I came here for a latte and I was disappointed with how flat and watery it was. I also tried the fava bean dish and honestly, I think I could make it better at home. But it was filling, different (the beans and french/italian bread combination) and nutritious. I don't think I will be a fan of Eritrean food but I would come back if I was in the area. Food only, no coffee. The restaurant is very small so I might call ahead to make sure there's room if dining with more than 2. Seems like parking is plentiful. read more

Came for breakfast. Small restaurant (8 tables) and a small bar. Located in a strip mall right off Duke Street (on Pickett). Service: 1 star. Definitely a lot of room for improvement. I guess it helps if you're a regular. No welcome from the sole server/bartender/barista/busser. She took the coffee order, then dropped a menu on the table. Took the food order, then brought the food without a word. Never checked back. While my order was filled accurately, I saw another table receive incorrect orders while I was there and she informed them that they had erred in their ordering, and took no action to make it right. I got it, she's working on her own, but there was zero attempt at customer service. Food: 3 stars. The fu'ul was good. Fresh chopped tomatoes and onions on top, along with some peppers and cheese. Tasty. The bread is more of an Italian bread, not a French bread, as it is crusty outside and very light/airy inside; fresh, served warm, excellent. Coffee was fresh, good, medium strong. I was never offered a refill. Overall, good food/drink, but nothing special. Parking: 1 star. Good luck finding a place in the lot. I parked across the street and froggered it over. Their signs indicating that additional parking is located in the rear of the building...are prominently displayed at your table, which you see after you're already seated. Bottom line: 2 stars. Not a bad breakfast, but the service would keep me from returning. The food, while good, wasn't good enough to make up for the service. read more

I went here today for lunch and decided to give it a review. Coffee is always a great decision if you are going to an Ethiopian or Eritrean restaurant, cafe, etc. We got an order of the eggs selsse (scrambled eggs with sauteed tomato, onions, pepper and spices) with an order of Tibse (beef cooked with jalapeno, tomato, onions, etc.). We asked for the beef extra crispy (dereg) and a side of yogurt. Everything went really well together and the yogurt helped to tame a bit of the spice and add a twist to the flavor. Overall good experience and good food! Food - 4/5 Service - 4/5 Ambiance - 3/5 read more

We just found this place, and we are in love! A small, family run restaurant with amazing home cooked food. We highly recommend the Fu'ul (fava beans) and pound cake. We can't wait to come back! read more

I am a foodie!! I enjoy trying foods from other cultures. The restaurant is quaint and quiet. The guest and staff were friendly. I had the Breakfast Balance, which is a combination plate. It allowed me to sample three breakfast entrees. The food was delicious. I will have to go back and try their ethnic dishes for lunch or dinner. read more

First time having this type of food, and it was delicious! I highly recommend it!

The West End is definitely Alexandria's most ethnically and socio-economically diverse neighborhood, making it a truly wonderful place to live and, more importantly, eat: we've got everything from Indian and Ethiopian to Peruvian and Japanese. So what's Café Aurora, you might ask? Good question. It's Eritrean. And it's phenomenal. Eritrea is nestled between Ethiopia and Sudan, with an extensive coastline along the Red Sea across from Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Historically a nexus for international trade, and colonized many times over by cultures such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Britain, and Italy, the small country boasts a highly diverse and worldly cuisine. You'll find an array of options on Aurora's menu that run a broad spectrum: Mediterranean Chicken Salad, Kitchta Fitfit, Spaghetti Bolognese, Ga'at, Belgian waffles, lentil soup, Qulwa Beef with Spinach, Red Sea Rice, risotto, frittatas, Shiro with Enjera...there's a little bit of something for everyone here. And you might think that the lack of focus, so to speak, might make for poorly conceived food, but in fact, it's quite the opposite. Their Fuul is one of my favorites, a wonderfully spiced fava bean purée topped with little stacks of chopped jalapeño, red onion, and tomato, finely crumbled feta, a dollop of smooth, tangy yogurt, and a drizzle of browned butter. It is stunningly simple but fantastically flavorful. The small bowl, served with warm, crusty French loaf (or whole wheat pita if you prefer) is just right for a filling breakfast -- paired with Aurora's excellent Lavazza coffee -- or light lunch. We also love the Fatta, chunks of French bread soaked in a warm, rich tomato sauce served with that same thin, creamy yogurt. It makes a great appetizer to split with the table, since there's a lot of it and it's so one-note. Aurora's French toast is some of the better we've found, too, and their breakfast sandwiches are more interesting than your average brekkie sammie with French baguette, fresh tomato, and slivers of red onion alongside the delicate egg crêpe. And don't miss the Flax Seed Shake, a refreshing blend of toasted flax seed, honey, soy milk, salt, and ice. It tastes like mild peanut butter. The service here is so warm and hospitable, too. It's definitely slow, but I find most true ethnic eateries are paced much slower than Americans are typically used to, and they're so welcoming at Aurora it doesn't bother me. The place itself is quite small but has a cozy vibe, and the staff make you feel right at-home. Prices can't be beat, either, with a lot of the smaller dishes running right around $7, and entrées from $10 - $14. They even have a happy hour here from 4-7 during the week with buy-one-get-one-free beer. For my money, there's no better introduction to this obscure African cuisine than Café Aurora. [15 Minutes of Fame: WETA's "Breakfast in Washington"] read more

