Just Great!! Great service! Great food! Great coffee! So GREAT, I'll/we will be returning and definitely recommend!!!! read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Delicious Ethiopian food in a no-frills, converted house! We came in late on a Friday afternoon, and it wasn't busy at all. Easy to bring our baby, and they offer high chairs if you need one. We started with beef sambusas, which came out freshly fried and crispy with a nice amount of filling. Next came our Abugida feast with vegetables and beef. The beef and red lentils were pretty spicy! So it was nice to have the injera and other veggie dishes to help temper it. I washed it all down with Ethiopian tea, which tasted like it was made with mulling spices. This was a lot of food, so we enjoyed leftovers the next day as well! Service was attentive, and prices seemed reasonable. Recommend! read more

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Omg... the food here is so good. I actually think the food at every Ethiopian spot is amazing so do with that what you will. Also, the customer service is great. We only had a short experience with this restaurant so I can't share too much, but I promise to update the review on my second visit! read more

This is such a hidden gem in Charlotte!! The food is delicious and the service is fantastic. It feels super homey inside and you'll be treated like family! I love the vegetarian platter and every vegan item offered here. read more

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Ethiopian food in a house setting? Sign me up. I love Ethiopian food so much. My group ordered before I even got there so I wasn't too sure of all we had. I just came to eat before my flight to leave. lol Things I did know that I loved - Kitfo Dulet Doro Wet Sambusa We basically had the whole vegetarian menu with it and of course lots of injera. I'll be back when I visit again. read more

This place looks like your grandma's house and I swear we felt at home from the minute we walked in the door. We've been to Ethiopia several times and this is the most authentic we have had in the most perfect setting in Charlotte. We had the veggie combo and the beef tibs. And a meat sambusa as an appetizer. The sambusa wasn't dry or bland at all. Very flaky and flavorful. The veg and beef stew were perfect with the server refilling our injera when we scarfed ours down. We had coffee to finish and it was perfect. If you haven't had Ethiopian coffee, you haven't had REAL coffee! The cook spent so much time with us, even helping us find more spices at a little grocery down the road we needed to perfect our own recipes. We drove 2 hours to get here and will be back again asap! read more

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This place is so good! We got the yesega sambusas as an appetizer which had a delicious beef filling. We also shared the Abudiga Feast, which came with a tasty spicy beef and several veggie sides. We ended up taking home leftovers that ended up being our dinner the next day. The service was excellent and the food came out quickly. We'll definitely be back! read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Abugida Feast - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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There's something so enriching about sharing a meal with others, and Ethiopian food is one of those experiences where you share this meal with others and use your hands and really get into everything without abandon. I will preface this, the menu can be confusing at first. But don't be afraid to ask for clarification. Our waiter was patient with us and explained what we needed to know. They also have a gluten free option for those that need GF injera bread. We started off with coffee and tea. The tea taste like an autumnal Christmas. The coffee was presented in a beautiful intricate pot and we poured for ourselves, and the flavor and boldness and sweetness was a perfect pick me up. The food itself was quite delicious. We had a hodgepodge of things - with varying textures, flavors, meatiness, colors, bases... so to even write about it would not be giving those dishes the justice it deserves. Try it. The portions were more than enough and they keep refilling you with injera if you run out. Get messy with the food - it makes the experience that much worthwhile. Also - plenty of parking. So no stress about that - and was not busy at all on a Saturday afternoon! They are super accommodating. read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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What an experience! This was my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine. No utensils were provided as this is the function of injera. As previous reviews mention, this is a communal dining experience so be mindful of who you bring to share a meal with!! The server did provide us with small plates. Visited on a Tuesday shortly after they opened at 12 PM with a party of 2. Ordered Meat Lovers Combination ($45.00) which comes with 3 vegetables. We selected Gomen, Yemisir Kik Wat, and Kik Alecha. This came with a side of injera (~4). The injera is very light / not filling at all. From the Meat Lovers Combination, key doro Wet and key wot were my favorite. Out of the sides, I liked gomen the best. There is one handicap parking space in front of the restaurant, everything else is behind the building. A small section is available for outdoor seating, but the area wasn't maintained. Server was friendly. This was a nice experience - I'd recommend to others and visit again! read more

