Ethiopian Restaurants near Berkeley, CA

“We have lived so close to Desta for years but keep missing their open hours. Finally made it today and we’re sad not to have eaten here sooner! Definitely the best food from the Horn of Africa that we’ve had in the Bay Area. Flavorful, light but filling, and delicious! Two warm, welcoming women run the restaurant and do everything from filling water glasses to cooking to bussing tables - we were impressed by their coordination.

Vegetarian options: Gluten free“

“As a new comer to east bay, I have been exploring Ethiopian restaurants and Addis is by far the best. Good vibe, good food (the best shiro), awesome service. My only suggestion is that they need to come up ways to pack the stews, soecially shiro, in small container by itself when it is ordered for to go.“

“Vegetarian 🌱, vegan and gluten free“

“Meski, the prior owner, passed away unexpectedly in March 2019. The restaurant is now being successfully run by her adult son. They have expanded the outdoor dining area and it is really cute. Yesterday, they were celebrating an Ethiopian baptism. All the women looked so good in their Habesha dresses. Stop by to eat and support the restaurant!“

“Excellent food and fantastic service“

“This place is really good. Great quality of food. Very good flavor. Good atmosphere. I love it! On top of that, everyone is always very friendly. Highly recommend!“

“😀First visit here after years of walking past it. The veggie combo and meat combo platters were among the best I've had at Berkeley and Oakland's many great Ethiopian restaurants. Service was very fast and friendly and outdoor back-patio was peaceful. I will be back soon and often.“

“Loved every bite of the food and appreciated all that Injera.“

“I highly recommend this place for several reasons. First, it maintains an impressive level of cleanliness, which makes for a pleasant dining experience. The food is not only delicious but also expertly prepared, offering a variety of flavors that cater to different tastes. Additionally, the service is attentive and friendly, ensuring that every visit feels welcoming and enjoyable. Whether you're looking for a quick meal or a leisurely dining experience, this place consistently exceeds expectations.“

“Absolutely delicious, colorful, healthy food! We ordered takeout for dinner tonight and had the chicken and mushrooms, Mela platter, beef tibs and sambusa. The portions were generous and everything was fresh and seasoning was off the chain!!! Try the brownies for dessert - you will not be disappointed!! When in Oakland, order from Mela Bistro 😋❤️😃“

“We've been eating at and ordering delivery from Tadu consistently for years; I can't believe I haven't left a review in all this time! Tadu is unquestionably my favorite Ethiopian restaurant, and just one of my top spots in all of SF. It's consistently amazing, and the staff is super nice. Especially love the kitfo (well done, as I'm not into raw meat) with kik alicha wot and an order of crispy meat sambusa. Lamb tibs are also great if you like juicy, flavorful lamb. If you're not into spicy food, do pay attention to what you're ordering because their spice levels can be too much for anyone who thinks mustard is spicy. Overall I highly recommend Tadu if you're looking for delicious food packed with a ton of fabulous flavor and seriously good spice.“

“The food is DELICIOUS! I highly recommend this place.“

“Absolutely the best Ethiopian food in the area. The ladies who take and prepare the orders are very polite and helpful. They sell the vegetarian half and full orders as well as coffee and some sweets. Authentic and delicious.“

“Very good. I like it much better than Colucci, across the street, which in my experience is uniformly greasy and brown. The veggie combo is excellent - haven't tried any of the meat options. Friendly staff and comfortable seating, and there's even a back patio. Several varieties of honey wine including Orit, which is delicious, much more complex in flavor than the standard Enat Tej served almost everywhere else.“

“We've been going here for awhile, just ate here tonight and the food is consistently good. We usually get the banatu, special kitfo and doro tibs (not that spicy so my youngest kid likes it). Just wish they had an extra sink to wash your hands. We appreciate the good service & food and look forward to coming back again.

Kid-friendliness: Can be too spicy, doro tibs is not bad

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes, big doors and ground level.“

“This Ethiopian Restaurant has been our family fave across 4 generations💚 Over the years: my grandma, my father, me, and my son…we dine and we bring friends! Highly recommend the restaurant and check out their partner Brundo Spice Company—spices and retail items available at the restaurant as well. The marvelous new location on San Pablo Ave. is vibrant, spacious, and inviting✨ Try the Vegetarian Sampler with extra Injera, followed by a Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Latte and dreamy Tiramisu. Sheer divinity!💗“

“I love coming here. It's clean and the ladies are nice each time I see one of them. I like to buy my kolo and injera here it is fresher than other places. We are lucky there are many other markets between Oakland and Berkeley so to each their own. We need African businesses to stay open and thrive. Thus place is amazing and honestly so are most of the Ethiopians businesses and restaurants“

“My favorite is the Kitfo. There is a particular spiced butter that Lula outsources from Ethiopia, that makes all the difference.
For the non meat options the veggie combo is a delicious blend of lentils, cabbage and collard greens set on the enjera ( the traditional bread). The vegetable, legume and seed based plate blends well together, while accentuating their individual flavors.
The customer service is warm. I highly recommend this little restaurant for a taste of Ethiopian Cuisine. They also serve alcohol if you fancy a drink.

Vegetarian options: Veggie combo, lentil stews, mashroom stew, chickpeas stews.“

“I am sipping on Ethiopian spiced chai and munching on a croissant with turkey, egg, cheddar and avacado. This moment is perfect. Perfect taste and temperature. Thank you Jebena Cafe. You just earned a regular. May all black owned business thrive and when that happens, we will truly have earned a celebration of America's independence from its own past.“

“Flavor ✅
If u in the mood for a tasty meal and don't mind eating w ur hands,do stop by. If u looking for fringe, glamour, cute, or great customer service (this ain't it).
But I like the food, I order, I eat and I leave.“

“Fast service. Order by QR code and phone. Yummy food!“

“Eskender and his team bring a full menu of flavors from his native Ethiopia to 3rd St. in Bayview. During COVID, you can get his outstanding dishes on Tuesdays only from 12-3pm. Order online and pick-up by 3. The “family pack” pictured features 5 entrees, soup, salad as well as a bonus dessert and sauce for $50 (no substitutions). The food travels and reheats well so it literally can feed you for a week.“

“Great food and great music .... all you need .... great friends to join you.“

“Came in for brunch and had the foul here...was BOMB!! As an Eritrean who did not normally care for foul I have had my mind changed completely after eating here. Go support this local family business. Good vibes good food and good people 👌🏾😋“

“My favorite place in Oakland to watch any games, with delicious pizza and sip druft!“

“I live nearby and go here frequently. The breakfast sandwich is divine! I get it every time but friends have ordered other things and theirs always looks good too. Their coffee is great too! Staff are friendly. Outdoor seating area is nice.“

“Really good food and quick service everyone was very friendly in a beautiful neighborhood 🤗❤️wil come back with my cousin when I come back to California 🤗❤️🕶🤗👏🏼“

“The food here is so amazing you need to try it ASAP. After we ordered we were sitting outside waiting for our food and I commented to my partner that it smelled so good I wished my phone had a way to share the smell with other people (yes, I was high) and at that exact moment a guy in an electric wheelchair rolled by on MLK and said, "Damn! That smells good!“

“Put it in two words. Dam good. Had a lot other Ethiopian food, but this one tops them all in Bay Area. Plus the prize is much understandable.“

“This is the best Eritrean or habesha food In the Bay Area hands down I come here all the time even the waiters are so lovely thanks to Luwam for her excellent customer service I highly recommend everyone to visit thank you guys for making me feel like home“