Holy yum!! Thanks to Yelp (and especially MacRae), husband and I swung through here one day for breakfast and I, personally can't wait to go back, I must admit to geographical ignorance - I had to look up Eritrea having never even heard of it before. We both know we like Ethiopian food, though, and are always up for something new so we had to give it a shot and, wow, am I glad we did. I was randomly in the mood for waffles so got one here and, while light and tasty, it clearly isn't what you should come here for. Husband got the egg with tomato (can't remember the name) which was fantastic! I'm lucky I got a few bites in and would totally come back for it. Just thinking about it makes me want to put my shoes on and go get some. Savory, a little spicy, just super yummy. We also got the traditional baked porridge dish to try. Interesting mix of flavours and very, very dense, it was delicious. It definitely took two of us to tackle it and you carry it around with you for the rest of the morning - but in a good way. It would be a perfect pre-hike breakfast. THis is not the place to come if you're in a large group or a hurry. It's quite small and they take their time making you your food, which is absolutely worth the wait. Staff is incredibly friendly. Relax and enjoy the comfortable atmosphere. With plenty of vegetarian options, we'll be back for more breakfast as well as to try some lunch/dinner options. read more

Yum, yum, yum! That's all that needs to be said about this place. I've come here two days in a row for dinner and breakfast, and I love the food. So far, I've tried the chicken enjerito, fu'ul, fatta, espresso with kahlua, the signature tea, and toasted almond cake. Portion sizes are great, so you will definitely be stuffed. Everything has great flavor, I just can't get over it! While some of the food takes some time to come out to your table, it's obvious that they are not just taking food from the freezer and warming it up. The meals are very comforting. The toasted almond cake is super soft and a wonderful, sweet dessert. When you walk in, you are able to pick your own table. You'll soon be greeted by a waitress who will give you menus and be happy to explain anything on the menu. A couple of negatives though - you may have to ask for water if you order another beverage, and, sometimes it's hard to flag down someone to get the bill. I'm glad that this place has elected to be a non-smoking restaurant. It's somewhat small, so even if one person was smoking, it would be bothersome (in my opinion). Parking can be tight in front, but there is parking in the back of the building. One last thing - some prices on the online menu don't match those on the in-restaurant menu. Other positives (I just can't stop) - if you have picky eaters with you, there are Italian food options like pasta and risotto. If you're vegetarian, some items can be made without meat, even if they traditionally include it. Finally, I really like that this place is good for groups or individuals. There is no judgment here, and the calm and homey atmosphere will certainly make anyone feel comfortable. Bottom line: whether you are looking for breakfast (served all day!), lunch, dinner or a snack with coffee, you'll be in the right place at Cafe Aurora. Just be sure to come with a truly empty stomach! read more

