I had an amazing meal of beef stew with beets, collard greens and red lentils. Afterwards, I had just enough room for a chocolate chip cookie. LOL I ate in and had a very pleasant conversation with the owner. I didn't get her name, but she blessed me with the compliment of thinking I was Ethiopian. Needless to say, I will be back in the future and bring friends. :) read more

Good service, but just not my type of food. Injera is too sour to me, veggie combo was good, like Indian food, but the sides (beets and cabbage) were soooo good! read more

Such a cute and compact spot for lunch or a casual dinner. Almaz is an "Ethiopian cafe" and I cannot describe it better myself. You can come here to get a cup of Ethiopian coffee or tea to go, or a smoothie and a pastry, or sit down at a table and eat a hearty meal of assorted wat and injera. They serve breakfast all day (looks like a standard American cafe menu) and have a sandwich menu of deli wraps and such, so you can take your non ethnic-food loving friends here and they should be okay. The decor is beautiful, bright, and airy. There's a small upstairs seating area with bar seats that look out onto the ground floor. I had the firfir cubed beef wat, which was really delicious and at $13.50 a pretty good value. Served with lots of injera, so I didn't even have to ask for extra like I usually do. My girlfriend got the vegetarian shiro, which came as a thick chickpea-based paste. It was good, not amazing, so of the vegetarian dishes, I don't particularly recommend that one. If you're craving Ethiopian and are in Center City, I imagine you'd be hard-pressed to do better. read more

This was my first experience with Ethiopian food, and it was a delicious introduction! Also, the service was SO friendly. :) read more

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My favorite coffee spot in Rittenhouse Square. They always serve fresh brewed Yirgacheffe here, and accept no substitutes. The space upstairs on the second floor is nice and cozy unless on their crowded days, and their assorted sweet pastries were delectable even for notorious sweet haters like me. Support your local businesses, especially if they're awesome and serve amazing Ethiopian coffee and cafe food like Almaz... instead of going to Starbucks down the street in B&N. read more

This is a nice downtown version of Ethiopian. Not the same amount of character in the surroundings as Dahlak and you can't have brew like you can at Abyssinia but if I ever have the hankering for some Ethiopian but don't want to hop on a trolley, I know where to go. The food was really quite good with the vegetable platter being of higher quality than the aforementioned places. We also had lamb which was super greasy but very good as well. My only qualm comes with the lack of choices in the menu. I understand that this place is small as is their staff but I think it could benefit from a meat platter just like a veggie platter as in this case, you can have too much of a good thing. read more

FINALLY made it to this place. The Ethiopian food I've had in Philly has all been out in University City so this was a change of pace. Got to admit I don't LOVE ethiopian cuisine...its good but not one of my absolute favorites, so bear that in mind with my review. The place is very small and very cute. There is an upstairs that has table service, as well as some outside tables. The service is really friendly and the menu is mixed, American sandwiches and breakfasts and Ethiopian lunch and dinner food. There are also some super awesome smoothies that I personally very much enjoy. For lunch, I tied the Ethiopian vegetarian sample platter. The servings were for sure robust and very good. I would have liked a little more spice somewhere but that is a preference thing. Definitely would go back when I get a craving for Ethiopian or smoothies--especially since the location is so very nice! read more

How have I never reviewed this place? I'm through here just about twice a week. Almaz is a tiny two-story cafe/restaurant sandwiched between an insurance storefront and a barber's shop. It's run by a wonderful couple and is the sort of quintessential mom/pop place that makes living in a city less alienating. For the most part, I use Almaz as a place to pop in for coffee when I'm on my way somewhere or coming home after a day's work. Hot or cold, their fresh-brewed Ethiopian coffee is absolutely THE best cup of real coffee in Philly. It punts the vaunted La Colombe way, way out of the water and is better than the equally-lauded Blue Bottle coffee served at Pure Fare. Do not put sugar in it. Do not put cream in it. Just drink it and enjoy. (Well, alright, do to it what you must, but at least give it a sip straight up first.) As for food, they have home-made Ethiopian meals (various meats and veggies served on injera) and an American breakfast menu. Breakfast is alright, but the traditional fare is where this place shines--I wish they'd just do away with the eggs and toast and stick to all Ethio all the time! Oh, and there's free wifi. :) read more

Not only is the Ethiopian as tasty as any Ethiopian food, but they literally have the best espresso and coffee drinks in the city as well as a whole menu of made to order cafe-style smoothies, salads, sandwiches and breakfasts. Almaz and Solomon, the owners, tend to split there time between their two restaurants and occasionally have family members in to help, which is amazing by itself since the hours are 10am to 8or 10 six days a week. I always try to find an excuse to stop by anytime I am in the Rittenhouse Square area. read more