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Abugida is a standout restaurant, in my opinion. The food was absolutely delicious. To start, I had the Ethiopian cheese with gomen. The cheese had a great amount of salt and the greens were well spiced. I also had the vegetarian platter and lamb tibs. The lamb was a little tough but the flavor made up for it. My favorite dish on the vegetarian platter was Yemisir Kik Wat. I arrived early for dinner. The place was empty but as it got later during dinner time, it filled up. Looking around there were so many delicious dishes. Make sure to come with an empty stomach and be prepared to be stuffed with ingera! read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Ethiopian cheese with Gomen - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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ABSOLUTE deliciousness! Every time I come to Abugida I love it! From the authenticity you feel as soon as you walk in, to the service, to the incredible food. It's such a fantastic Ethiopian spot. This trip I tried tomato fitfit for the first time and I was truly blown away by this dish. It is a cold dish, and I'm glad I asked about that because it would've been a surprise for sure when I bit into it lol. It was sooooooo so good. Amazing flavors and textures. I will definitely order this every time I go now. My friend ordered the yesega sambusa and I really enjoyed that too. For my main dish I the Abugida feast of course. Yes, it was a lot of food for just me LOL. Yes, I had leftovers for a while hahaha. I just really enjoy having a bit of everything. It means I don't have to choose and I will definitely be full and satisfied. The Abugida feast comes with either chicken or beef and all of their vegetables. It's definitely a feast! I can't say enough good things about this restaurant and staff. I also tried the Ethiopian coffee, which was extremely delicious as well. Can't wait to go back! read more

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This was my second time eating Ethiopian food. We were in Charlotte, and decided to give this place a try. It's a small building at the side of the road that doesn't look much, but serves good food. We were one of the only people eating in, but a lot of delivery pickups were happening, so we knew it was a liked spot and we will have a good meal. We ordered the Tomato Fitfit, which was yummmmy!!! I'm going to try recreating it at home for sure! Then we also ordered the Abugida Feast with Chicken. All the veggies were yum, though I wish they had a little more spice, but that's just the Indian in me talking. Though the chicken gravy was tasty, the chicken itself didn't have much flavour, so I wish it was marinated for longer. But other than that, we had a full stomach with delicious food at the end of our day. So I'd call it a win! read more

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Such a homey delicious perfect restaurant! Went here with someone who was having Ethiopian for the first time and they absolutely loved it. As soon as walked in it felt like we were in someone's home and that is how we were being served. With kindness and love! We got the tomato fitfit and Abugida feast and were left stuffed! The Injera was tangy and light and all the lentils and veggies were super tender and tasty. The chicken felt bland but the curry was super delicious. I wish this restaurant was closer since they had such good service and were ready to answer all questions. It is definitely worth going here if you've never tried Ethiopian before! read more

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The Yemisir and Yesega Sambusa were both really good but also spicy. The lentil one more so than the ground beef. The Lamb Tibs plate is delicious - so much flavor! It comes with tender lamb sautéed with rosemary, onion & pepper with or without mild berbere sauce. The Beef Tibs is equally fantastic. Tender beef sautéed in onions, tomato, jalapeño, rosemary & Ethiopian spiced butter. My only dislike was, I asked for my Lamb Tibs "not spicy" but my mouth was burning halfway into my meal. I don't have a high heat tolerance but can handle some heat... Thinking back, I should have sent it back but I thought it was made "not spicy". read more

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What a gem! We weren't sure what to expect when we arrived as I've only eaten Ethiopian food once and my husband never has. We thoroughly scoured the menu before we went and went in with a plan. I'm sad to say I've driven by this place a million times and on Central and never realized it, but I surely won't be forgetting it anytime soon! There's a parking lot out back which is great, and when we came inside we had our choice of tables. We both started with one of the two Ethiopian beers and it was a nice, light lager. We started with the sambusas and tried one of each, it's hard to pick a favorite as they both had a crunchy inside and flavorful filling. I ordered the yedoro alecho and it was so much food! I really enjoyed the flavor and the mix of chicken and onions. We really enjoyed our experience and are excited to try more items next time! read more

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Talk about FLAVOR! I've had Ethiopian once in Florida and was craving another experience. I found this gem in Charlotte and went with my boyfriend to check it out. The coffee first things first is DIVINE. Beautiful presentation and one of the strongest coffees I've had yet but also smooth. The server was so kind she always checked in on us to refill the bread. We got the sampler and I highly recommend it if you plan to share. So much flavor and super healthy. Ten stars in my book! read more

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Great food and nice environment. I would gladly return as the wife likes the restaurant a lot.

