When you're craving Ethiopian food, metro Phoenix has options. Personally, I find Ethiopian food super comforting, so I tend to gravitate toward these neighborhood spots whenever a cozy meal feels necessary.
To enjoy the experience, you may need to adjust some of your expectations. Dining at these restaurants (except Cafe Lalibela), does not follow the American rush. This is the opposite of fast food, as both the meals and the service tend to be leisurely. To me, that pace is part of the charm. But, if you really can't wait, I suggest calling in advance so the food is ready when you arrive.
And don't expect to get silverware (again, except at Lalibela). You can ask for it or improvise with the sauce spoon, but the traditional vehicle for scooping stews is injera, a spongy pancake-like flatbread — made either with teff flour or a combination of teff, barley and wheat flours — that you use to pick up each bite.
Ethiopian cuisine isn't just food, it's a full sensory experience. And while there are at least 10 options to choose from across the Valley (lucky us!), there are restaurants that I'm especially enjoying right now.
Authentic EthioAfrican Kitchen, Bar & Cafe
Open since 2012, this family-owned spot features wood-paneled walls with animal skin paintings, mesobs (injera baskets) and coiled straw discs on the ceiling. Afrobeats play in the background.
Start with sambusas. These perfectly shaped golden triangles, made from phyllo dough and filled with lentils or beef, shatter under the teeth, yielding an earthy, rich filling. As for mains, the easiest way to try multiple items is to order a sampler. Make sure it includes sega wot alecha. It's a stew of tender beef and potatoes with garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric. That turmeric lifts and grounds the bite. Another standout is their duba wot, butternut squash simmered in garlic, ginger, onions and spicy berbere sauce. The butternut squash brings just the right sweetness to the dish. The food has a bite, but I didn't find the spice excessive. Gluten-free injera is available.
They also offer an Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
Details: 1740 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix. 602-252-2286. And 6989 Hayden Road, Suite A12, Scottsdale. 480-292-8919, authenticethioafrican.com.
Cafe Lalibela (Closed Sept. 29)
Update: Sadly, Cafe Lalibela closed permanently the day this article published on Sept. 29.
Open since 1996, Cafe Lalibela serves traditional Ethiopian dishes made using owner Anibal Abayneh’s mother’s recipes. Dishes here shows her understanding of spices and flavors.
For the best experience, order a platter and sample a combination of dishes served atop spongy injera bread. Misir Wat, a red lentil stew, and fosolia, made with lightly spiced green beans cooked with carrots, onions and tomatoes, are total standouts, as is the pan-fried beef whose heady rosemary aroma and flavor will call out to your injera over and over. The platter is accompanied by a basket of injera per person. The restaurant serves gluten-free injera made strictly from teff, which imparts a stronger sour note.
Lalibela has an Ethiopian coffee service and a market where diners can purchase spices. Some of Cafe Lalibela's dishes are available at Whole Foods markets.
Details: 849 W. University Dr., Tempe. 480-829-1939, cafelalibela.com.
Kare Ethiopian Restaurant
This family-owned restaurant opened in 2023 to bring a taste of Addis Ababa to Phoenix, according to the website. Kare offers breakfast, stews and sampler plates along with coffee and tea. A few times a year, Kare features a buffet.
I liked the meat sambusa, which came with a green pepper sauce. One of my favorite dishes here is kwanta (also spelled quanta or kuanta) firfir, which is a beef jerky stew tossed with injera and berbere spice. It's a tangy and mildly spicy dish where soft pieces of injera and peppers are punctuated by the chewy beef and a hard-boiled egg. It's a simple, yet warming meal.
Another great option is beef tibs, sautéed cubed beef with peppers, onions, and aromatic spices, including rosemary.
Kare also offers an Ethiopian coffee service.
Details: 4729 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix. 602-786-7041, kareethiopianrestaurant.com.
What's your favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the Valley? Tell me about it. Reach the restaurant critic at BAnooshahr@azcentral.com. Follow @baharcreative on Instagram.
Looking for the best restaurants? Sign up for Dining with azcentral.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dining critic-recommended Ethiopian restaurants in metro Phoenix
