Well, I just discovered this place and I am already so addicted! i am a vegan and their hearty vegan combo plate is an amazing sampling of popular traditional dishes. and the spicing is sublime. i bought several spices from their partner shop Brundo zspices and they are like you are right there in the spice market. eagerly awaiting their cookbook.. read more

Very delicious food. I always get the meat sampler and its amazing each and every time. The plate is full of flavor and its perfect with the injera. The price per plate may be a bit high but it is definitely reflected on the portion size as its enough to feed two and well. The to go sizes can be a bit smaller though so its probably best to eat there instead The place is really clean and nicely organized. It's certainly a place that I look forward to going every time read more

Years ago I used to stop by this spot to grab Ethiopian coffee and it was fantastic. My husband and I were craving Ethiopian food on Friday night and decided to check this spot out. I called them -- and the number listed on Yelp is wrong. Then I looked up Cafe Colucci online and found the correct number. I let them know that they need to change the number on Yelp and they said they recently changed their number and would take care of it soon. They said they're not currently taking phone orders and to order online via their website: cafecolucci.com. I ordered online and then "checked in" on Yelp when we drove up. The app said the "check in" deal was 20% off one dish. I asked the guy who I picked up the food from if they could honor it -- but since I paid online through the site, it was challenging to figure out so I didn't get to use it. No worries! I appreciated that the site I ordered on gave a time estimate and the food was ready to go. It was already bagged and organized when I pulled up. We'd ordered the meat combo (for husband) and veggie combo (for me). I'm not vegetarian (I just don't eat beef), but I love vegan/vegetarian Ethiopian food. We also ordered the vegetarian sambussa and extra injera. We got the house injera but they do offer gluten-free injera. We had enough food to eat it twice -- and I even used the extra injera with some brown masoor dal I'd made myself the day before for lunch today. So we essentially got 5 meals out of the four dishes. The veggie combo came with what-is-the-equivalent-of two dal/lentil dishes and a veggie curry. There were two small sides in the box. Overall, good food and I'll be back! read more

Nina and I had lunch here today. It was our first time at the new location. We parked down the block and walked over. They have both indoor seating and outdoor on the patio. We chose to sit indoors as it's been pretty chilly of late. We were greeted and seated by Damien, who was also our server. We looked over the menus, which are different from the original location, though there's a lot of overlap. The space is large and bright, w/ many tables, both two tops and larger. We decided to share an order of meat sambusas and a vegan combination, which Damien confirmed is like the old vegetarian combination. I hadn't realized it was vegan, but that's important for people who eat a plant-based diet to know. It's my favorite dish because of all the varied tastes and textures. We ordered the spiced Ethiopian tea, decaf for Nina and caffeinated for me, w/ sweetener, both honey and Splenda, Equal or sugar. The sambusas and tea came first. The sambusas were hot, 6 to an order, w/ a reddish sauce on the side which was spicy w/o being too hot. The combination was delicious. The tea was tasty, served in tall, slender glasses w/ handles. The vegan combination was served on a small metal platter. It was significantly smaller than it used to be and seemed to be missing some of the tastes and textures I remember, although I don't know the names of the individual dishes. What was there was very good, though, and when we were finished there wasn't enough left to take home, so we liked it and will definitely be back. read more

Great Service, Food, and Ambiance. The vegetarian combo has great options. This restaurant is worth the wait!!

I wanted to try this place because a lot of people consider it their go-to restaurant for Ethiopian food. I think they have great customer service and a nice ambiance. However, as someone who has grown up with home cooked Ethiopian food, I don't think it compares. I think the food lacked seasoning and the serving size was incredibly small. read more

Cafe Colucci - Veggie platter - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Thanks to Nancy's recommendation four years ago, @CafeColucci has become our go-to spot for Ethiopian deliciousness. We've lost count of how many times we've enjoyed their incredible injera, but we always leave happy and satisfied. Even though they've moved to a new location in #oakland, the quality of their fresh ingredients and the welcoming small business vibe remain the same. It's our four-year anniversary of dining here, and we couldn't be more grateful for this gem in our community. #eatlocal #ethiopianveganplatter read more

Cafe Colucci - Vegan Combination Platter (VG) House Injera Azifa (VG) Ethiopian Spiced Tea - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Have gotten carry out a few times, and the food is always super fresh, beautifully seasoned, and I appreciate that Cafe Colucci takes special care to offer gluten free injera & options, so I can share with people in my life who are sensitive. The staff are also very friendly, attentive & feel very warm. The ambiance inside looks gorgeous-- I'd love to be able to stay and eat there sometime! Big thanks :) read more