I wandered across Cafe Aurora randomly after I dropped my car off to get worked on down the street and had some time to kill...while hungry. I had no idea what kind of food they had but it looked like a cool hole-in-the-wall. I'm glad I checked it out. As other reviewers have mentioned, it's Eritrean food (Africa, near Ethiopia). I was there for breakfast - they have several domestic choices such as french toast, waffles, & omelets as well as many traditional Eritrean offerings. The gentleman owner came to take my order and was very informative and educated me on the food. It was hard to decide so I told him to surprise me with one of the traditional dishes! I ended up getting the Kitcha Fitfit which is a flatbread chopped up coated with a chili-spice mixture then pan sauteed and served in a bowl along with yogurt on the side to balance out the spiciness. It was super tasty and filling (I only ate about half) for $7.95. I really liked the place because it was nice, clean, food was tasty and fresh and the biggest plus (who I believe was) the owner and his wife were very helpful providing information in a super friendly manner. Bonus education: I ordered the special house tea (Shahi me'amer) - it came out already tea-colored with another tea bag which I thought was for a refill. I started drinking the tea-colored water until I was informed that that part was cinnamon and clove infused water which you are then supposed to drop the tea bag into and steep to your liking. Yeah, so don't clown that up like I did. read more

I love this place. Seriously -- we're in love and we're getting married next Saturday. Went here with my beau on a whim. We were on 395 and I did a mad rush to exit on Duke street while he did a quick iPhone search for a decently rated restaurant on Yelp (it was the pinnacle of teamwork). We searched for "Italian" and "spaghetti" and found this place. Walking in, I was a little bit intimidated -- it was a slightly cramped seating area and no one had food. It looked more like a coffee shop to me, so I was pleasantly surprised when we were seated and given menus by a nice waitress. The menu is a quirky assortment of many different kinds of food. They have a full page of different breakfast goods (served alllll day, which I think is great) and a second page with pasta dishes and Eritrean food (which, if you don't know, is pretty similar to Ethiopian food -- served with injera and errthang). They also serve coffee/tea/espresso/dranks with booze in 'em and desserts. All the drinks/desserts were under 5 dollars, and the menu items were around 8-12 dollars. We had the pasta with bolognese sauce and a vegetarian combination plate. TONS OF FOOD. The pasta was actually pretty good (minds were blown) and the vegetarian plate was stellar. I'm a big fan of Ethiopian food so I was all up on that. We also had the house special hot tea, which was lovely -- spiced with cinnamon and made me feel happy because it was mad cold outside. GO HERE IF: you love Ethiopian food (particularly veggie combos) and your boyfriend wants spaghetti. This recommendation is loosely based on real life. read more

Fu'ul was pretty good but I wouldn't get it again; it's quite like Mexican mashed beans with regular veggie toppings (green pepper, onion, avocado, and yogurt). Egg silsi was excellent, however. It doesn't look like an egg scramble, but the taste was wonderful and unique. The bread was warm and fresh, so good. We also tried a flaxseed drink (ground flaxseed, honey, and milk) that was recommended by our server, and it was really delicious! read more

Cafe Aurora http://cafeaurorausa.com/index.html Cafe Aurora, just outside Washington DC in Alexandria, Virginia, was my first experience with Eritrean food and I will forever be grateful. I had the: FUUL (an AURORA SPECIAL made from fava beans and served with fresh tomatoes, green peppers, onions, feta cheese and yogurt, flavored butter or olive oil, and french bread) and KITCHA FITFIT (a traditional, homemade flat bread, mixed and marinated with flavored butter and red peppers served with yogurt on the side). I want both again soon. Next time I'd like to try the EGG SILSI as well (eggs, in tomato sauce with onions, green peppers and French or pita bread). Owner, Dahab Beyene and her husband were kind enough to offer me the Flaxseed drink before I left. An organic mix of flaxseed, soy milk and honey blended with ice that comes out something like a flaxseed milkshake with a taste that reminded me of hazelnut and peanut butter. Delicious. read more

Finally tried this place after seeing MacRae's review on it, a year ago! This place did not disappoint. We did take out and glad we did because the place is small. We tried the Vegetarian Combination and the Qulwa Lamb (nai Beggie). Both had generous portions and came with extra injera. The Vegetarian Combination has a little bit of spice and the lamb, well it was tough. I don't eat lamb much but my husband, the lamb eater he is, assured me that lamb is generally like that. I would return but I want to try their breakfast dishes. Service is friendly. The guy (perhaps the owner?) gave me a complimentary tea while I waited) and then checked that my order was correct before I paid. I would definitely return but will come back and try their breakfast entrees. read more