I was just here on 3/19/2011 with a large group. We called ahead of time and the owners were very nice and accommodating. They gave us the whole upstairs for a surprise party. And were friendly squeezing past us to bring food and take orders. And he kept checking on us to make sure we had everything we need. I do suggest sharing food since you get a lot. The food is good and they have a lot of variety. I would have probably liked my beef cooked a little longer, but everything is tender. They give you lots of Enjera (bread) to eat it with. It's BYOB so your party can bring their own wine and they will give you glasses. The dessert is great!! I wasn't sure if I wanted a cake (chocolate cake) for the surprise party so I didn't order one, but he made one anyway - and good thing because we decided to get it. It was very tasty. It's a block north on 20th street from 20th and Walnut. Parking is available on the street; and if you go before the club hoppers come out you can probably get a nice spot. read more

4 stars for food, 5 stars for service. I loved my experience! The Injera was ridiculously good...almost fruity and tart but still rich and warm. I was offered additional injera when the owner saw that I was running low. Super plus service! She was extremely nice and we were able to share a few laughs. The food was excellent. All the vegetable dishes were fresh and flavorful and everything was spiced very well. I just wish that my meat had been more tender instead of so chewy and tough, but I'm not complaining. I will definitely be back at this gem! I can't believe I was thinking about going all the way to West Philly for Ethiopian! read more

Almaz is one of my favorite places to go when the weather gets cold because their food is just so comforting. I always get the vegetarian combo and the spices in their have this incredible warming effect. The Injera bread is unique and tasty, especially if you like tangy breads, and I wished they sold rolls of it to go. With it's little holes, it acts like a sponge that soaks up all the wonderful sauces and it's sourness helps cut some of the richness of the dishes there. It's great place to go to if you're slacking on your veggies. Just don't wear any wool sweaters there because as tasty as the spices are, you just don't want to be wearing them after you leave the restaurant. And as most the yelpers have already commented, the staff is wonderful and accomodating. The ambience could be improved, but I think it's juggling three roles as a cafe/ sandwich shop/ and Ethiopian restaurant to appeal to all sorts of people who come by there. I almost wish they would just serve Ethiopian food so that they could offer a larger selection of traditional Ethiopian dishes! read more

It's good, but not my favorite style of ethiopian food. Almaz uses more herbs, especially thyme, in their curries. The injera was a little more flour-y than many others (they mix teff and whole wheat) Very nice lady running the place, great service. read more

I went here a week ago and will definitely be going back. I have been to a couple of Ethiopian restaurants in the past and always jump at the opportunity. As have been said in other reviews, it is a coffee shop/ restaurant. I would have to say the latte I got was just alright and not spectacular. But the food was great. I got some spicy beef stew, which was comparable to my past experiences. The chef/owner was also quite a lovely and lively person to chat with. The only thing I would change: since I got my meal to go, the injera (bread) was quite soggy by the time I ate the meal. So next time I'd recommend packing the injera separate from the soup/stew. read more

Great veggie combo! Went here over the weekend in the middle of th afternoon, we were the only customers. Not the greatest service as the manager seemed to be busy cleaning and prepping for the dinner hour. Perfect service size, very filling! read more

Don't let the atmosphere, or lack of, deter you. The service of the owner/chef is welcoming and friendly and the food is well done and tasty! read more

Almaz Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Giving this a two stars because the lady was super nice but the meat was VERY chewy. We tried, the beef and the lamb and I would not order that again. However, the side of lentils were good. I would go back and try the vegetarian dish. The spongy flatbread was very sour so the meal turned out to be unenjoyable and pricey. read more

I've been meaning to check out this small cafe for the last 2.5 years - i always walked by it but never had a reason to go in. I'm glad I finally did check it out! They have fantastic coffee, probably the best I've had in Philly. I did have a veggie wrap which was pretty good. The only problem with it was that it totally fell apart while I was eating it. But, hey, it tasted great. read more

I am a huge fan of Almaz Cafe. Great Ethiopian food. My favorite is the vegetarian sampler although you cannot go wrong by anything on the menu. Don't be fooled by the exterior - it looks like an ice cream parlor. Once you're inside and observe the diners, you'll understand. Also the owners are some of the best people around. read more

Brought a few of my students here as a way of broadening their food horizons. They were hesitant at first, but in the end tried everything we ordered and surprised themselves with what they liked. Staff was friendly and answered any questions the students had. Also, the discounted lunch menu was a definite bonus! read more

