African grocery stores and Kenyan food in Thunder Bay A taste of home, and help when you need it.

1. Cooking Kenyan food here

• Ugali: look for white maize meal or white cornmeal. DenkyMax African Food Market (below) lists white corn meal, but we haven't confirmed a shop that stocks the Kenyan brands. If you know one, tell us and we'll add it.
• Sukuma wiki: collard greens and kale are sold in most big supermarkets.
• Chapati and mandazi: all-purpose flour works.
• Spices, rice and pulses: the Indian grocers below (Spice World, Rice n Spice, Bombay One Stop) sell masalas and spices. Check each store's list for rice, pulses and beans.

2. Halal meat

Thunder Bay Masjid's guide for Muslims new to the city says there is no dedicated halal butcher in Thunder Bay. It says halal meat is sold at Walmart, Superstore and Maltese Grocery, and names the Sufra, Zabiha Halal and Mina brands. Check the label yourself.

Source: Thunder Bay Muslim Religious Association, "A Muslim's Guide to Living in Thunder Bay"

Halal dining: Shekho's Shawarma, 17 St. Paul Street, (807) 345-4522, is a Syrian family restaurant that says "the entire kitchen is halal". That is the restaurant's own statement; no certifying body is named. Open until 2 a.m., and until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

It also says all of its chicken and beef is sourced halal, and that it does not serve pork or alcohol.

Source: Shekho's Shawarma, "Halal restaurant" and "Find us"

• Famous Tandoor, 188 Algoma Street South, (807) 286-7864, calls itself a halal Indian and Pakistani restaurant. Its menu includes tandoori dishes, lamb, biryani, samosas and naan. (famoustandoor.com)
• Elite Biryani Hub, 254 Bay Street, (807) 707-9187: biryani and takeout. No website of its own when we checked.

3. African grocery stores and markets

• Maltese Grocery, 301 Pearl Street: meat, produce, deli and specialty foods. Open Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (maltesegrocery.ca)
• Thunder Bay Country Market, Dove Building at the CLE grounds, 425 Northern Avenue: a farmers' market open all year, on Wednesdays 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (thunderbaycountrymarket.com)
• DenkyMax African Food Market, 59 Court Street North, (807) 630-1208: African and Caribbean groceries, including white corn meal, fufu flours, yams, palm oil, and dried and smoked fish. Open Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 2 to 6 p.m. Its website's security certificate had expired when we checked, so we haven't linked it.
• Spice World, 189B Algoma Street South, (807) 344-4974: Indian grocery with spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon), masalas and everyday groceries. Weekdays 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on its contact page. Call to check weekend hours. (spiceworldtbay.com)
• Rice n Spice, 234 Cumberland Street North, (807) 356-9110: Kerala-style Indian grocery with masalas, rice, coconut oil and frozen fish such as mackerel. Open every day 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The site says free delivery. (riceandspice.ca)
• Bombay One Stop, 2605 Victoria Avenue East, (807) 770-5079: Indian and South Asian groceries, spices and frozen foods. Open every day 11 a.m. to midnight. (bombayonestop.net)
• The African Lounge, 146 Centennial Square, (343) 998-6984: West African takeout and market. Pre-order jollof, fufu, kontomire stew and pies, plus spices and natural skincare. (africanlounge.ca)

Sources: each shop's own website, checked on October 25, 2026: denkymaxafricanfoodmarket.ca, Spice World products, Rice n Spice products, Bombay One Stop. On 29 October 2026 we re-read Spice World's weekday hours, Bombay One Stop's daily hours, and The African Lounge and Famous Tandoor on their own sites. Rice n Spice's site blocked a fresh check; "free delivery" is from its homepage on October 25, 2026.

Looking for Kenyan or African food sellers and caterers? See the African food market, Ethiopian takeout, Afro-Caribbean groceries, hair braiding and community businesses on Soko — the Thunder Bay community marketplace.

4. If money for food is tight

There is no shame in it. Many newcomers use food banks while they wait for a first paycheque. The Thunder Bay District Health Unit keeps an up-to-date list of every food program in the city.

• Food banks: for most of them you register once by calling 211.
• Free meals: the health unit's list includes Shelter House (420 George Street) and St. Andrew's Dew Drop Inn (292 Red River Road).
• Students: Lakehead's student union and Confederation College each run a food bank for students.
• Cheaper fruit and vegetables: Roots Community Food Centre and the Good Food Box.

Source: Thunder Bay District Health Unit, "Where to Get Food in Thunder Bay". Days and hours change, so check the latest list or call 211.

Quick answers

Where can I buy ugali flour in Thunder Bay?

DenkyMax African Food Market, 59 Court Street North, lists white corn meal, which you can use for ugali. We haven't yet confirmed a shop that stocks the Kenyan maize meal brands. If you know one, tell us through Share and we'll add it.

Is there an African grocery store in Thunder Bay?

Yes. DenkyMax African Food Market, 59 Court Street North, sells African and Caribbean groceries, including white corn meal, fufu flours, yams, palm oil and dried and smoked fish. The African Lounge, 146 Centennial Square, is a West African takeout and market with spices. Indian grocers such as Spice World, Rice n Spice and Bombay One Stop sell spices, rice and pulses. Rice n Spice says it offers free delivery.

Where can I buy halal meat in Thunder Bay?

Thunder Bay Masjid's guide for Muslims new to the city says there is no dedicated halal butcher in Thunder Bay, and that halal meat is sold at Walmart, Superstore and Maltese Grocery. Check the label yourself. For a meal out, Shekho's Shawarma says its whole kitchen is halal and that it serves no pork or alcohol. Famous Tandoor calls itself halal.

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