A delicious meal. We had the spicy lamb with spinach and salad. Service was okay and any food besides traditional is over priced. Drinks are also overpriced. The venue is small, so if you go make sure its intimate. The bar is limited so do not go with hopes of drinking. Their specialties are coffees and teas. Lamb and beef dishes are delicious. I would return. read more

This place is cozy, very chill and full of regulars. I've only had breakfast (waffles) and coffee so that is all I will speak to. Both were fresh and worth coming back for. I only took off a star because it took a considerable amount of time to come out, to the point where I was given an apology. Despite that small hiccup, I will definitely be back! read more

Cafe Aurora - Quality Cappucino - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I stopped in to have breakfast the other morning with my sister. We wanted to try something different. The decor is very friendly and it feels like home. It can get a little crowded because seating is very limited. The waitress explained some of the items on the menu and made some great recommendations. We decided to try one unfamiliar item and one egg dish. We ordered the Fatta with beef and a omelet to share. The omelet was okay, but the Fatta was really good. The dish has a lot of flavor and is very filling. We could only eat half of it and we were sharing. Cafe Aurora is an Eritrean restaurant with some great food. I look forward to going back and trying dinner. read more

This review is strictly for BREAKFAST. Sooooo, I've been looking for a local breakfast place since the only other option I had within walking distance closed a few months ago. Its probably unfair to expect this Ethiopian restaurant to deliver a good American style breakfast and, while competent in what they did serve, without pork on the menu I just don't see how you can do an American breakfast right. No bacon, no sausage, no 3 star or better rating. I ended up having an omelet with chunks of chicken breast, tomatoes and onion. I couldn't help but feel like the chicken breast was... redundant. Its not to say that the meal wasn't well prepared nor was it bad tasting. Just not to my liking. As far as the service and atmosphere: Top notch both. So much so, I'll be going back to try them for lunch and/or dinner and based on the aromatic smells, I think they're going to deliver quite well. Additionally, although small, the place had a very cozy, neighborhood feel to it. I got the feeling most folks dining there that morning had walked to Aurora. read more

My friend and I went to Cafe Aurora and somehow, I glossed over the fact that it is an Eritrean (similar to Ethiopian) cuisine and just read that they served breakfast..... So, we were slightly surprised when the breakfast menu wasn't really. First, the place was PACKED and we had to squish into our table. to prevent sitting in our neighboring tables' laps. Second, we were slightly confused about how to order-- sitting at the table or up at the counter. Luckily, the staff recognized our confusion and came over to take it. We decided to get a sampler of vegetarian options and some soup-y dish. Too much food! I took it home and kept eating it for about 2 days. The food was very tasty and if I was craving Eritrean food I would be back. The one drawback was the wait-- it took about 45 mins for our food to arrive and we had trouble getting water refills, the check, etc. Overall: good Eritrean food (4 stars), a little cramped, and slower than I would have liked (2) read more

My FAVORITE brunch spot! Food and the coffee/cappuccino is so delicious!

