Karioka Fine Egyptian Cuisine & French Cafe — Restaurant in Mississauga

I don't give out 5-star reviews often, not even to some Michelin-rated restaurants. However, Karioka deserves every one of the five stars in this review for its authenticity, friendliness, and food quality.

Let's start with the restaurant itself. It resembles a cafe with a fair number of tables placed reasonably far apart. It feels like a comfortable neighbourhood hang-out - clean, functional, and familiar.

The wait staff was friendly and patient. We were new to Egyptian cuisine and they guided us expertly. More than once they intervened and offered advice that turned out to be 100% on point.

The menu is extensive and offers a wide variety of dishes. The fried eggplant was served warm and ladened with minced garlic and spices. It was outstanding. The baba ghanosh was smooth and full of flavour.

The lamb shank fattah was exceptional! A well braised lamb shank served over Egyptian bread and rice, the meat melted in my mouth and the carbs were thoroughly flavoured with the dripping and the sauce.

We also ordered the mixed grill and it deserves a special mention here. First, the meats were grilled over charcoal, not gas. They were moist and had that unique smokey flavour. Second, the chicken breast and beef were great but the lamb kebob and lamb chop stood out distinctly. All the meats were served over fluffy saffron rice and a small side salad. It was one of the best grilled dishes I have had in a long while.

The lemon and mint shake was amazing. This place made us the best Turkish coffee I have tasted on this side of the Atlantic, hands down! I could taste spices in the coffee like cardamom and it was served with a bit of sugar.

I cannot wrap up the review without talking about the feteer. It is a fried dessert served with different sweet ingredients. Our waiter asked the kitchen to make an extra large one for us as he really wanted us to try this dish, and it was served with freshly made cream and honey. It was fluffy and flavourful, and the cream was to die for!

I have a preference for family-owned restaurants that serve authentic cuisine with a welcoming atmosphere. I love watching families do family things while devouring honest food served by waiters who make you feel like an old friend. Karioka is all of the above.

(By the way, this place also offers an elaborate...

We had the pleasure of having Iftar at this wonderful place, and it was an absolutely amazing experience! From the moment we walked in, we felt a warm and cozy atmosphere that made us feel right at home. The ambiance was perfect for families, with a welcoming and relaxed setting where everyone, from young kids to older family members, could enjoy the evening together.

The food was beyond incredible! Everything was homemade, and you could truly taste the effort and love put into every dish. The buffet had such a great variety of options that there was something for everyone, no matter their preference. Every bite was bursting with flavor, and the taste was simply unbelievable. The sweets and desserts were the perfect way to end the meal—absolutely delicious!

One of the highlights was the authentic Egyptian food. The flavors were rich, perfectly balanced, and took us straight to the heart of Egypt with every bite. From traditional dishes to perfectly seasoned meats and savory stews, everything was prepared with authenticity and care. If you love Egyptian cuisine or want to try it for the first time, this is the place to go!

The service was exceptional. The staff was kind, attentive, and always ready to help. What stood out the most was the hospitality of the owner himself. He personally came to check on us, making sure we had everything we needed, and even took the time to take a picture with us. That personal touch made the experience even more special and memorable.

It’s rare to find a place that offers not just great food, but also a warm and welcoming environment with outstanding service. We will definitely be coming back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic, heartwarming dining...

The food was amazing! I tried the Friday special which is a Kebda(liver)sandwich. It was only $9 for a 12 inch sandwich and fries which is a great price. Usually the sandwiches are about $6 so for three dollars you get a whole half of a sandwich and fries! They have different deals every day.

Im not a big fan of liver, but I do want to start eating more organ meat, since it’s so it’s good for you so I ordered the Kebda initially to try it. I personally did not like the liver from the liver texture, but that’s ok cause it was a great deal and I wanted to try it. HOWEVER I do still recommend to it if you like liver because it was really delicious, I gave the rest of my sandwich to my mom who likes liver and she really loved it.

Since I didn’t finish the liver sandwich I tried a sujuk and a Kofta, each sandwich was $6 so 13 ish dollars in total after tax, since I got two different sandwiches. If you order 12 inch sandwich of one type it is around 9.99 which is a good price to pay for quality meat! The sujuk was delicious and flavourful with pepper and onion, I love sujuk and this one tastes great super juicy with lots of flavour.

The Kofta was served with pickles and onion smelled and tastes perfectly Smokey like kofta should. They were both great!

We also tried samples of their savoury crepes! I believe one was Philly cheesesteak crepe and the other one was a sujuk crepe. They’re releasing the crepes on Monday, my sister loved those and said she will definitely be going back for the crepes.

The staff is incredibly friendly and funny great atmosphere and decor, lively music, comfortable seating. I would recommend coming in here for a casual and fun dining...