Great attention!! I was perfect They have good service and the food was delicious The ambiance is nice read more

This was my first time having Ethiopian food, so I don't really have anything to compare it to, but I do know it was good! I got the beef tibs and my friend got a chicken dish and we split each. We both couldn't decide which we liked more. Neither of our dishes were spicy. I've heard the injera (the flatbread) can be sour, but I didn't think it was. It complimented our dishes well We were seated right away. Everyone was really nice and helped us choose our meals, making sure we didn't end up accidentally getting anything too spicy. The place isn't too big, probably 10 tables or so. There is parking out back, which is always a nice plus in Charlotte. read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Beef Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This was our first experience with Ethiopian food. Most Americans are not familiar with communal dining. We were a party of 8, and it was my husband's birthday. From beginning to end, we loved every minute of our dining experience. The food was outstanding. We tried the Yesega Sambusa (ground beef filling) for appetizers, it was crisp and crunchy and delicious. My Dad, Mom and nephew shared a Vegetarian Sampler and a Meat Lovers Combination together. My nephew also got an Aybe, fresh Ethiopian cheese. Our friend ordered Kitfo, which was one of the most amazing, melt-in-your-mouth dishes I've ever tasted. My brother and sister in law ordered Lamb Tibs and Yedoro (chicken) Tibs. My husband and I got Doro Wet, one of the most famous African dishes known from Ethiopia. We also got Doro Alecha, Beef Tibs, and a Vegetarian sampler as well. It came with Kik Alecha (lentils or yellow split pea curry), potatoes with carrots, Tekil Gomen - a cabbage dish with carrots and jalapeños, Yemisir Kik Wat (red lentils cooked with berbere), collard greens Gomen, and beans. Each of these dishes had their own unique flavors and it was really awesome food! All of these came laid out on beds of injera bread, which soaked up the flavors of the different dishes and was absolutely delicious! Plenty of extra fluffy injera was also served in baskets. We finished with Ethiopian coffee and Ethiopian tea. The tea was lightly spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, orange and cloves, it was delicious! The coffee was among one of the best coffees I've tasted, they brewed it and poured it from beautiful black coffee pots. When they brewed it, we could smell the coffee and also frankincense in the room, which was lovely. They didn't have dessert, but since it was my husband's birthday, they allowed us to bring in a small cake that was delicious with the coffee. We want to specially thank Yolita and Dawite and their friend who hosted us and introduced us to all this wonderful food!! The service was awesome, the food was incredible, and it was such a delightful dining experience! read more

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Delicious! I had never tried any Ethiopian food before, but came with four experts to Abugida. We ordered three vegetarian plates and wow wow. I'm so impressed with the quality and quantity that comes with each plate. The variety and flavors were just amazing. I will absolutely come back and actually look at the menu. But from what I could see, iI can't imagine anything bad at this restaurant! read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Great Ethiopian food in Charlotte. Very authentic and fresh taste. A lot can be done to increase the ambiance, but it gives a nice family ran business feel. 5 stars for sure! read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Enjoyed a delicious and super filling meal with a friend. Such a dreary day, it was perfect for a meat lovers platter. Every dish was packed with flavor! So yummy and so interactive. My friend and I enjoyed chatting and eye rolling from all the deliciousness. The folks working were also so helpful and patient when waiting for us to order. There was just so much to choose from, but they were super helpful with pointing us in the right direction. The meat lovers were a great dish to try, and we definitely had enough for an extra person. It was so nice to see so many families and couples enjoying a nice lunch. Definitely more of a casual spot and so worth a try! read more