I'm gonna give this one 5 stars because I have to say that of the whole trip to the DC area, this stands out as the best place we ate. I almost always hesitate in giving 5 stars, but this was some combination of the right place, the right time, and some damn fine food. Would recommend. Would go back. Would love to have this in my own neighborhood and not 200+ miles away. The location is pretty nondescript, more or less in a strip mall on one of the many outskirt neighborhoods of the DC area. It is advertised as both Eritrean AND Italian. Ok, well I will let that go on the premise that this is how they get picky & nervous eaters in there. As we walked in, we were both happy to see that it wasn't full of overweight white people. In other words, not an Italian place. Other than the appearance, nothing about the place was ordinary. The waitress was absolutely one of the most friendly people you could ask for. When we asked what she recommended she said most people get the eggs, to which we replied that we did not want what most people get but what would be most ethnic. As a side note, we ordered from the breakfast menu. The first dish was a sort of bean-ish stew of sorts. I'm not sure how else to describe it but it was a porridge-like consistency with some stuff plopped on top (red onions, feta cheese, yogurt, tomatoes, green peppers and a few other things that escape me at the moment). You mix everything up (it was hot) then eat it by dipping bread in it. We ate the whole loaf of bread they gave us. It was very good. I liked it, Andy loved it. The other main dish was a flatbread that was cooked in a red sauce and piled up like a small volcano on a plate. I've never had anything like this, and it was amazingly good. It was also served with yogurt and the waitress started putting it on, mixing it up, and telling us how to eat it. I think she was close to actually feeding us when she was done. It was nice, and she seemed excited that we were excited to try their food. Good stuff. This was my favorite dish. I also got the lentil soup which was heavy on the garlic. I didn't mind it, but Andy didn't eat so much because of the garlic. In all, I thought it was tasty and would get it again. Again, I thought this was incredibly good and would definitely go back if ever in the area again. And it would be great to have a place like that locally though NJ does not support the Ethiopian/Eritrean population like DC does. So we'll have to remember this fondly as we deal with our food choices here. But I will say I would not be sad to see 1 of the 1000 local diners be replaced by this. I see some critical reviews of the restaurant and it's not my place to counter what a native Ethiopian says. So maybe this review if for a non-native who does not eat much food from this region of the world. But as such, this was incredibly, a perfect meal at exactly the right time for us. We both loved it and would very much recommend it. read more

My husband and I love this place. We randomly picked it one day on yelp, craving Eritrean food and spices. Sunnit served us with sunshine and smiles. Whenever we enter into this place, I feel pretty happy. We ordered the fu'ul and egg silsi the first time around. Delicious! I have to mention that the caramel macchiato and cafe mochas are better than Starbucks. We always order a second to go cup. We return here a lot for brunch. But, one day we wanted to try the Italian food and we learned that the Italians invaded their homeland, so that is why Italian food is incorporated into their culture and food. I have to say the mix of both cultures of spices and food is amazing. The beef ravioli with marina sauce is to die for!!!! We eat this for breakfast sometimes. I also wanted to try the traditional Eritrean foods and it was really filling. Be prepared to have an appetite. This is our go to place on Sundays or Saturday mornings, but you should arrive early as possible because this place gets crowded at times....But, if they know you, they will make room for you. Awesome service! read more

This little restaurant is tucked away in a small plaza on South Pickett street in Alexandria. I've driven by it many a time but never popped in to try it out. That changed recently. The restaurant was somewhat empty at the outset with one lone waiter seemingly doing everything. The atmosphere was decidedly laid back - no one seemed to be in any kind of hurry and many patrons were simply drinking coffee and chatting - it fit right in with overcast evening. We ordered the lentil soup, the vegetarian combination and the qulwa shrimp. The soup was quite delicious, with nuanced spices, and served in a generous helping. We used the injera served with it to soak up the bits of soup left towards the end. The two main dishes were also quite good. The qulwa shrimp was seasoned and baked with tomato and spices. The baby shrimps had absorbed the flavors of the spices and, like the soup, was generously portioned. The vegetarian combination that evening consisted of stewed potatoes and carrots, cooked red lentils, and braised spinach. The red lentils, cooked almost to the texture of a pulpy purée, was delicious and was the standout of the assortment. The spinach and potato choices were also good but not as interesting. The injera was laid out flat on a plate and topped on one side with a lightly dressed salad. The bread is meant to be used as a serving vessel (in lieu of a knife and fork) for the food much as it is in Ethiopian cuisine and absorbs the flavors of whatever food is in or on it - it is, however, quite filling. it. It was a fun and different way to eat. The one waitress serving was pleasant and accommodating, greeting us with a warm and welcoming smile when we walked in to eat - she kept that smile going all evening. This restaurant was a nice little find. It was featured by WETA, one of the local public TV stations, as being one of the spots to have breakfast. I am eager to try. read more