Solid food and fun cocktails. I would definitely go again! We had the begue wot as well as starters and cocktails. Friendly service and reasonably priced! read more

Cafe Colucci - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

I can't believe I never went here before having lived in the area most of my life!! It's been around since 1991. Great tip, they are open late! Check hours online. Our family of two adults and one hungry teen ordered the vegan combo and the meat combo. It was more than enough food. Everything was super tasty and delicious. We got it with the traditional bread but you can order a wheat version if you prefer. Service was friendly. Waitress didn't bring us plates or napkins. You eat with your hands here so utensils aren't typically provided but we could all use a napkin. Got the plates on request and went looking for napkins myself! If you like cafe lattes theirs are delicious and so was the basil lemonade. This business also is affiliated with a woman owned, Ethiopian owned spice company in Ethiopia! They have a lot of photos and info about the enterprise and you can also buy spices on site. Would definitely recommend! read more

This spot is one of several Ethiopian food places on the road. I was very intrigued by their apps and platters so we planned a hike in the area and lunch here. We were not able to sit outside so we took it home and the smell of the food was teasing us good. I LOVE THE MEAT PLATTER!! We didn't get the veggies one this time but I will definitely come back for it. The food is so flavor and the meat is well cooked. The beef and lamb were my favorites, personally I find the injera too sour for my taste so I tried it with indian roti and plain rice so that allowed me to really taste the meat more and get a feel for the spices and flavors. I still finished off the injera. Maybe as a non-native eater I just couldn't do the whole platter with injera so if you feel the same, I'd recommend to switch off with rice or something with a neutral taste. We also had their honey wine. It was very sweet and tasty! read more

Cafe Colucci - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

We ordered this for takeout and it was so good and fresh. It delivered pretty fast and was really good portions. Unfortunately we didn't go to restaurant so i can't speak on service or ambiance but flavor, price, quantity was well worth it! read more

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I love their new location. Made reservations for a party of nine for lunch on the patio. Service was a little slow-- lots of new staff for the larger location-- but folks were super friendly and a delight. Food is super delicious. Yay for GF injera. read more

Love can't go wrong with this one! Gluten free friendly and delicious cocktails and staff are just as lovely as the food and I love spicing up popcorn at home with their mitmita! Eating out back on a sunny day is top tier! Keep up the magic yall! read more

Ethiopian food is one of my favorite cuisines and this spot did not disappoint! I had their veggie sampler (which is usually my go to Ethiopian dish) and it was excellent and spicy. I also loved that they brought out some chili powders so I could add a little extra heat to my food too. Will definitely be back! read more

Cafe Colucci - Veggie sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Food is always amazing! The new location is really nice and well decorated. It is my go to spot every time I'm in Berkeley. read more

We've been to several Ethiopian restaurants in the Bay Area, and Cafe Colucci shines high above the rest. Some are meh. Others are adequate, and even a few are delicious. But Cafe Colucci is next level in terms of flavors, creativity, and overall quality. Food is not just delicious, but also refined. The service is excellent, and everyone is friendly without being overbearing. We love dining here, and feel welcomed each and every time. Thank you, Cafe Colucci. read more

This is my ALL TIME favorite Bay Area restaurant (and my partners). I typically get the vegan sampler platter and beef tibs. My partner always gets lamb tibs. All the flavors are heavenly and it's a treat every time. Also everyone that works here is so kind. Love the airiness of the new location, too read more

Cafe Colucci - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

The flavors here are so good. The injera is light and sour, as it should be. I'm so glad they moved into my neighborhood on San Pablo Ave. Parking is easy. read more

What a wonderful Mother's Day venue! First time at the Cafe; sat in the outdoor covered patio area. Beautiful day, nice server and terrific food (priced right!). Ordered a Vegan combo platter and added Assa Tibs (fish). Had a couple of sides, too (we were hungry) - Vegetarian Sambussa and Dentich Tibs (sort of like thick potato chips with seasoning). At the end of the meal, nothing but bones left (and those were picked clean!) It was a busy day, so service was a little delayed, but everyone was so nice, and we were not in a hurry. Great meal. Must go another time to try many of their other dishes! read more

