Get a signature plate. You will not be disappointed! The staff is always incredibly friendly. Great beverages, injera, vegan options, you name it. Go eat there and tip well! They deserve it! read more

You'll discover taste for food you didn't know you loved. I am suppose to add more words. Mmmmm yummmy slurp yuummmmy. read more

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Stopped here for an espresso before heading home to Phoenix. I wished we would've had time to eat something because the food looked really good. We plan to go back soon. read more

Unique, and delicious. The Ethiopian spice palette is a wonder. There are tons of vegan options. I am so lucky; they are just around the corner from my house, and the servings are plentiful ! read more

Had a great lunch once they got our orders straight! This is such a lovely place and they are accommodating, realized they had mixed us up and made it right. No rushing us, no sense of urgency. This is a sweet place with good food and good people. read more

First time trying This type of food and it was delicious! Collard greens red lentil and the chicken

Almost always a home run with this choice! The flavors are amazing! Only once when I've gone has there been an off day with the food. It was didn't taste as good as it normally does which is unfortunate. The staff is always nice ! read more

Wow wow and wow!!! Oh damn. The food. So so so delicious. If your new to Ethiopian take two friends, or one hungry friend, and get "The Works" it had everything that we wanted and more. Including plenty of gluten free and vegan food. Including gf injera! I can't wait to get back to Tucson for cafe Desta! Staff was awesome. Everything was awesome. Btw.. its BYOB!! We had a great time!! Thank you cafe Desta. read more

Mega sampler it has all the vegan and meat dishes .. one of the best I've had .. beats Los Angeles little Ethiopia any day ... will def return read more

Cafe Desta - Mega sampler - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Bravo!!! I just ordered vegan take out and it was PHENOMENAL! The food's fresh, flavorful, not greasy and so healthy. I couldn't ask for anything more. I will be adding Cafe Desta on to my recommendations list and eating here regularly! I didn't realize what I was missing until today. read more

My favorite coffee place ever. I always get the macchiato!! They also have really delicious chicken dishes and the atmosphere is really calm and nice. I totally recommend this cafe to everyone!! read more

Great Ethiopian did in a casual atmosphere. If you haven't had this type of food before, you will be pleasantly surprised. Great flavors and textures! read more

If you want the real thing, there is no reason to go anyplace else. They don't add fake decorations or any gimmicks to make it look like you are in Africa. It's just an honest cafe, that serves authentic Ethiopian food, made by a staff from Ethiopia. It's a bit out of the way, but we'll worth the trip. read more

Wow ok so this place is the cutest and the food and coffee equally wonderful. We got "the works" which is a bit of everything. Did it look appetizing? Not so much. But literally EVERYTHING tasted great. So many spices and flavors. I would recommend this for anyone, but especially for friends who want a dining experience. read more

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I don't really know what happened to Café Desta. A year or two ago I would eat wonderful gluten-free meals there. Today I had essentially flavorless meager spoonfuls of food with no distinct taste. The injera was dry and rubbery. The service was also lacking. It took forever to get a hot cup of tea or a fork. My first cup of tea tasted like lukewarm dishwater. It felt like no one was minding the store anymore. Sad. GLUTEN ALERT: I only ate one meal, the day I ate at Café Desta. That night I broke out with a horrible gluten-related rash. Although I ordered the gluten-free Injera, apparently what I ate had flour or other gluten substances in it. Thanks a lot Café Desta. read more

Cafe Desta is one of my favorite restaurants. I have never been disappointed - the food is always flavorful, hot, and fresh. We always get the combo for two, with Misir, Shiro, Kaye Beg, Kaye Doro, and Alicha Doro. So so good!! read more

Cafe Desta - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The people that work there are so nice and welcoming. I've only been here twice but they remember me like I'm a regular haha. It's beautiful inside and the food is AMAZING above all else. Definitely do recommend to anyone thinking about coming here. I usually get the number 12. read more

Great, great Ethiopian food. Very generous portions, deliciously tasty and flavorful food. Beautiful ethnic experience. We were able to find street parking without problems. Cute restaurant. It was soon packed! Three of us shared the vegetarian sampler and we were barely able to finish it! It had salad, lentils, cabbage, spinach, potatoes, and green beans. Yum! Super reasonable prices. Would absolutely love to come again. read more