We have passed here many times without stopping, but yesterday, our usual spot was packed, and we were in a hurry, so we decided to try it. We really didn't know what to expect when we walked through the door, so we were surprised to discover it's Eritrean. I figured eggs and hash would be off the menu, though it turns out there are a few Western-style options for brunch. Noah, not feeling adventurous, had the Belgian waffle, which we do not recommend. If you're coming for breakfast, go instead for one of the more traditional dishes. I tried the Ga'at, which is a thick porridge made from barley, bran and whole wheat flour, cradling a sauce of melted butter and red pepper. Served with yogurt, the idea is to scoop the porridge onto your fork, dip it into the pepper-butter, and (if you need it), add a little yogurt to cool it off. It wasn't spicy on the tongue, but boy did it bring some heat! About a quarter of the way through, my upper lip began to sweat and I felt very full and contented. It didn't hurt that I had a cup of possibly the best coffee on the continent to go with it. I just ordered the drip coffee, which arrived with crema on top. For real. Crema on drip coffee! It was simply amazing. The servers were very helpful and full of information. I learned, for example, that Eritreans usually enjoy Ga'at during the winter (and not, as I did, in 100 degree weather). The tables were very close, and we were intimately seated with fellow diners, for sure - they had to stand up and practically go into the kitchen to release us from our table. We did wait awhile for our food, thus negating the whole avoiding-the-usual-but-overcrowded-spot-in-the-interests-of-time thing. I would probably come back here for my next coffee & pastry date with my BFF. read more

The place is small not huge but good vibes and cozy i would say. We ordered the Fulal but it tasteless . The latte was good . Egg salsa was good not bad . The french rolls fresh and great . Would i come again ? Mmmmm i don't know . Oh the service was great and the staff are awesome. read more

Cafe Aurora - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I stopped in recently for breakfast. I was not disappointed. The food was awesome and held up to all the expectations my fellow Yelpers promised. My only drawback was that there are items on the menus that are only available on Sundays. This should be noted on the menu. It was frustrating making up your mind only to be disappointed and then have to re look. The space is small but worth the wait. read more

Actually discovered this place by accident...a very happy accident. I'm always looking for a Sunday breakfast place which offers something with some flavor and something a little different... at a good price. BINGO, I discovered Eritrean breakfast here fit the bill. I tried the Egg Silsi and it is fabulous. Spicy, full flavor, filling. Will definitely return..next time for dinner. read more

The food and coffee are really good and the atmosphere is warm and homey. We've come for the past couple of weeks for breakfast and had a good experience both times. The menu is Eritrean (similar, not identical, to Ethiopia so you have an idea of what's on the menu). They also have lovely pastries and other more American and French fare as well. Every dish I saw presented was beautiful and looked delicious. We'll be visiting for other meals here I'm sure. The menu is really nice and the people who work here are too. Yum! read more

Cafe Aurora - My second visit here in as many weeks: the food is delicious and the cafe is homey and warm. It's a nice place to start the day. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Like Jessica(below), my girlfriend and I were getting a new tire on our car, and decided to walk over at around 8pm for a quick dinner. Place was quaint and pleasant. Although the food was delicious, it was also moderately priced for a cafe that's not really presented as a full sit down dinner restaurant. Owner was very nice, and the tea was tasty. The espresso tasted great although I was wired for over an hour after words lol. All and all, I'd recommend this place for lunch and dinner. I wouldn't recommend dining in if it's packed, I'd suggest carryout for dinner. Might be more enjoyable. The cramped layout would make it impossible to bring a group of 4 in. 2 people seems to be pushing it since there's only 5 tables, and one of them is "reserved". read more

We wnt for breakfast on a Sunday. Service was fantastic! Because we're not familiar with the dishes they took the time to discuss the dishes prior to taking our order. The food was delicious & my cappuccinos were warm and wonderful! We're going to go back for dinner next time. read more

