Local Restaurant World Tour: Ethiopian Cuisine
Over three decades, Ethiopian restaurants have become a fixture of the Washington food scene-- serving up rich stews, spicy meats, and a broad range of vegetarian and vegan dishes. Our "Local Restaurant World Tour" continues as we travel from D.C.'s (unofficial) "Little Ethiopia" to the suburbs of Maryland and Virginia in search of the best doro wat and kitfo.
Guests
Owner, Etete Restaurant (Washington, DC)
Owner, Shagga Coffee and Restaurant (Hyattsville, MD)
Food and Wine Editor and Restaurant Critic, Washingtonian Magazine
Professor of Political Science, Morgan State; author "Ethiopia and the United States: History, Diplomacy, and Analysis" (Algora Publishing)
Owner, Dama Restaurant and Pastry (Arlington, VA)
Related Links
View Local Restaurant Worldtour in a larger map
Recommended Restaurants:
Etete
1942 9th St NW Washington, DC 20001
(202) 232-7600
Shagga Coffee
6040 Baltimore Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20781-1506
(240) 296-3030
Madjet Ethiopian Restaurant
1102 U St NW Washington, DC 20009
(202) 265-4779
Dama Pastry and Restaurant
1503 Columbia Pike
Arlington, VA 22204
(703) 920-3559
Axum Ethiopian Restaurant
1934 9th St NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 387-0765
Chez Hareg
1915 9th St NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 332-6000
Sidamo Coffee & Tea
417 H St NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 548-0081
Dukem Restaurant
1114 U Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20009-4441
(202) 667-8735
Addis Ababa Restaurant
8233 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910-4503
(301) 589-1400
Meaza Restaurant
5700 Columbia Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
(703) 820-2870
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
My favorite Ethiopian restaurants have either closed, moved, or burned down. Still, I like Etete at 9th and U and Meskerem in Adams Morgan. Also, I've heard good things about Madjet (U St.), but haven't been there myself...
We had been coming down to Adams Morgan for decades to enjoy the Ethiopian Restaurants that are there but we have been fortunate lately to have had a new place, closer to where we live, called the Addis Cafe (405 North Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg) which opened in the past couple of years. They have excellent food and we can now enjoy it much more often.
The first time I ate Ethiopian food was in 1984 as a brand new grad student who moved to DC from upstate NY (way upstate in dairy country on the Canadian border). I fell in love with it immediately. I moved away from DC several years ago but every time I take my 16yo daughter to DC, which is several times a year, we go to Meskerem. We've tried the new restaurant in Frederic but prefer our fave in Adams Morgan. My daughter's favorite dish is the spiced raw beef. I figure raw beef is safe there because the restaurant has been around so long. Could your guests recommend other restaurants where we can trust the raw meat dishes?
Zed's in Georgetown is the best, and they are the only that I have encountered that has a spicy flax seed dish.
I just wanted to mention about Addis Cafe which is located in Gaithersburg,MD -405 N Frederic RD , where I am a regular customer because of the the tasty 'Doro Wat'!
As someone born and raised in Ethiopia I have to say that Etete is an amazing Restaurant! I always love and enjoy the food there and I always takes folks looking to try Ethiopian food for the first time there. I've never been disappointed! Down to their Tea-it reminds me of back home. I also love Selam on U ST, between 15th ST and 16th ST NW. Hailie Kucchi who is the Chef there also cooks the way that Etete does, he cooks like he's cooking for his family, you get a good helping, and it's a local spot, a little bit of a hidden gem!
Harar Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant on South 23rd Street in Crystal City, Arlington serves the best food in Virgina you could find. if you are in the area you should try their kitfo and Doro wot.
I want to emphatically agree with Todd Kliman's assertion that Ethiopian cuisine is an essential, characteristic, star feature of DC regional food.
