Denver is a great city to enjoy some authentic Ethiopian cuisine. It is estimated that the Mile High is home to approximately 30,000 people hailing from the African nation. One of the most recognizable exported cuisines from the Motherland comes from the eastern side of the continent. Over the years the numbers of East Africans have risen and as they carve out a new life in Dallas we can thank the heavenly stars they brought their food with them.
Among Denver's many culinary offerings, Ethiopian cuisine stands out as a unique and flavorful experience. Several restaurants across the city offer a taste of Ethiopia, each with its own distinct character and specialties. Let's explore the history and offerings of one such standout establishment: Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant.
In the nearly three decades that it’s been in business, not much has changed at Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant. Although Colfax has grown around it, the tiny strip-mall restaurant still boasts some of the city’s best African food. Queen of Sheba was the first to introduce me to the enchanting rich flavors of Ethiopian food.
Queen Sheba Ethiopian Cuisine | Restaurants in Sacramento
A Culinary Journey to Queen of Sheba
Several miles East of Colorado Boulevard, beneath a decaying and nearly unreadable sign lies one of Colfax’s tastiest locales, Queen of Sheba. Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant is a cozy, chef-run eatery located in a strip mall that has been serving authentic Ethiopian cuisine for nearly three decades. Despite the growth and changes around it, this restaurant remains a standout for its homestyle cooking and warm hospitality provided by the proprietor, Zodi Aboye.
Aboye came to this country in the late ’70s after leaving Ethiopia to travel the world, learning to cook along the way. She opened her own place in 1993, in a dilapidated building on Colfax that also houses a hair salon and beauty-supply store, filling the space with tapestries, wooden carvings, beads hanging from the doorways and maps of her home country, putting paper towels rather than napkins on the mismatched tables. She didn’t have any restaurant background, but that didn’t faze her. As her daughter puts it, “Some people just have a gift for cooking, you know?”
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The space is petite, the decorations sparse and tasteful. The intimate space is adorned with folk art and a map of Africa, creating an inviting atmosphere. Hung on one wall is a map of Africa with a star marked over Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia - the city from which the owner emigrated years ago.
Today, accolades - both printed press clippings and handwritten notes from diners - adorn the entrance to the kitchen. Aboye’s two children, now grown, run the front of the house, while she tends to the bubbling pots partially visible through an open doorway in the dining room. Although that room looks well used, it also seems well loved. Groups of diners, mostly twenty- and thirty-somethings, chat as they sip light Harar Ethiopian beers and share platters of food.
Good conversation partners are key, because the atmosphere at Queen of Sheba is very conducive to a lingering dinner. In fact, no other kind of dinner is possible here. Every dish is made to order, and even when you’re the only person in the restaurant, it can take 45 minutes to get your meal (which is also how long you’ll have to wait if you decide to carry out).
The Authentic Ethiopian Dining Experience
The apparent differences as to how the meal is consumed can be daunting for the uninitiated. The process is simple, satisfying and delicious. The restaurants all share a fair amount of traditional menu items, each offering platters that allow guests to sample a variety of dishes at once. Berbere, turmeric and a wide array of other spices contribute to making the meal a filling and flavorful feast for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.
When eaten in the traditional fashion, a meal is consumed not with silverware, but with the delicious foundation of the food at large, injera bread. Inejra (a spongy sour fermented crepe-like flatbread) is the staple of each meal.
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Injera is spongy sourdough-like flatbread that lines the bottom of the plate on which the meal is presented, with more rolled up and served on the side. Diners tear off pieces to scoop up the various meat and vegetable stews served side by side in one massive and enticing spread. Your entrée of choice is spread out in a decadent fashion across the injera with extra rolls of injera on the side to be the vehicle you use to eat with. No utensils are needed.
Menu Highlights and Popular Dishes
The usual suspects are all present - lentils, cabbage, potatoes, collard greens, chicken, beef and lamb served mild to spicy.
- The meat combo for two ($26.99) is a filling combination of seasoned chicken, key yesiga wot (a medium hot stewed beef dish), keye tibbs (beef shish kabob with jalapeños, onions, tomato and berbere), yatakelt wot (a stew of cabbage, potatoes and carrots) and miser wot (spicy red lentils).
- I almost always order the kitfo (minced raw beef with various spices) as an appetizer.
- Other personal favorites are the doro wot (slow-cooked chicken with butter sauce and berbere) and the Tibse (round beef with red onions, jalapeno, garlic in a spicy butter sauce).
Why Queen of Sheba Stands Out
What sets it apart from other Ethiopian eateries - and there are a lot within a stone’s throw - is the homestyle cooking of proprietress Zodi Aboye, who acts as host, server and chef. The smell of rich, warm spices fills its cozy quarters, which are decorated with folk art and photos from the horn of Africa. Dishes are eaten by hand, using only the tangy unleavened injera as a vessel. Platters of flavorful stewed meats and vegetables offer a sampling of options, and the comfort foods, like lamb and lentils, are savored best with a cup of seasoned tea or honey wine.
Ethiopian is famously spicy, so if you can’t take the heat be sure to let them know.
The restaurant is a sole proprietorship in which the owner does everything: cooking, waiting tables, etc. As a result, service is not at lightning speed. But who wants that? I'll take excellent food over fast food any day of the week.
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Truly a gem. Food was out of this world fantastic. Chicken falls off the bone. Lamb is tender as could be. The lentils and Yatakelt Wott stand out on their own. Split the Queens Dinner for two with a friend and it was more than enough food for each. The amount of flavor in each bite is well worth dining here. The true star of the show is Ms Zebwe.
Tips for Visiting Queen of Sheba
Here are a few tips to enhance your dining experience at Queen of Sheba:
- Call ahead for reservations as it's a smaller restaurant; if unable to reach them by phone due to technical issues mentioned in reviews, consider walking in
- Try their sampler platter for a taste of various dishes including injera bread
- Pair your meal with an Ethiopian Cappuccino for a complete experience
Reviews and Customer Experiences
Queen of Sheba Restaurant is a charming and intimate Ethiopian eatery where the flavors are exceptional, the service is welcoming, and the owner's dedication to her craft shines through. Reviewers rave about dishes like tibs, doro wat, meat and veggie sambusas, lentils, cabbage, collard greens, and more. The one-woman show creates a cozy atmosphere akin to dining in someone's home. While some mention slower service due to the owner handling all aspects of the restaurant herself, they emphasize that the outstanding food makes it worth any wait.
The restaurant is small and charming, making for a nice intimate setting for a date night or a night out with friends.