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Big love for a little gem of a spot buried in a suburban Alexandria shopping center. Had a lovely Sunday breakfast here this morning surrounded by families who appeared to be of east African descent chowing down on an array of brightly colored dishes I've never seen or heard of prior to today. The place was packed and smelled divine when my friend and I walked in and snagged the last open table, seated by a smiley waitress who was kind and attentive throughout our meal. I ended up here in the first place thanks to the kitcha fitfit breakfast showing up on WashPo's annual "40 dishes" feature, and it didn't disappoint. For the uninitiated it's a "rustic Eritrean staple...crusty flatbread tossed in clarified butter, fenugreek, cardamom, garlic and the crimson chili berbere." It's served with yogurt to take the edge off the heat from the chili and it's exactly the kind of savory, belly-filling, kick-you-in-the-mouth-a-little breakfast I'd eat every day if I lived in a place where spicy bread stir fry was a staple food. Other perks: the coffee is strong, they serve breakfast all day, they're open 9am-9pm seven days a week, and almost everything on the menu is $10 or less. The coupling of Eritrean and Italian food is a mystery to me and I personally would probably not bother coming out here for the Euro fare (omelets, lasagna, etc.), but the Eritrean menu is a fabulous find. Thanks for the tip, WashPo! read more

Food is good TINY cafe! It's meant for coffee not full meals. They need to get a bigger location. No one smiles-- customer service needs work! read more

My omelette was edible and I had to wait a long time for it. The coffee wasn't the worst I had, but it was on the bottom five. Luckily nobody offered me a refill. All in all, I'm not coming back to Aurora. read more

I ordered food from these jokers this morning, waited eternity to get a very cold, dry, and awful tasting waffle. Where is the "Strawberry sundae topping?" I ordered enjera to meet the minimum, it tastes like what I can only imagine sweaty gonads might. Disgusting. read more

Some of the best food in the DC metropolitan area is found hidden away in unassuming strip malls. This is definitely the case in regards to this small Eritrean cafe. I had long heard about this place from my husband who used to come here almost everyday for breakfast a few years ago. This place is best known for their 'qurs' or breakfast from what I have heard from family and friends. However, after the lengthy process of choosing and getting fitted for a Habesha bridesmaid dress a few doors down, we were all famished and it was dinner time. Everyone ordered lattes and I ordered a tea with spices and lemon. For the main course, we had the beef with spinach, lamb, and salad. Everything was flavorful, and for 5 people the portions sizes were generous and reasonably priced. Although I am a stickler when it comes to injera made outside of the Horn of Africa, it was fresh and not too heavy (i.e. the additives to the teff like wheat and barley were not overwhelming). The service was friendly, and fast. Overall, it was a good dining experience, and I can't wait to go back to try out their breakfast. read more

GREAT FOOD! I ordered the fu'ul for breakfast, having no idea what it was. It was like refried beans with onions, peppers, tomatoes, feta, and yogurt. It was delicious! I would definitely go back! read more

Cafe Aurora - Fu'ul - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This place opens at 8am, which means Ethiopian food for breakfast!!! I called in and ordered the injeera with meat sauce. It was ready for pick up in 15 minutes and holy moly, it was so much food. There was a layer of injeera on the bottom as well as injeera mixed into the beef and tomato sauce itself. There was chunks of beef, which I was really happy about. It also comes with a side salad. I'm not kidding when I say this was enough food to last me breakfast, lunch and dinner. So for $11, what a deal! The lady at the counter was incredibly sweet as well. I live in MD, but was in Alexandria that day for work, but now I'm thinking about driving down on a weekend just to try this place again! read more

I was very underwhelmed by the food. I ordered a frittata and and got rubbery flavorless scrambled eggs instead. It took 30 minutes to make this. I will never go back. read more

Cafe Aurora - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Three rating because the staff is nice. Read Yelp and saw five stars. We are vegan and love Ethiopian food. Unfortunately the Ethiopian food dishes we had were bland and something I would expect in Texas or some other place where there are no Ethiopian restaurants. I do realize this is Italian slash Etritean food but what we ordered was Ethiopian. Dama on Colombia Pike is the standard. I strongly suspect the Ingira bread is from Dama. That's where the similarity stops. Classic Ethiopian dishes lacked proper spicing. Try anything else and go to a real Ethiopian place like Dama. Cheaper and leagues better. Salad dressing was Italian and we loved it. The only thing we loved. read more

Great Eritrean traditional restaurant! They serve good Eritrean/Ethiopian breakfast as well as American. Good environment. But service a bit slow sometimes. read more