We decided to come to Cafe Desta after the closing of Famous Ethiopian Restaurant that severely limited our options in the Phoenix area. It was late in the afternoon, and the restaurant was empty and neatly organized. The red brick décor included a good number of squared-shaped tables, black and white paintings, and a café area in the back. There was enough indirect sunlight to fill the interior, and we find the relaxed atmosphere conducive to both group and intimate gatherings. We eventually decided on two orders of Individual Combinations ($15 each), which included our choice of three meat and vegetarian items from the menu that each came with a basket of injera. Santi's order came with Mirsir, Gomen, Kik, and salad. The consistency of these items were thick, not runny or greasy, and full of flavor. I especially enjoyed the Gomen, as the collard greens came with great textures. The well-balanced flavors made it one of the best Gomen I had tasted to date. The Kik came with thick yellow split peas cooked with onion, turmeric, and herbs. It was slightly sweet and equally addictive and flavorful. Lastly, the Mirsir came with red lentils seasoned with heavier spicy berbere, onion, and herbs. There were noticeable kicks in the seasoning, but I wished there were stuffed jalapenos to notch things up to another level. My order came with Alicha Doro, Kaye Asa, Kaye Beg and salad. The Alicha Doro came with chicken, turmeric, kibe, onions, and spices. The chicken was nicely shredded, tender, and presented itself as a lighter alternative to the ones cooked in berbere that I find common in many Ethiopian restaurants. The Kaye Asa was a pleasant surprise of the meal. There were plenty of tilapia that came with good texture cooked with spicy berbere, sharp onions, and other seasonings. Unfortunately, the Keye Beg was my least favorite, as the lamb cubes had dry spots and the one-dimensional flavor failed to render any wow factor. The salad was fresh and lightly dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper to counteract the heavier flavors. Servings were sizable, and the accompanied injera were thin but held the food together quite well. Service was kind, friendly, and knowledgeable. Overall, it was a wonderful visit that exceeded our expectations. In terms of Tucson, we thought Zemam's was good too, but prefer Cafe Desta due to the richer consistency and lesser grease used in the food. I hope to return to try the Ayeb, Shiro, and Lamb Tibs. read more

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Whenever my husband and I have the opportunity to eat Ethiopian food, we seize it. The closest Ethiopian restaurant to our home is a 40 minute drive. We were in Tuscon and noticed that this had a good rating. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/U_NCpKQDf3z7qSBjvv4U0Q?select=xrCynOEJrw4ZieDRrXY5Pg We ordered two lunch specials family style. We chose four vegan dishes and two meat dishes: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/U_NCpKQDf3z7qSBjvv4U0Q?select=QPnKqR0ASj0rGLNQ--9uzg * Misr - Spicy red split lentils cooked with onions, Berbere and herbs * Fosolia - Green beans, carrots and onions simmered in tomato sauce * Gomen - Chopped collard greens cooked with fresh garlic and onions * Tikil-Gomen - Cabbage, carrots and potatoes spiced with turmeric * Alicha Doro - Chicken cooked in turmeric, onions * Kaye Beg - Spicy lamb cooked in Berbere, onions The "spicy" dishes weren't very spicy, but were flavorful and well-balanced. The food wasn't heavy, which is refreshing for restaurant cooking. I loved this food and felt really good after the meal. We also ordered Chai Masala and Mint Tea. The menu wasn't as extensive as some other Ethiopian restaurants we've been to, but we enjoyed everything we had. Service was good, and I would be happy to return. read more

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We tried Zimam's and Queen Sheeba. Desta was our favorite for Ethiopian in Tucson because they have the best injera bread. Sticky, stretchy, and moist. And not too sour. Desta also had great dine in service. read more

