This place is hit or miss. I like the vegetarian entrees and the injera is very good. The food is a bit blander than Dahlak and some of the other Ethiopian places in West Philadelphia. Also some dishes are expensive for what they are - chickpeas, beans, etc. - unless injera is very expensive and I am not aware of it. The vegetarian combo (which has small portions of 4 vegetarian dishes) is very good and I order it regularly. However, I wish there were more options for mixing and matching dishes, like being able to order 1/2 portions or 1/3 portions of various dishes. Unless you order the combo, you can't mix and match or you will be charged full price for each entree. Some items on the menu are not very good, like the chicken salad. It was like salty chicken jerky over lettucce with a ton of dressing. Also, I think their cappucinos are a bit watery and bitter. Overall, however, the atmosphere is good and there are always people studying or hanging out. Also, the place always smells amazing. read more

Ate at Kaffa this evening. My 1st time trying Ethiopian food. After I got used to no silverware, it was pretty good. Service was adequate even though me and my friend were the only people there. Vegetarian entrees were good, as was the sponge-like injera bread. But the beef tibs - Oh My God. As gristle-y and tough as could be. Were there shoelaces in this meat? Was this meat? Was it really beef or possibly some other poor hapless animal that took a wrong turn on the way home? Prices were reasonable - of course! read more

I went here based on a Phillyblog recommendation, and oh man, this is my favorite restaurant so far. That might not be saying much, since I've only eaten here and at the New Delhi buffet, but I'm confident Kaffa Crossing will remain at the top of my favorite restaurants list. I shared two appetizers (some kind of samosa-ish thing and a roll-up injera with tofu...something) and the veggie platter with my boyfriend. We thought it might not be enough, because we were told the platter is for one (not two), but it definitely was. Cheap, cozy, cute, great. read more

Great Ethiopian Food. Great place for vegan and vegetarian take out. Had meat options for our friends as well. We did take out and was very satisfied with the flavor and quality of the food. Recommend for those seeking ethnic food options. read more

This place has been on my "to try" list for a while so I finally got around to it! The man working here was friendly and patient with us. I like that this place has a good laid back feel. Apparently their stuff is fair trade which I fully support. The menu is straightforward and it says what you'll get in case it's your first time. I think the prices could be cheaper but that's ok. The food was good. It's not my favorite Ethiopian place in the neighborhood but it's good enough. read more

Some of the best Ethiopian food in the city- if you like Ethiopian food (sounds obvious but you'd be surprised.) Take friends & share a large plate of stuff with injera & don't be afraid to try the kitfo- its DELICIOUS. read more

I came here for dinner on a Saturday. This place wasn't packed, which is a good thing when you're looking for a quieter atmosphere to lounge around with some close friends. However, considering the number of tables occupied, it took considerable time for the food to come out (15-20 minutes, which really isn't that bad). The injera was soft and spongy, although also a bit (surprisingly) sour! The tofu and eggplant wot were good, although they were pretty sour too. As a result, one of my friends couldn't touch the eggplant wot after eating half. The best dish we ordered as the beef tibs, as the beef was nicely marinated (not too spicy) and perfectly balanced the sourness of the injera. Got the Coconut Chai Breeze (large), which was delicious and not too sweet, but it cost five dollars! read more

Delicious, best Ethiopian food I've had in Philadelphia. I especially recommend the eggplant dish and the tofu dish which were not overly spicy in the way that some of the beam dishes were. Will come here again as soon as I have the opportunity. read more

As a first timer, this was a great introduction to Ethiopian food. I had the vegetarian combo (cabbage, lentils, salad, and collard greens) and was easily satisfied. The Mango smoothie was also a delight. My friend had the Tibs (beef, cabbage, and lentils) and was also very pleased. Also a great space to get work done during the day. read more

We came to Philly visiting our friend for the weekend. She took us to Kaffa's and we all ordered a hot drink off of the specials menu. All of our drinks tasted very fresh but a bit too sweet and rich for my taste. We had great conversation and the atmosphere really encourages it. It seems that many people come there to debate, share, and laugh. The price range is about $2-5 for drinks. We didn't try the food as we had just eaten. We went again the very next day for hot drinks. I got a chai latte which was very delicious, but actually a bit less rich than i would have liked (now, i just sound insatiable). However, you can tell that drinks are high quality. My friend also ordered sambusas, triangle filled pastry, that didn't seem to have been given as much love and consideration as the coffees and hot drinks. They seem like they are usually in the state of frozen. However, it is a cute place. It seems to forever have at least six people there no matter how freezing it is outside. The owner and wife (?) seem like very nice people. Will probably be back again the next time we are in Philly. read more

My 1st time eating Ethiopian food and I wasn't disappointed. The food was absolutely delish! Still wish I ordered the large pumpkin chai smoothie instead of the small. read more