Cafe Colucci - Vegan Combo Platter with Assa Tibs (fish) added - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Loved this place - you can buy species and other products and also have a flavor Bomb of a meal - never had Shiro before - loved it. Their lemonade is totally delicious - try it out. read more

I have enjoyed dining here a few times pre-COVID. I even introduced Ethiopian Food to my family by dining here. Friendly people and service. I even would get cravings and get takeout from here. Now with the new restrictions happening. They have easy online ordering and contactless pickup. Right now they do not accept cash and payment. I placed my order online and they had my order ready on time. They changed the front door as a pickup window so that you don't have to enter the restaurant. This is quick and easy and wonderful way to grab your food and go. I love the meat and veggie combos because you get a bit of everything. I love pairing up the veggie combo with some meat dish. All dishes are great and have great flavor. The House Injera is fresh, soft and not too sour. Assa Gored Gored-Fresh light white fish. Nicely sautéed with great flavor of rosemary, onions, garlic, lemon and jalapeño. Sega Tibs-One of my go to meat dishes. Sautéed beef cubes with fresh tomato, onion, jalapeños and rosemary. Veggie Combo-I love all of the flavors. Hard to decide which is my favorite, so I just get the combo. Azifa(lentils in Ethiopian mustard), Buticha(chickpea mash), Messer Wot(Spicy split lentil), Kik Alicha(Split pea in turmeric sauce), Gomen(sautéed collard greens) and Atakilt(Cabbage, potatoes and carrot mix) Café Colucci is a great spot for Ethiopian cuisine. read more

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First Ethiopian restaurant experience! The Vegetarian Platter was very good. Tried their Ethiopian espresso which was nice and strong w/ a hint of sweet syrup. Staff came around often and were friendly. Loved this place! read more

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After discovering you moved, my curiosity was piqued. The new space is larger, fresh, and inviting. It includes a back patio too. The food was just as good as I remember, although a bit more pricey and smaller portions. The addition of cocktails is a hit. I had the pink tequila drink and it was as beautiful as it was delicious. read more

Not the most attentive service. And the meat to veg ratio on the platter we ordered was quite skimpy. It's passable but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again. read more

The lamb was superb. The portions are deceivingly large compared to the price of the entree. They give you a lot of food. They respect a request for less spicey servings. The help was very down to earth and polite. I look forward to trying other dishes. read more

the food was so delicious it was definitely an exciting experience. we were a party of six and we ordered two platers with a whole tilapia. EVERYTHING WAS SO AMAZING!!!!! our server was very nice and the food came out moderately quickly. the outside seating was very, very pretty and cute and the inside was really nice too. the food was actually the best ethiopian food i've ever had and i've been to quite a few ethiopian restaurants. i highly highly highly recommend this restaurant. if you are in town, go to this ethiopian restaurant it will NOT disappoint. read more

Cafe Colucci - lime and mint mock tail - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Went to cafe colucci last night with a friend. When I sat down my friend wasn't with me yet, but I would have expected to be offered water or a menu. Unfortunately, I wasn't offered either and when my friend arrived we still weren't brought a menu or water. I had to ask the person who cleaned off the table next to me to bring water and menu's. I've been to cafe colucci a few times since living in oakland and it's been fine but tonight the service was terrible. I noticed a lot of white customers in the restaurant and had to wonder if my friend and I (two queer black folks) just weren't the kind of people who should be at the restaurant. Food was okay, I felt like the veggies were a bit under seasoned. They have gluten free injera which in appreciate. I'll stick to ensarro which is closer to home for me anyway. read more

When it comes to Ethiopian food, Café Colucci does it justice. The flavors are definitely there, but the service and small portion sizes are what's bringing them down for me. There are so many Ethiopian food spots in the neighborhood, but it never hurts to try something new. Café Colucci is one of the more popular spots for Ethiopian cuisine in the area, but I am just now finally getting around to trying them out. The verdict?! As a whole, I would rate them as just average. Let's start with what's working for them: *Ambience: I felt really comfortable dining at the restaurant. The décor is charming and kind of reminds me of a village hut. The main dining area has an ample amount of seating and their front patio is the perfect for enjoying your meal on a nice day. *Cuisine: The vegetarian combo that I had here was very tasty! The lentils were wonderful, the gomen was good, and the atakilt melted in my mouth as it always should. I wasn't a huge fan of the salad azifa salad. It overpowered everything else in my opinion. The injera was a little on the thin side, but it was still spongy with a mild sourness. And, for what needs work: *Portion sizes: I've been to quite a few Ethiopian restaurants and this one by far has had the smallest portion sizes. I'm used to having my entree served on a bed of injera, but Cafe Colucci serves it in a small tin bowl. It was really weird and a little disappointing considering how much it costed. Even the amount of injera that I was given was an upset. Of course the injera will fill you up, but with these small portions, you might still be left hungry when you're finished. *Service: Seriously lacking. The lady who took my order was nice but she just wasn't on it at all. Service was extremely slow. I was one of the first people to come into the restaurant, but it still took her a long time to take my order. It took forever for the food to come out and when it finally did, nobody came by to ask me how I was doing or to refill my water. I actually had to get up and go to the front register to close out my tab. Not sure if that's how they do things here, but why start with table service and end without it? It was really confusing and kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. With so many different Ethiopian choices on the block, I was expecting a lot more from them. I probably wouldn't return since there are plenty of better options in the neighborhood. read more