After visiting Biosphere 2 up near Oracle--a site that I would definitely recommend one's seeing--a friend from out-of-town and I returned to Tucson hungry for dinner. I have eaten at Zemam's many a time, and I wanted to check out a different Ethiopian restaurant this time. So, we drove down to 758 South Stone Avenue, just South of downtown Tucson, to Cafe Desta. Though it does not have a liquor license, Cafe Desta does allow people to bring in their own alcohol. We just decided to settle for their fruit drinks and a Coke, and both the Guava and the Mango were quite tasty and served in decent sized glasses. For our meal, we made the very good choice to go with the combination of five different offerings for two people for $25.00. We chose Alicha Doro, Kaye Beg, Beef Tibs, Misr and Tikil-Gomen. They came on a communal plate that was lined with Teff Injera and was accompanied by a salad on the plate, as well. For dining, we each received two pieces of tart, tangy Teff Injera with which to scoop up the meal. Now, living just outside of Washington, DC, with its large Eritrean, Ethiopian and Somali communities, I have dined at many Ethiopian restaurants in that area, especially in the part of town called Adams Morgan. Cafe Desta is excellent, and it is as good as any of them! One thing that impressed me, too, is that ofttimes when one orders any meat dish in an Ethiopian restaurant, one is hard pressed to find the meat. There may be one piece the size of a kitty kibble, and that's it. Not so at Cafe Desta: There is really meat in their meat stews. That was a nice surprise. Furthermore, the food was all delicious with exotic seasonings. We enjoyed everything from the fruit drinks to the entrees to the Teff Injera. Cafe Desta is a winner, and I will be back! read more

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Cafe Desta is by far my favorite Ethiopian restaurant and one of my favorite places to eat in Tucson. The food is fresh, delicious, and very reasonably priced, and all of the staff are super friendly, attentive, and helpful. If you've never tried Ethiopian, you're missing out! Cafe Desta's menu spells out what's in each dish, so you understand exactly what they're ordering. For groups of three or more people, I highly recommend getting "The Works" - a big sampler platter that includes some of everything. You can't go wrong with any of it. The majority of the menu is vegan, so this is a fantastic place to bring vegetarian and vegan friends. They have an equivalent Vegan-friendly sampler platter in the $30 range. Cafe Desta is a great place for big groups because they can open up the Five Points restaurant next door and use the extra space to seat large parties. Although they don't have a liquor license, they offer something even better: bring your own alcohol with no corkage fee. Love this place!! read more

Cafe Desta - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Try the Sampler Plate with some friends ! I found this gem using yelp and I was pleasantly surprised to find authentic Ethiopian food. The staff is friendly and they are willing to help you choose something delicious. If you haven't tried Ethiopian food yet, this is a great place to start. They also offer Ethiopian coffee. I can't wait to return! read more

Cafe Desta - Sampler plate enough food for 3! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Pretty much let me just concur with Marina M and her review...except for one point: I routinely have better service at Zemam's than Desta. I avoid both places when busy, but yet somehow I'm always left with the impression that the staff (and owner) at Desta seems put out to have customers! Even when slow?? What gives?? So easy fix...I've stopped going to Desta. read more

Great food and fabulous atmosphere. Really hip an casual and welcoming. The server recommended the iced tea and we all loved it. The three of us shared a combo for two plus the lamb entree. Everything was superb! Especially the lamb. Wish we could have tried the dessert -- sold out before we got there, which just means that was as fabulous as everything else. Will arrive a few minutes earlier next time. read more

Glad to have a new Ethiopian restaurant in Tucson, and in a part of town hungry for more variety. Nice, fresh dishes -- but very light on the spice. Even when ordered spicy. Even on multiple visits. But, again, the food is fresh and tasty and the service is swift and cordial. read more

Great food, great service. I love this place. I always order the meal for two. It's a lot of food, but we always manage to tear it up. Please support! read more

Food is always delicious and when I don't know what to order, the owner always has great suggestions. Haven't been disappointed yet!