Kaffa Crossing was my first Ethiopian experience and the food was delicious! A girlfriend and I shared the vegetarian platter and added a side of eggplant. It was more than enough for two once you couple the platter with the Injera - this crazy amazing spongy pancaky bread that you use to scoop up all other delightfulness served. The service was definitely lacking as we sat at the table for a good fifteen minutes before we even saw anyone to give us menus. However, the delicious food, the prices, and the fact that it's a BYO will keep me coming back for more! read more

I am always looking for good Ethiopian food as I lived in DC, and have sampled some of the best over there. Kaffa has met expectations, however, not the best in Philadelphia for me. Good vegetarian options and good service (although sometimes too slow). read more

Ugh! I want to love this place so much but the customer service is severely lacking. If you aren't a regular, you are not attended to as much. I have been in there for hours, sitting as the only customer and completely ignored. The food is yummy, prices are pretty good but they need to do better with customers. read more

I love Kaffa Crossing because it's the best in two worlds: they have wonderful Ethiopian menu - lots of Vegetarian options . We came for lunch on a saturday and I had Ethiopian Vegetarian Combo - ellow split peas, spiced split lentils, collard greens, string beans & carrots and salad. Yum! my friend had Spicey Doro Tibs (chicken). Prices are reasonable. Kaffa Crossing is also a coffeehouse where they serve fair trade Ethiopian coffee and yummy pastries. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think Kaffa Crossing is as good as the full-fledge Ethiopian restaurants on Baltimore Ave and thereabout. read more

I like this place a lot, especially as a little neighborhood spot. The coffee is amazing. In fact, I never have a problem with the cafe portion of Kaffa. And the staff are generally very pleasant. My biggest problem: inconsistency in the food. I have had amazing food here and also really sub-par food. I will definitely continue to frequent this place but I hope that the food will be more consistent. This could be the best Ethiopian restaruant in West Philly but if they keep serving food that says "they wont know any better" they'll end up loosing good business. read more

Kaffa Crossing is a combination coffee shop and Ethiopian restaurant. I think this is the best Ethiopian restaurant in Philly. Apart from being cheap ($8-10 entrees), they do have a great vegetarian combo platter (a must for Ethiopian food, since all their veggie dishes are delicious and you don't want to miss out by ordering a single vegetable dish). Their doro tibs are great. I especially like the fact that you can add additional "sides" to the vegetarian combo. I usually add the Okra (their Okra is not the best I've had, but it's pretty good). Portions are large (you can split 2 entrees between 3 people) too. Cheap and good. What more do you want? read more

Delicious. We moved to west Philly a couple of weeks ago, and have been binging on all of the delicious Ethiopian fare. This is far and away the best we've encountered so far. Yum. read more

The food is average. Its not bad but coming from LA where there is a whole little ethiopia we were a little let down. If you have never eaten in this style is very much worth going here to give it a try. read more

I like the food here. This is one of the better Ethiopian restaurants in Philly. I ordered the vegetarian combo which is very filling for 1 person. The fitfit appetizer is also very good. The food is very flavorful and tastes better than at most other Philly Ethiopian restaurants. My only suggestion for improvement would be adding a bit of depth to their menu. That said, I'll definitely come back! read more

I had the vegetarian combination at lunchtime. It was delicious, nutritious and reasonably priced. The staff was great and the environment pleasant. I will definitely be going back. read more

My pretty blond friend who works at Kaffa would always bring me some surprise platter on an injera. It is a cozy environment where you can have an afternoon in peace to study, read, do work or just get some coffee and eat with you hands. Work from local painters hang on the wall and are for sale, along with a handful of fair-trade African goods. It is BYOB, but get some ginger beer instead. read more

N and I made an unplanned visit to Kaffa Crossing as we were planning to go to Marrakesh Express which was closed. We ordered Pita plate and lamb tibs with rice. The place was pretty clean except that the white tablecloth had a big yellow stain that grossed us a little bit. They brought pita plate in a good time but they took a loooong time to bring lamb. N went to answer a phone call while I entertained myself with a man sitting next to me who was quizzing kids on all kinds of trivia facts. finally our meal arrived which was worth the wait as they food tasted very fresh was pretty flavorful. N thought it was a little bland but I enjoyed it a lot. read more

For my first experience with Ethiopian food, it wasn't too bad! I ordered from the vegetarian menu: cabbage and carrots with Ethiopian spices. It was very good and super filling. In fact I still had a good portion left by the time I was done. Next time I think I'll try the vegetarian sampler plate. read more

Kaffa was the only Ethiopian restaurant we could find that was open for lunch on a Monday, despite what some sites say. The service was friendly, the food came out quickly and everything was delicious. The two of us ordered a lamb dish and a vegetarian combo. Everything came out in one large order and was more than the two of us could eat - I sure tried to eat it all! I'd go back any day. read more

First time trying Ethiopian food and it was excellent! Staff was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The food came quickly and was delicious. Definitely coming back to try something else. read more

Best Ethiopian in the city! Pretty cheap. They give tons of food. There may be a wait if it's super busy but definitely worth the while.