I got takeout from here for lunch on the advice of a co-worker and paid $11 for a vegetarian combo platter. The problem with it was that it was about 90% injera (sour bread). The bread was good, but you had to look inside the folds to find the food, and there was barely anything else. Another co-worker told me she liked to eat her Ethiopian food with pita bread and I laughed because there was nothing in my container except bread! Three days later, it occurred to me that I had paid $11 for a huge plate of bread, which is kind of weird. read more

Had my first experience with Ethiopian food here a couple months ago and thought it was okay. The injera was very sour and that kind of made it hard to fully enjoy the meal. However, the injera aside, the vegetables and beef were pretty good. The owner was very nice and they even gave us a coffee on the house (after they forgot to charge us for it). Very sweet gesture. Their coffee, by the way, was absolutely delicious. The cafe itself is also a nice little place. I'd give it another try if I were in the area. read more

Summary: great food, byob, coffee shop ambiance. Review: Almaz Cafe serves authentic and tasty Ethiopian food. Come with clean hands, as you will be sharing with your table and eating with your fingers. The food is great -- perfect level of spiciness and many interesting tastes. Because the place is byob, the total price stays low. Only downside is the ambiance. The room feels much more like a coffee shop than a restaurant. Of course, that might be because it is a coffee shop by day... read more

Excellent real ethiopian food. The food is well value as well. I got the excellent chicken dish and there was plenty of the special bread to wrap up the delicious food. The spices were great. The food was warm and the people were friendly. This place truly is a hidden gem. I promise you, you won't be disappointed. read more

The veggie combo was a delight of flavorful dishes, especially the beets. It came with a bunch of injera-it was more sour than others I've had but I liked it. I felt like the good here was overall less greasy than typical Ethiopian restaurant food. The lovely lady at the counter neatly wrapped my takeout box in Saran Wrap for me. Also a good price. read more

Almaz Cafe - Neatly wrapped takeout - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Came back for lunch. Zoro tibs and vegetarian combo were delicious. Service was also very good. I think the key is to come in earlier in the day. read more

This place was great! I think the thing that stood out the most was the service. I felt very welcome in here. I could tell that everyone else was enjoying the warm vibe in here. My girlfriend and I were the only ones in here not studying or reading. We just came for the food. It seemed like a great place to kick back and read or get some school work done. I may have to go here to get some stuff done sometime. The food was so delicious and the price wasn't bad at all. I had a barbecue chicken wrap, but it wasn't a boring old barbecue chicken wrap, they added awesome flavors and ingredients to make it a super barbecue chicken wrap. The Ethiopian food is nice to get out out of my comfort zone and try things that I've never had before. I liked how the menu had both Ethiopian dishes and other things I'm more accustomed to. I also enjoyed sitting in the loft area. I could watch the people come and go through the door which is something I strangely enjoy in a hopefully non-creepy way. I'd say the only thing that could be considered a drawback is the size of this place. Its pretty small, but the loft does wonders. I also kinda like how small it is. I could imagine this place getting crowded fast though, putting you pretty close to others. The decoration//design of this place also made me happy Its just an all around great place that I'd definitely go to again. read more

It isn't obvious when you walk in - it looks like just a coffee shop - but this is a really yummy Ethiopian restaurant! The service is a little slow, but the food is delicious (especially the traditional semi-raw red meat dish, I forget what it's called), though the menu isn't very big. Ethiopian enthusiasts might be disappointed for that reason, but they have really good versions of the basics. They also have really, really good Ethiopian coffee (seriously, some of the best coffee I have ever tasted). Please note that the seating area for eating (upstairs) is very small, and there is not really room for more than 4 people. There are 2 tables for 4, one or two tables for two, and a few seats at a bar-type area. read more

Easily my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Philly, even though it doubles as a coffee and ice cream shop. (I've never sampled those). It is owned and run by a very nice, hospitable couple. Besides the food being delicious and tasting like it has been simmered in love, it is a very comfortable space to be in. The same can't be said about other restaurants (like Absynnia in west Philly. I always feel unwelcome there and stopped going for that reason.) I wish more people knew about this place so I could rest assured that it will always be there. read more