There is very little you can say about Cafe Desta that would be praise, except maybe for: 1) It is in a doubtful neighborhood (but at least there's plenty of parking) 2) It's not beautiful inside (but it is comfortable - see my photo) 3) ... I can't think of anything else As for the good stuff, you could compliment the service, friendly and punctual, and you could praise the non-existant corkage fee, but basically you want to come here for the food. You will probably get a combination of three (for one person) or five (for two persons) Ethiopian stews served on Ethiopian bread. They are all good, and several that we had were great. I would recommend the lamb particularly, but the variety is what makes this special. I belileve they serve two kinds of bread, one lightly and puffier than the other but similar otherwise, so taste everything that put down in front of you. Then enjoy. read more

Cafe Desta - Interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This place gets a visit whenever we are in town. Great atmosphere. Fantastic coffee. The beef tibs were awesome. Shiro and Kik so tasty. Good service and very nice restaurant and bathrooms. We will be back. Oh,great injura also read more

Cafe Desta - Family platter - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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A bump up to pure perfection. I learned a couple of things during our Yelp Supper Club at Cafe Desta. 1. I absolutely LOVE Ethiopian food!! 2. Even though the platter that comes out with all the food doesn't look like nearly enough...you will never finish it all! I guarantee!! 3. The amazing injera bread expands in your stomach to fill the places you never knew existed! We came on a Tuesday evening and I was shocked to see how busy the place was, which brought me a lot of happiness! The word is out and people know how good Cafe Desta is! It's so nice to see a couple of hard working people become successful with their dream! I'm looking forward to my next visit to enjoy all of their tasty dishes. During this visit we actually got "The works" and let them choose what to give us. Honestly I enjoyed every single thing on there! Sometimes the food flavors can all meld together and start to taste the same, but I noticed that each dish had their own specific flavors that helped to distinguish what it actually was, because in all honesty I usually never know! Keep up the great work Telahoun and Brook. See you soon! read more

Cafe Desta - The Works!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I'm head over heals in love with Cafe Desta! The food is really fresh and the service is so quick! I am a little bummed that they are currently on their summer hours, so no more weekend lunches there. (I'm a huge fan of going to lunch to try everything on the menu at a lower price.) During the summer they are only open for Saturday night dinner service. I can vouch for all of the vegetarian dishes on the menu, all perfect! I'm also a recent fan of their mango juice, so refreshing for the summer. The atmosphere is modern, but not cold modern...very warm & inviting! Overall, if I could eat every day at Cafe Desta I would. Enough said. read more

Cafe Desta - Mango juice and yekemem shai tea are the best! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The food is delicious. It is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Tucson!! You really can't go wrong getting food at Cafe Desta!

I came here on my recent trip back home to Tucson and ended up going to the cafe several times just to get the coffee and visit with various relatives. The cafe location itself is very inviting and relaxed inside compared to the hustle and bustle outside and it's a welcoming atmosphere. Good food that even the baby liked and reasonably priced lunch deals. Tip: Get the Ethio-Latte because it is so good and smooth. read more

Cafe Desta - Delicious Ethio-Latte. This is the latte of my dreams! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Absolutely loved it, clean retaurant and very enjoyable food! The dinner for two is an excellent option. Vegan options were plentiful and delicious. We chose the spicy meats/fish and they were a perfect balance of flavors. Will return and highly recommend! Parking is a bit troublesome so be prepared. read more

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Delicious food! We ordered on door dash and the driver didn't pick up all of our food. The restaurant went above and beyond to make sure we got our food. So kind. Get the works for your family dinner! You won't be disappointed. read more

Friends from work picked this place because Cafe Desta has great Vegan (according to my coworkers; I'm a carnivore!) selections. I was dubious about trying Ethiopian food, but O! M! W! The various selections everyone had were absolutely wonderful (we shared bites from the various plates so we could each try the ones we wanted)!!! I couldn't tell you what the name of my favorite one was, but it was like a chicken stew, perfectly seasoned and so very tasty! The bread-like, crepe-like stuff is also pretty good, too, though I was glad we had the option to use forks instead of the crepes to pick up the stew. Now, if those could be made gluten-free... (just kidding)! Anyway, GREAT food, reasonably priced, served fast and hot by gracious and friendly hosts. This is a winner all the way around! Thanks, Cafe Desta! read more

This place is 5 stars for real, not like all the other fake 5 star places everyone reviews. I'm going to keep it simple. Unique, delicious, flavorful food. All of the details are paid attention to here. Water has a hint of lemon. The place is clean and decor adds to the authenticity. I'm coming back! read more

Cafe Desta - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Cafe Desta is phenomenal. About half their menu is vegan, so lots of delicious options. I really love the azifa, but everything is great!