I have lived in a variety of cities across the US, from Boston to Minneapolis to Austin, and have cycles of repeated visits to a variety of others, from California to Alabama and elsewhere. When out-of-town colleagues or visitors ask me where to dine to get a characteristic DC meal that is delicious and something they can't get at home, I always point them toward Ethiopian.
When I was first discovering local Ethiopian food, I used the taxi driver technique Kojo mentioned. I had been to a number of places in the U street area, and wondered which of the restaurants closer to me in NoVa might be best. Whenever I took a taxi and lucked out with a driver whose name looked Ethiopian/Amharic, I asked. I got multiple recommendations for Skyline Cafe. Indeed, it is very good, and there is a market around back of the building that often has the all teff injera that is getting harder to find.
Thanks for this show! I'm really enjoying adding to my understanding and appreciation (a silver lining to being stuck sick at home today).
Great show today, as always. I was really surprised to hear an old friend’s voice while listening to the show. I have the pleasure of having worked with Yared Tesfaye years ago when he was indulging a curiosity with a career in technology. I’m so glad to hear that he followed his heart and opened Etete. My wife and I have been in search of a good Ethiopian restaurant for some time and now we know exactly where to go. I had my first taste of Doro Watt when I was in college working nights, a coworker from Addis Ababa used to bring an extra helping in to feed his starving friend. That was the real thing cooked by his wife in the traditional style and I’ve been looking for more of the same for years.
As an aside I can also vouch for Bombay Bistro in Fairfax Virginia when you have an appetite for Indian food. I took my wife there on our first date, that was over 12 years ago and we are still regulars there. Good food and good service keep us coming back and now our oldest son requests Chicken Tikka Makhani at least once a month.
Viva Le Appetite!
Robert Nicholson
Fairfax Virginia
1st off, I like your show a lot and it is always informative. I enjoy tec - Tuesday too.
2nd, I love Ethiopian food and Fasika and Etete was my frequent choice. However, I would like to share my newly discovered and favorite Ethiopian restaurant called SORETTI'S. I found them about 7 months ago and I have been there at least a dozen times. I absolutely love their sambusa and chicken tibs. I live in Columbia and I used to get discouraged going all the way to DC or Silver spring, but now a short 15 minutes and I am there. You will be doing a great service to your customers by adding it to your list.
Please double check but I think they are located at:
15510 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville MD, 20866
240-390-0044,
soretti.com
Thanks again, keep up the good work.
Iinjibu
Hooray, Kojo! Thanks for shining a light on the amazing Ethiopian food in DC. PS - I think that taxi drivers hold the keys to a city's culinary kingdom. It's great to hear that you take advantage of their expertise when you travel.
I would like to add to the list of great Ethiopian restaurants on 9th and U Street the "Little Ethiopia Retaurant ." It is located at 1924 9th St. in the basement of the Ethiopian Yellow Pages building and is run by the same owners Tutu and Yehune Belay. Outfitted with the most wonderful Ethiopian decor, featuring traditional "Gojo" style eating areas and culturally inspired wall ornaments it captures the true essence of Ethiopia. I especially like the way the servers come to your "Mesob" (table)and wash your hands before the meal. I also like the selection of imported Ethiopian beers. If you really want the traditional look, sound and smell of an Ethiopian restaurant this is the place.
You should try ENAT (KITFO) Restaurant....My favorite Kitfo (raw meat) spiced and Gomen be siga....place is very clean and spacious....4709 North Chambliss Street, Alexandria, VA - (Linconlnia shopping plaza)......
I am not sure what to think about this type of food. It does not sound good at all. I am not sure what to think about this at all. RDU Airport Taxi
Up until now I ate Ethiopian food only once and I enjoyed it very much. I run a restaurant supply store and recently been asked by a customer to get him some ingredients for Ethiopian food. I can't wait to taste the Ethiopian cuisine. Too bad that there is no restaurant here that is specialized in this cuisine and I have to taste it 2nd hand.