Washington, DC, boasts the largest Ethiopian community outside of Ethiopia itself, making it a prime destination for authentic Ethiopian cuisine. From elegant dining experiences to casual carry-outs, the city offers a diverse range of options to explore the rich flavors and cultural traditions of Ethiopia. Let's dive into some of the best Ethiopian restaurants in DC.
Exploring Little Ethiopia
Little Ethiopia, located in the Shaw area on 9th Street between T and U streets, is a vibrant hub of Ethiopian businesses. This area has revitalized the streets, becoming a magnet for Ethiopian culture and cuisine. You'll find hundreds of businesses, and even a separate Ethiopian phone book is published to keep track of them all. Walking through these streets, you're immediately transported to Ethiopia, with the promise of colorful and flavorful food welcoming you.
I've never tasted Ethiopian food until my trip to Washington, DC last month. It seems Ethiopian food has been on the pulse of the culinary world for quite some time. Just witness a recent episode of Top Chef where the contestants cook Ethiopian food for chef Marcus Sameulsson.
Ethiopian food uses a spongy pancake-looking bread made from fermented teff flour called injera as its main utensil. You rip a piece of it and scoop up a mouthful of food. Many cultures eat food in this way. So it's not as unusual as you would think.
How To Eat Ethiopian Food Properly | Cuisine Code | NowThis
Zenebech Injera
Zenebech Injera is a restaurant and injera supplier. Zenebech, the woman who owns and runs the restaurant, makes injera for most of DC's Ethiopian restaurants. She also cooks the authentic Ethiopian food. After watching Zenebech make injera on crepe-like griddles, we sat down to a large feast of Ethiopian specialties.
Read also: Ethiopian Cuisine: Philadelphia Guide
Our first platter of food included vegetarian dishes of split pea and bean stews, potatoes, collards, beet and tomato salads, and the cottage-like cheese called lab. After that we tried both cooked and raw version of kitfo, which is minced beef flavored with spices. The raw version tasted much like steak tartare but spicier. Finally we had doro wot, the national dish of Ethiopia. It's a very flavorful stew of chicken and hard-boiled eggs and it uses the traditional spice mix berbere. Some of us also tried the honey wine called tej. the honey color and sweet floral taste totally reminded me of the Hungarian dessert wine Tokaj.
Habesha Market and Carry-Out
Our tour continued on to Habesha Market and Carry-Out, where we enjoyed some traditional Ethiopian breakfast foods. The market sells injera made by Zenebech as well as spice mixes, teas, beans, legumes, grains, and of course food to eat-in or take-out. We tried lamb tibs, chunks of sauteed lamb; kinche, cracked wheat; foul, broad bean stew with scrambled egg and yogurt; and tripa, a stew of tripe and tongue. I liked them all but was most pleased with the foul, pronounced fool. The beans were so creamy and flavorful that I could have eaten the whole bowl. I went back to it again and again.
The kinche reminded me of bulgur in a Middle Eastern tabbouleh, but this dish tasted a lot more like Moroccan couscous. Our bread accompaniments were both injera and ambasha, a brioche or challah-like bread shaped like a large wheel. Our tour guide Sarah said that she makes French toast out of it.
Little Ethiopia Restaurant
The tour couldn't have ended on a better note than with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony at Little Ethiopia restaurant. Located in the ground level of a town house, the restaurant is decorated just like an Ethiopian home with walls hung with paintings and crafts and traditional tables and chairs. It's as close to how an Ethiopian home would look like in Ethiopia.
As we arrived we could see and smell the roasting of the coffee beans. A hostess slowly toasted the beans in a shallow pan set over a burner, using a wire to toss the beans. The beans gradually turned darker and darker until they were ebony. Meanwhile we were treated to a customary hand-washing as one of the hostesses came by with a kettle of warm water, bowl, and towels. The proprietor, Tutu Belay, treated us to her lentil sambusas, which tasted just like Indian samosas.