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Excellent Ethiopian. The best in the Bay. Great service. Always packed with locals that know what's good! read more

Cafe Colucci - Spices - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

Incredible food, drinks and ambiance. Service is friendly but not super attentive. Highly recommended

Always a great time at Cafe Colucci!! The wait for a seat isn't horrible. The staff is usually on point and the food is always delicious

Food is just amazing... aromatic, spices just absolutely incredible. They make their platter so beautiful. They are my first love for Ethiopian food. Service is always incredible! My go tos are vegetarian sampler, kitfo special and sambussas. Plenty of parking on the street. To go is pretty quick and easy. read more

I wanted to respond to the owner but I wasn't given that option. Yes, I ordered on a platform but the dishes were lacking in meat. About 2-3 ounces per dish. Mostly onions. read more

So delicious. We've been enjoying their veggie combo for over 20 years!!. We don't live in Berkeley anymore but when we're passing through we make a point of stopping to pick it up. read more

Cafe Colucci is such a great find! I can't believe I've been sleeping on this place for so long. First of all, the establishment itself is super cute - they decorated the interior and exterior with vibrant, fun colors that immediately feel inviting. The food, of course, was absolutely incredible! I ordered the veggie combo platter (they have the option to make it gluten free!) and an Ethiopian iced coffee. Let me start with the coffee, because I was so excited by this! I consider myself somewhat of a coffee connoisseur, and I was incredibly satisfied by this coffee. It was a light-roast, smooth coffee with fruity notes and an almost buttery aftertaste. Coffee lovers rejoice! The veggie combo was a delight. It came with four different stews, a soft, leafy green vegetable, pickled cabbage, and a side of teff injera. Each of the stews and vegetable had bold, warm, aromatic flavors unlike anything I've tasted before. The teff injera was tart (similar to the tartness of sourdough) and it, along with the cabbage, balanced out the heavier flavors in the rest of the dish. I was in love from the first bite! They just earned themselves a loyal customer. I'm glad they're not too far from my work - I'll certainly be back soon :) read more

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The food at this Oakland spot is legendary and we were not disappointed. The Dulet is to die for as was the fish and the veggie sampler. Can't say enough about the food. read more

Cafe Colucci is an excellent restaurant to meet up with friends or family and have a great feast. I've never had Ethiopian food, and my friend who recommended this restaurant said this is the standard for good Ethiopian food. I gladly agree! For three people, we spent around $60. This was hiked up due to us getting honey wine, which is just downright amazing and different than mead in a pleasant way - it is more sweet, less harsh, and seems more alcoholic, if that makes sense. Would definitely recommend getting the Honey wine on a date. We had the Veggie Sampler, and for three people, it was more than enough. The bread they give you is around half the dinner and it has a spongy, crepe-esque, sourdough texture and flavor. The sampler explored the palate and provided great bonding opportunities for us. Would definitely recommend. The place seems like it has seen better days, but the interior is by no means run down. It is merely showing its age a bit. Staff are very friendly and open to answering any questions you may have. Stop by when you want to meet up with friends! read more

Cafe Colucci - Ethiopian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Looks like the ownership has changed. Compared to our pre-pandemic experiences, food quality is down 10X, prices are up 3X, and the location simply cannot justify the prices they are charging. This is a ripoff as the food quality is simply not there read more

I come to cafe colucci to eat with uncle Hemby every time I come to Oakland And Berkeley. A blind of Ethiopian and American bistro. Lots of creativity.I love it. Excellent customer service. Food is great. Very good prices. I will be back every time I get a chance!!! read more