronto, ON
12/15/2010
After enjoying a sumptuous meal at Sheherzade, our group crossed the street to Awtash Café for a nightcap.
Imitating the decadence of a pasha's court, the café is gorgeously decorated with plush banquet sofas and ornate glass lamps to set an intimate mood. The café is a large open space with chairs and sofas, private booths across from the bar and a decent sized private room in the back.
Our group settled in the private room, lounged on the cushioned banquet seating, and "smoked" our shisha pipes.
At Awtash, you can enjoy chai tea, eat specialty pizzas and Persian desserts, the latter of which I tried. As if my delicious meal of beef, chicken and lamb wasn't filling enough, I ordered a Faloodeh Anari for dessert. It's a Persian sorbet made of thin vermicelli noodles with lime and pomegranate juice. I won't lie, it's odd chewing on sorbet. But the fresh juices had softened the noodles and it made for one of the more unique dessert experiences I've ever had.
I would be inclined to return here again. Awtash offers great treats with a cozy and relaxed atmosphere that would make my visit an enjoyable experience. -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
7/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
I could totally make this a regular hangout. Service is wonderful, it's sexy, has fresh pineapple juice - tell me, how often do you get that in a regular cafe - offers great grilled flatbread and other decent light Persian snacks. AND free wifi. Zip!
The booths are perfect for evening get-togethers... Music's good, interior's dim but well decorated and lovely. I feel like I'm somewhere else far, far away.
At this point, I'm impressed and this five-star rating is partly to get people here and make it a new buzzing hotspot on College. Is it gonna work? You tell me.
Totally coming back for the shisha. $20! Anyone game?