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Ethiopian cuisine can't get more authentic than this! With Such a friendly and welcoming ambiance! Parking is easy since they have their own lot. If your new to Ethiopian food, they are more than happy to make suggestions and give you descriptions, for reference, it's predominantly vegetarian dishes. Everything was tasty and filling, especially for being vegetarian. We ordered the sambusa and vegetarian sampler. All eaten with you hands which I loved. Finished off with their coffee and boy, did that finish the meal! I felt light and energized! Will definitely be back to try more if this yummy cuisine! read more

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If you haven't tried Ethiopian food yet, wait no longer! Abugida is an absolute gem and must visit! This small cafe packs a punch with delicious dishes filled with so much flavor. Family owned and operated, you can feel the love in each bite. The prices are more than fair; there is plenty on the plate to share amongst family and friends. I recommend ordering a few dishes and going in family style. I honestly can't wait to return. Everyone was so kind and accommodating and more than happy to explain what to expect with your meal. Feel free to dig in and use your hands with the Injera. Or use the forks which they also provide. Come hungry and do try the coffee! read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Tomato fitfit IG | @everythingscomingupmandee - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant is an absolute delight! The food is incredibly authentic and bursting with bold flavors. My sister started with Yemisir Sambusa. My niece, who is usually very picky, ordered the Lamb Tips--tender lamb sautéed with rosemary, onion, and pepper (she chose the mild berbere sauce) and she loved every bite. I had the Doro Wat, a tender chicken leg simmered in Ethiopian herbed butter, garlic, onion, and berbere, served with a boiled egg. The side of yellow lentils was the perfect addition, and I loved the personal touch when they poured the chicken over my injera at the table. My vegan sister had the vegetable platter and couldn't have been happier with her choice. I'll definitely return whenever I'm in the mood for something to awaken my palate. Highly recommend! read more

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A great discovery. We love Ethiopian food and this hit the spot. Today we got Sabusa, the Vegetable Platter and the Lamb Tibs plate. The food is served with Engera bread. Fantastic flavors. Good portions. Great value. The service was great as well. read more

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I loved the food here. We initially were going to another place, but they were closed Sunday, so this was the alternative. So glad it was worth it. The service was great and she made sure we were well taken care of. The place was clean, but the bathroom could use some improvements. Otherwise, the food is 5 stars! read more

Absolutely love this restaurant. The food is amazing and so satisfying. They are super nice and the culture is humble. read more

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I've never had Ethiopian food before so was excited to give another cultures food a try. They did not disappoint! Was absolutely delish! And the staff was amazing, I had so many questions and they were so patient with me. I got the beef tibs with cabbage, so much flavor. Also I got the coffee with included ceremony. So so so good! Can't describe the flavor, but just know it was amazing. Yummers! Great experience all the way around. read more

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Friends and I went to Abugida for some Ethiopian food and it was so good! The tea was to die for and we really enjoyed the food. The lady serving us was wonderful. She provided extra Injero for us and kept checking on us. Love where we can support a small business, if in Charlotte area, check this place out!! read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Injero - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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If I could give more stars I would! For my first time, they made you feel so welcomed. The customer service was superb, food was AMAZING!!!!!! We were so full! I recommend everyone to try something different, you won't be disappointed! read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This is your sign to try Ethiopian food! Abugida will be one of the best places to experience Ethiopian food. The vegetable Sampler is a great way to try all kinds of different vegetarian sides. It's mainly lentils, potatoes and greens! It has Indian influence and you can taste the curry in the dishes. The beef tips are a good way to try a very traditional African meal, they were so flavorful and mixing it with greens was just the bet combination! When you go there ask for the African honey wine. I don't believe it's on the menu! It was so good. If you had Mead before, it will remind you of it. read more