Read also: Ethiopian Cuisine Denver
As we eagerly awaited our coffees, I couldn't help but wonder what it would taste like. The coffee turned out to be a dark, rich liquor and tasted no different from a good espresso except for a slight sour note. I tasted it black first and then added sugar and a spoonful of dry milk, which is the traditional way of drinking it.
Afterward we toured Tutu's gift shop above the restaurants and met her musician husband, Yehune, who performs in the restaurant on Friday nights. The Little Ethiopia area is definitely a must-see part of DC. It's a tourist attraction in itself. You walk through the streets and you are immediately transported to Ethiopia. The promise of colorful and flavorful food welcomes you in and music keeps you there longer than you would expect. I highly recommend watching a true coffee ceremony. After all coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia. Why not learn from where and how your morning "cup of Joe" originated? Any of these three restaurants offers a fine experience, but Little Ethiopia restaurant was my favorite for its authentic atmosphere.
Top Ethiopian Restaurants in DC
Here's a curated list of some of the best Ethiopian restaurants in DC, each offering a unique dining experience:
- Das Ethiopian: Known as the only fine-dining Ethiopian restaurant in the city, Das Ethiopian offers an elegant experience with soft lighting, elegant decor, and glossy table settings. The beef tibs are a standout dish.
- Heat Da Spot: If you're looking for a classic Ethiopian breakfast, Heat Da Spot is the place. Their ful, a fava bean and egg sandwich, is stuffed with flavor, and their chechebsa is crispy and spicy.
- Elfegne: Located in Adams Morgan, Elfegne is known for its dangerously addictive sambusas and savory doro tibs.
- Chercher: A cult classic on 9th and U St, Chercher is famous for its shiro, a chickpea stew, and the generous vegan deluxe special.
- Letena: Perfect for solo dining, Letena in Columbia Heights offers a great vegetarian sampler and a cozy atmosphere.
- Habesha Market and Carry-Out: This spot is ideal for taking food home, with generous portions and low prices.
- Family Ethiopian: An ideal lunch spot, Family Ethiopian offers impressive portions, especially the catfish tibs and deluxe veggie platter.
- Ethiopic: Located on H Street, Ethiopic offers a unique vibe with lanterns and Ethiopian jazz, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
- Unrated H Street Spot: This takeout joint blends soul food and Ethiopian cuisine, offering fried chicken coated in a berbere buttermilk marinade.
- Dukem: A U Street institution since 1997, Dukem is a cultural hub, especially lively on weekends.
Das Ethiopian: A Closer Look
At Das Ethiopian Restaurant, we bring the heart of Ethiopia to Georgetown with a dining experience that’s both elegant and deeply authentic. From our elegant white-table experience to the aroma of rich spices, every detail reflects our heritage.
Das Ethiopian is clean, bright, and the service was great! I mean, we even had a psychic server! Our first experience of Ethiopian cuisine certainly won't be our last after this delicious meal. We so enjoyed the sampling platters the first time we went that we tried them again; we were not disappointed.
Read also: Planning Your Ethiopia Trip
The food here is outstanding, and their beef tibs are arguably the best in the city. The only caveat here is that the portions are smaller than other Ethiopian spots in the city. If you don’t mind counting your injera then you’ll be fine.
Table: Recommended Ethiopian Dishes and Where to Find Them
| Dish | Description | Recommended Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| Doro Tibs | Spicy boneless chicken served in chili pepper sauce with a hard-boiled egg and spiced butter. | Elfegne |
| Shiro | Chickpea stew. | Chercher |
| Ful | Fava bean and egg sandwich. | Heat Da Spot |
| Beef Tibs | Sauteed beef chunks. | Das Ethiopian |
| Vegetarian Sampler | Assortment of vegetarian stews and sides. | Letena |
Exploring the Ethiopian culinary scene in Washington, DC, is a must for any food lover. With a wide array of restaurants offering everything from fine dining to quick bites, you're sure to find something to satisfy your cravings and immerse yourself in Ethiopian culture.