A solid neighborhood Ethiopian restaurant. The vegetarian platter had all the basics (yellow lentils, red lentils, cabbage, greens, a little salad) all of which was not mind blowing but good. Our favorite parts were the sides of tofu (delicious!) and eggplant (also delicious! But more oily). We als tried the special full (Fava bean mush-like Dip) which interestingly seemed mostly like refried beans (perhaps to those who have never had them before) the paradise smoothie was ok - tasted mostly like strawberry. The injera was good. read more

I ordered the veggie combo with okra and sambusas. Everything was delicious and the staff was super kind. They had some cool music playing in the restaurant too. read more

As a student that frequents coffee shops all around West Philly to study/get my caffeine fix/eat, I can honestly say that Kaffa Crossing is the best on all accounts. The menu is surprisingly large and is literally the best Ethiopian food in the city. They have a bakery that, while smaller than Metropolitan nearby, is much cheaper and equally as good. The place itself is a great mix of neighborhood locals and students, old and young, and the decor is comfy, Ethiopian-themed, and inviting. It has, hands down, the BEST COFFEE in West Philadelphia; literally perfect! Plus, the fresh fruit smoothies are just that; real fruit blended with soy milk. The sheer diversity and quality of the food and drink offered here is unbelievable. Bottom line, this place somehow has it all: a great byo for you and friends and a wifi cafe for when you need to catch up on some reading. read more

In Philly picking up my son from school (Temple), and decided to stop for lunch...wanted something different, so we decided on Ethiopian...at first I was little apprehensive about eating the food, but decided to go...GLAD I did...it was very good, I enjoyed it a lot and will return when in Philly again...also had the coffee, very good. And very nice owners, very nice... read more

the food was good, but they charged my card twice and I never got my money back, I don't see myself going back

This place has the most flavorful Ethiopian food that Ive found in Philly. Prices are reasonable, and there is a full bar. Service can be pretty slow though, but I always leave here happy. read more

Absolutely delicious. I got a vegetarian combo to go. Friendly staff and very fast turn around time. The meal was well packaged and plenty of food with the classic combination of dishes (spinach, cabbage and potato, spicy red lentils, mild yellow lentils) and two large pieces of injera. Strong recommendation for tasty Ethiopian cuisine! read more

I love the vibe in this place. so cozy and layed back. The food is great, and they have both sit down homemade meals, as well as ready to go, preprepared snacks/meals. The owners are so friendly and nice, just really good people. The place is set up like a coffee house, and though very different than a typical Ethiopian restaurant, it works really nice. Great place to hang out with friends and linger after a meal to drink some delicious Ethiopian coffee or tea. They have a lot of organic selections, which is always a plus. Street parking is always easy here, but the place is tiny from the outside and easy to not see if you have never been here. If you are heading east, down chesnut street, they will be on your left hand side. read more

The service is not the best but the food is awesome. Vegetarian combo is the best bet for fellow herbivores.

An apparently undiscovered gem - went on New Years Eve around 7 PM and very few people. Went for the vegetarian menu - and it was excellent. I wasn't aware that it is a fair trade business - better yet. Took a chance and brought our own wine - we well received, and they provided corkscrew and wine glasses. Might help to advertise as a BYOB. The atmosphere isn't great - very "coffe shopie" but the service was gracious. Will definitely return. A little pipped in music would be welcome. read more

Kaffa Crossing was my first experience with Ethiopian food. Despite the trek from campus, I'd say it was worth it. For those who haven't had Ethiopian food before, the meal consists of a stew of sorts, wot (similar to an Indian balti) served atop an (enormous) crepe/pancake. Unfortunately for me, I didn't factor my gluten intolerance into the mix when deciding to get Ethiopian, making my sampling of the sourdough, spongy injera bread limited. I ordered the soup of the day, which was fresh and delicious, albeit mildly spiced vegetable. My friends and I split the tofu wot, the eggplant wot, and the yellow split pea (kik aletcha) wot. To me, the kik aletcha was the blandest of the three, the other two tasty, yet lacking sufficient spice. If i return, I will definitely ask for more spice, and will probably also order a meat dish to see how it compares. Service and ambiance-wise, our waitress was extremely friendly and helpful, and the cafe in general had a comfy, warm atmosphere. Oddly enough, the only dessert to my knowledge was biscotti, an odd choice for an Ethiopian restaurant. The food here is good, although spice lovers, make sure to ask for heightened spiciness! As for me, I may return; the only thing hampering me is the virtual uselessness of the injera given my gluten intolerance. Everyone else, eat away! read more

I give Kaffa Crossing five stars the service here is amazing. The Ethiopian food here is authentic and portions here are big and worth every cent. Kaffa is an amazing cafe that is a mix of everything Ethiopian restaurant, snack shack, smoothie bar, and coffee shop. I would recommend trying Kaffa out. read more

Love this place. My mom is ethiopian so injera is something that I grew up with. This place has great food and atmosphere the only down fall is the waiting time which is usually pretty long at least for me, but for the rest it's great and most of it has wifi so you can work and/or study!!!! Love it!!! read more