Came here this past weekend to work on a project. The person I was meeting requested a non-Starbucks, Center City coffee place, and since we'd be using laptops Caffienation was out of the picture. Thankfully, there's Almaz Cafe. Almaz has a downstairs area with a coffee bar and a few seats, but we decided to park ourselves upstairs to avoid foot-traffic and spread our work out over a table. The wi-fi was free (you have to get the password from the counter) and fast. My soy latte was good and under $4 (always a plus since so many places are anti-lactose-intolerants and charge a huge surcharge for soy). They had a pleasant Beetles mix-tape playing in the background. And they didn't hassle us for sitting for 3 hours and only ordering coffee. Another bonus: after our coffee-fueled planning session we had some pretty darn good Ethiopian food. Having just had Ethiopian in Harlem last week, I can attest that Almaz's vegetarian combo (red lentil, yellow split peas, and cabbage) is legit. They give you tons of bread and a fork should you be a type-A like me and want to keep typing while eating. I will definitely be becoming a regular here. Good Ethiopian right down the street (and no need to brave West Philly alone when I get a craving) has upped the standard of living in Center City in my mind. read more

Review for dinner and coffee. Absolutely spectactular! I'm not sure exactly what ethiopian food is supposed to taste like, but I love whatever it is they gave me. This a little hole in the wall type place in center city, surviving as an American breakfast joint by day and Ethiopian restaurant by night. The service is some of the best I've had. The prices are not beatable. It's byo. The portions are filling. Definitely want to go back. read more

I'm sort of a connoisseur of Ethiopian cuisine or at least what's served in America anyway. You can check out my reviews of other Ethiopian restaurants in the country. I didn't like the food here at all. It lacked flavor and spices and wasn't a great experience. I'm a vegetarian and had therefore ordered the vegetarian combo. The injera wasn't much to write home about either. The service was decent but I wouldn't come back any time soon. read more

Stopped by for lunch to try this place out...I'm not really a fan of injera so I had the beef curry. I loved the curry sauce (more like juices than a sauce) on the yellow long grain rice. I could really taste the spices and it was a good portion. However the one thing I didn't like was the chewiness of the beef. I expected the beef to be more tender. We also ordered the foule which is mashed beans with a side of injera. It was decent, and I would come here again for the curry. I have yet to try the coffee but would love to try that too! They use Ethiopian beans. read more

Almaz Cafe - Foule - a generous portion with a lot of injera - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I love this place :-) Delicious food, very friendly, little hole in the wall. Meat is tender, not over cooked or dried out, spices are awesome. I also got a butterscotch shake, very good, not over sweet. read more

I've always walked by this restaurant, but never been tempted to go in because it always looks empty or closed. However, on Saturday I decided to check it out for the first time, and am pleased to report that it's one of the best cafe/restaurants that Rittenhouse, if not Philadelphia, has to offer. The food is delicious. I often find that Ethiopian food is overwhelmingly spicy, to the point that I can't taste any other flavors. At Almaz, the cook does a great job of balancing the spice with other spices and the meat's natural flavors. I ordered the doro wat and beef tibs - both of which were great. The injera was pretty good. It's flatter than the injera I've eaten at other restaurants, which was slightly disappointing but didn't dampen the meal as a whole. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed each bite, and left the restaurant wanting to come back in the future. The owner of this restaurant is welcoming and charming. Her style fits in with the ambiance of the place - relaxed, homey, and warm. Seating is limited, so I wouldn't come here with a big group. It's great for a quiet evening with one or two other people. Final plus is it is BYOB! read more

Awesome place!! Super casual, cafe-like vibe. The food is very hearty and filling. Service is kind and attentive (we had an early, 4:30 dinner and the place was pretty empty). I had the veggie sample plate and it was the perfect mix of varieties. I recommend it. My friends got a chicken dish that I tried and also liked. read more

Almaz Cafe - The view downstairs from the loft! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Outdoor dining for COVID, vegan and GF options. It is a place my whole family enjoys!

I never ate Ethiopian food before. This restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside but the food is delicious. I am not a vegetarian but their veggie sampler was excellent. The enjira bread was very tasty. I recommend using enjira to pick up the food. It tastes great that way. I'll definitely be back. read more

Delicious, warm place with friendly owners! The woman greeted us when we entered for lunch on Monday and explained how things worked. We sat upstairs on the loft style area (which was super cute and quaint!) and she came up to take our orders. I'm sad that I had coffee right before we had lunch because I wanted to try their iced coffee. I ordered the Firfir and it was delicious. Large portions and tasty enjera. Compared to my first Ethiopian dining experience I rated this one a four but I loved the environment and can't wait to try it again. thank you so much! read more

This my my very first experience with Ethiopian food, and it definitely made me want more! I ordered the ZilZil, an Iced Coffee, and after a filling meal Baklava to take home. Almaz has a nice atmosphere, was easy to find, and very friendly workers. Delicious food, I would highly recommend! read more

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