Multicultural groceries, halal food, and community markets

Thunder Bay: African, Caribbean, and international grocers

These are public storefronts and markets. This list is a starting point, not a ranking, and it does not claim that every item in every shop is halal.

• DenkyMax African Food Market — 59 Court St N. 807-630-1208. African and Caribbean groceries, including flours, spices, and frozen staples.
• Maltese Grocery — 301 Pearl St. A long-running Thunder Bay grocer, founded in 1924.
• Thunder Bay Country Market — 425 Northern Ave, in the CLE Dove Building. Open Wednesday 3:30–6:30 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. The market is home to Taste of Ethiopia and to local producers.
• Goods & Co. Market — 251 Red River Rd. Home to AfroGourmets in Suite 14, a Senegalese-founded food studio (cooking classes, catering, and small-batch sauces).
• Spice World — 189B Algoma St S. Spices and international pantry goods.
• Rice n Spice — 234 Cumberland St N. Rice, spices, and international groceries.
• Bombay One Stop — 2605 Victoria Ave E. South Asian and international groceries.

Ready-to-eat meals and halal options

• Thunder Bay African Restaurant — 80 Empress Ave S. Nigerian and West African plates, plus catering.
• Island Spice Jerk House — 71 Algoma St S #2. Jamaican restaurant and catering.
• Shekho's Shawarma — 17 St. Paul St. The kitchen is a halal kitchen. Ask what that covers for the meat and for shared grills before you order.
• Thunder Bay Muslim Religious Association (TBMRA) runs Thunder Bay Masjid at 591 John Street. It is the local mosque community for prayer and for questions about halal food in the city. Public site: tbmra.org (also known as thunderbaymasjid.org). Phone 807-766-9644. Registered charity 893257139RR0001.

A restaurant that serves food from a Muslim-majority country is not automatically halal. Ask the kitchen.

Affordable food boxes and community food programs

These programs are about getting food, not about a specific cuisine. Anyone who needs them can ask.

• Good Food Box Thunder Bay — a low-cost box of fresh produce, administered by the Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre. Order dates and pickup sites are on goodfoodboxtb.org. Phone 807-345-7819.
• Roots Community Food Centre — 450 Fort William Rd. Community meals, a produce market, and food programs. rootscfc.org. Phone 807-285-0189.
• Regional Food Distribution Association (RFDA) — 570 Syndicate Ave S. The regional warehouse that supplies emergency food programs in Northwestern Ontario. For a food bank near you, call 211.
• LUSU Food Resource Centre — for Lakehead University students, on the Thunder Bay campus. Email frc@lusu.ca.
• SUCCI Emergency Food Bank — for the Confederation College community. Ask the Student Union of Confederation College (SUCCI) for current hours.

Greater Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, and Timmins

Specialty grocers are easier to find in Thunder Bay than in the other hubs. In Greater Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, and Timmins, start with the mainstream chains that stock an international aisle and some halal-labelled products:

• Real Canadian Superstore
• Walmart Supercentre
• Food Basics
• No Frills
• Metro
• FreshCo

Not every banner has a store in every city. Use the chain's own store finder for your address. Then walk the international aisle and read the package.

How to check a halal certification logo

An aisle sign that says "international" or "halal" is not the same as a certified product. Look on the package for a logo from a recognized certifier, including:

• HMA — Halal Monitoring Authority
• IFANCA — Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America
• ISNA — Islamic Society of North America
• HFA — a halal certification mark you will also see on some imported packages

If the logo is missing, treat the product as uncertified until you can ask the manufacturer or a local mosque. Certification rules differ between bodies. The logo tells you who certified that product, not that the whole store is halal.

Settlement agencies and cultural associations

A settlement agency can introduce you to cultural associations, faith communities, and community kitchens in that city. These are the main newcomer offices:

• Greater Sudbury: Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association — 705-674-4455 ext. 1242.
• Sault Ste. Marie: Sault Community Career Centre — 705-759-0909.
• North Bay: the North Bay & District Multicultural Centre is now the North Bay office of the Northeastern Ontario Multicultural Centre (renamed January 2025). 705-495-8931.
• Timmins: the Timmins and District Multicultural Centre is now that centre's Timmins office. Contact the Timmins office — 705-221-8622.

For a food bank, a community kitchen, or a program that is not on this page, call 211 or search 211ontario.ca. The line answers in many languages.

Questions people ask

Where can I buy African or Caribbean groceries in Thunder Bay?

DenkyMax African Food Market is at 59 Court St N (807-630-1208). Maltese Grocery is at 301 Pearl St. Thunder Bay Country Market, in the CLE Dove Building at 425 Northern Ave, runs Wednesday 3:30–6:30 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. and is home to Taste of Ethiopia. Goods & Co. Market at 251 Red River Rd is home to AfroGourmets in Suite 14. Spice World is at 189B Algoma St S, Rice n Spice at 234 Cumberland St N, and Bombay One Stop at 2605 Victoria Ave E. Call or check the door before you go. Hours change.

How do I check that packaged food is halal?

Read the package, not the aisle sign. Look for a certification logo from a recognized body such as HMA (Halal Monitoring Authority), IFANCA (Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America), ISNA (Islamic Society of North America), or HFA. A store that stocks international food is not automatically a halal shop. If a restaurant says it has a halal kitchen, ask what that covers.

Where can I get a low-cost food box or emergency groceries in Thunder Bay?

Good Food Box Thunder Bay (goodfoodboxtb.org) sells a low-cost produce box. Roots Community Food Centre is at 450 Fort William Rd (rootscfc.org). The Regional Food Distribution Association (RFDA) is at 570 Syndicate Ave S and supplies emergency food programs. Lakehead students can use the LUSU Food Resource Centre. Confederation College students can ask SUCCI about the emergency food bank. For other food banks and community kitchens, call 211 or search 211ontario.ca.

Where do I look in Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, or Timmins?

Start with the large grocery chains that stock an international aisle: Real Canadian Superstore, Walmart Supercentre, Food Basics, No Frills, Metro, and FreshCo. Not every banner is in every city. Use the chain's store finder, then check the package for a halal logo. For a cultural association or a local food program, contact the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association, the Sault Community Career Centre, the Northeastern Ontario Multicultural Centre (the former North Bay & District and Timmins & District multicultural centres), or 211 Ontario.

Last reviewed: October 2026. Shop hours and what is on the shelf change. Confirm with the shop, the market, or 211 before you make a special trip.