Yafa Café opened in November 2017 to bring the generous
hospitality of Palestinian street food to Winnipeg. The idea grew out
of family-run food carts and corner markets around Broadway and the
Winnipeg Farmers’ Market, and the café was opened in
tribute to our mothers’ and grandmothers’ cooking. Today
we are one of the city’s most-loved halal restaurants, known for
an “Arabic fusion” menu that gives a Middle Eastern twist
to familiar Canadian favourites.
Everything is prepared fresh in our kitchen: bread baked to order,
chicken marinated in sumac, and spices dried and ground in house for
maximum flavour. Our dining room is decorated with warm Arabic pop
culture and historical décor, seats families comfortably, adds
outdoor seating in summer, and hosts live music from time to time.
Minutes from Polo Park, Assiniboine Park and the West End
You will find us on the north side of Portage Avenue, a short drive
from CF Polo Park, Assiniboine Park and Zoo, Assiniboia Downs, the
Winnipeg West End and St. James. That makes Yafa Café an easy
stop for a post-shopping lunch, a weekend brunch of manakeesh and
Arabic coffee, a family dinner, or a late-night shawarma run —
we serve until 11:00 PM every night of the week.