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This was interesting to say the least. I have never eaten an Ethiopian meal ever in my life before. However, I will say this. If you have never eaten an Ethiopian dish and you want a great place to try, this is the place to go. We ordered the vegetarian sampler which was full of flavor and protein. If you are not aware of how to eat Africa style I think knowing that eating with your hands and without utensils (silverware) is how you'll eat here. For me it was the cultural experience that made it amazing along with great and friendly customer service. The dishes come with a pancake pita style bread called "Injera". Injera: is a sour fermented flatbread with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made of teff flour. With the break you grab every bite. We also wanted to try their Ethiopian coffee. The coffee was fresh and tasty however it's served black in a tiny cup with one sugar packages. So if you are looking for creamy coffee that's not the type of coffee they provide. I give the place a nice 4 star for the great experience and flavors associated with the cultural foods. My lentil beans were a little uncooked leaving me to give the review my great respect. Other then that it's a great place to try. read more

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant - Abugida Ethiopian cafe and restaurant menu - Ethiopian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Located along a busy road, you can park in the rear but even there, parking is limited. No reservations are required. Food is cooked as ordered. Somewhat dimly lit, I had to use the flashlight on my phone to see the menu. The young lady who was our server was prompt and polite and explained anything we had questions about. They have some alcohol options here. I ordered the Ethiopian tea and enjoyed it. If you've never had it, there is a strong cinnamon and cardamon flavor but I found it to be enjoyable. I reviewed the menu twice and unfortunately, there are no seafood or fish options being served at this time. It could be a simple menu or one that has been simplified due to the ever increasing costs of things. Instead, I ordered the lamb tibs since it was a dish I am familiar with. It wasn't as tender and flavorful as I thought it'd be. To take away from the profile of the food, it was "juicy" so the injera was a soggy mess midway through my meal. For me, when you cook things that render their own "gravy" it should compliment the dish. This was thin as though water had been added as it was cooking and diminished the spices that are normally a stand out in a dish such as this one. Something different here is you receive one vegetable with your dish. In most African/Ethiopian restaurants, you get a tablespoon of different vegetables to accompany the dish. For this dish, I had the collard/spinach mix that was just okay. Clean, enough seating for about 30 people at small tables throughout. Not a horrible dining experience but I was left wanting more from the taste of the food. I was happy with the portion and service. An overall three star review. read more

Small unassuming bright yellow converted home offering some really good food! We are adventurous and wanted to try it out and so glad we did! The place is very clean - staff is friendly and short staffed like everyone else but we didn't notice from a service point of view. We usually only do patio dining which they have but no one was dining in when we arrived so we opted to dine in to ask sufficient questions. We tried and liked the tomato salad ( I called it the Ethiopian version of salsa) with their traditional injera bread - that stuff is delicious you could put it on an old shoe and it would make it taste good. We also ordered the sambusa app filled with a lentil mixture which we loved as well. We ordered the Abugida platter with the beef stew and loved it all - the stew had a lil kick but not offensive with injera and vegetarian dishes - a chick pea stew; green beans; collards; potatoes snd cabbage with carrots. It was all delicious! Lil tip they don't serve tap water only bottled. read more

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Amazing food! Fresh, high quality and uniquely Ethiopian. The service was great, the hospitality warm. Our second time there and it's become our go to place for Ethiopian food. Delicious! read more

Delicious food. I haven't had too much Ethiopian, but it certainly reminds me of food back home in India. Had the Door Wet, which was a like a juicy chicken curry. Totally would come back for more. read more

Always a pleasure to order from this establishment. I always order takeout but one day I will eat inside. The ambiance is warm and cozy. The restaurant is small and quaint. As far as the food goes, I can only speak on the Vegetarian feast because it's all I ever order. The flavor is always top notch, and I couldn't ask for more. I have tried Ethiopian food at other restaurants all over the country, but when it comes down to the quality of the meal, Abugida is by far my favorite. Try this spot, you will not be disappointed! read more

Ethiopian food is so good. It's even better when you can order for 8-10 people. We're visiting Charlotte this week and this place popped up as Yelp's favorite in town. Easy to see why. Even though we were just doing takeout I was impressed with the service. Friendly, warm, and inviting. We got a couple samplers and supplemented them with an extra order of shiro and doro wot. The result was great - so many delicious things to chose from. While normally I'm all about the doro wot, this time the veggie dishes appealed to me most. And the beef or lamb tibs that came with the midrange sampler. If I lived in Charlotte I would definitely try all of the Ethiopian options in town, but I could easily see this place being my favorite. read more