First time having Ethiopian food! Disclaimer: I am not a fan of injera - the spongy flatbread that's actually sourdough-risen and made out of teff flour (thanks Wikipedia). The texture is a little too soft and spongy for me; that and the sourness is not really my thang...HOWEVER, anything tastes good when you have super delicious lamb (doro wot). Far and beyond the best part of my meal. For a table of 4 girls, we ordered the hummus platter (feta cheese, olives, hummus, olive oil, $7), yebeg tib (chicken, $12.25), doro wot (lamb, $15), shiro wat (chickpeas, $9). Final came out to ~$12ish per person after tax and tip. Service was great but you had to ask for them to come over (but when they did, they took care of everything). Wash your hands before you start, ask for lots of napkins, refill your water, and don't forget to go up to the cashier to pay - they won't bring out the check. Kaffa Crossing is past 44th and Chestnut which is a little farther than I usually like to wander but I came here for a 6 PM dinner and finished by 7:30 when it was still light out and walked back as a group. It was fine, but definitely not in Kansas anymore. read more

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My Queen suggested this place and I got it say. I'm VERY glad she did. I find it to be very genuine. It had a very subtle style of scenery. The lady at the front was kind and very nice to me and my queen. All in all if you want authentic food from Ethiopia... come here. read more

Kaffa Crossing is a very special place. A gem, even. They serve incredible Ethiopian coffee, nutty and satisfying. Which is a great start to a lunch here, though be warned - come hungry!! My boyfriend and I always go for a double vegetarian platter. There is nothing in the world quite like the split lentils (misir wot). The cabbage and carrots (tikel gomen) are perfectly soft and a sweet contrast from the spicy blend used on the lentils; berbere is the name of this divine Ethiopian staple. The split yellow peas (kik aletcha wot) are comforting and simple. This platter is served with a light vinegar salad of romaine, tomato, cucumber and jalapeños! The injera is always fresh, spongy and generously provided. This teff based "bread" will change your life. Wash your hands well prior to eating! There's something very invigorating about sharing a plate of food (with someone you like a lot, as it is an intimate experience) and using your hands. If you're feeling adventurous and love your tastebuds, this place will please you! Service is excellent. Very friendly and attentive without interrupting. They seem to show up only when you need them. It does take a good while to receive your food, so don't try to squeeze this into your day if you're busy. The food itself will keep your belly happy for hours! I'm happier every time I make it back here. Simple food done well. read more

Kaffa Crossing - Double vegetarian platter! Served with plenty of extra injera on a plate not pictured. - Ethiopian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The sevice was terrible. The server(lady) was very rude she keep talking to us in her native language even though she knew we spoke English not her language I guess Amhara? How rude to assume ever one should know your native tongue. No greeting no smile sad !!!!She never came back to our table. Awful. 2 star because food wasn't too bad as service was. I hope the owners of this place read this post and take corrective action for their business interests. read more

Ordered $60 worth of food. Got $20 delivered. Driver told me not his problem. I called the restaurant - told to bring receipt. Brought order and the receipt for the online order - told not 'their' receipt. They wouldn't show me their receipt either. Something sketchy is going on with this place and they don't care about losing customers. Don't waste your time. read more

This is THE place for Ethiopian food in Philadelphia. Their food is good and consistent, service is much better than most other places in that part of town and they are friendly. We used to go there a lot but now get food delivered from them on UberEats. read more

My first time at an Ethiopian restaurant and I enjoyed it very much! Friends of ours who have had many meals here were excited to bring us since we're usually up for any type of food. We love food! We had a really good time with great food and great customer service. My favorite was the spiced lentils and collard greens. Truly, everything was tasty. I could eat their injira at every meal. The coconut chai smoothie was DEElicious. The place was clean and our server left us wanting for nothing. We had a very positive experience and the food was super yummy! I will definitely be going back! read more

It was awesome to finally try ethiopian food with my favorite ethiopian friend. The place is really cute and the owners are so nice it hurts... I was even fed, which apparently is a traditional custom. Let me specify, it was the friend that fed me, not the owners. We had the fitfit, the ethiopian vegetarian combination platter, the kitfo, and plenty of injera. Way too much food for just two girls. Everything was great, particularly the yellow split peas and the collard greens. The kitfo was good, but a little too spiced for me. The texture of the injera is beyond dreamy, sourdough-y and fluffy! We also had plenty of some very nicely spiced tea. Best one ever. All in all, Kaffa Crossings was an incredible change from the food I normally eat. read more

Kaffa Crossing - ethiopian vegetarian plate and kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Beautiful restaurant and amazing food. Great place to meet friends, share a plate, and have long deep discussions. Support the restaurant and buy lots of food. It's worth it! read more

My very first time eating Ethiopian food. And I was not disappointed. Everything the had a good spicy flavor. The chicken was tender and tasted fresh. Everything had a lot of flavor I'm not crazy about the bread, maybe I'm just not use to the texture is very strange and I'd imagine they be warm and not so cold. Also very cheap and filling. This something to eat with a group. I'll def be back read more

Kaffa Crossing - I believe I got vegetarian combo with chicken - Ethiopian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Kaffa Crossing has the best and most reasonably priced Ethiopian food in West Philly. I like Dahlak or Abysinnia for the bar scene, but I don't usually order food there. read more

Currently my favorite Ethiopian place in Philly! The food nice and spicy and warm, loved the Shiro and the tofu dish was innovative and it worked. Not crazy about the ambiance of the bug zappers inside the restaurant, but the service was lovely and will definitely return. read more

This was DISGUSTING. I have a history of going to various Ethiopian restaurants and tried many Ethiopian dishes and this is NOT it! I got the vegetarian combo w/ a side of shiro last night and the food had NO FLAVOR! The shiro tasted bland, collard greens tasted bland, the cabbage and potatoes tasted bland, the lentil stew tasted bland, and the corn tasted bland! The salad was ok but majority of the plate was BLAND! No flavor!!!! Where is the seasoning??? This is absolutely the worst Ethiopian restaurant i ever been to. If you can't flavor something as simple as a vegetarian combo, which is a KNOWN Ethiopian traditional meal, then the meat dishes will most likely lack flavor as well. I would rather go to Abyssinia -- their food had flavor. read more

This is my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Philly. I've literally tried them all, and hands down love this one the best. I always get the Spicy Lambs Tibs, Tikel Goemen and extra injera. I'm not sure how to fix this--but it says that Yelpers have said this place closed... I just called today and placed an order, so they're definitely OPEN! read more

The best coffee shop in West Philly is an Ethiopian restaurant. :) Amazing prices, delicious coffee and smoothies. Can't wait to return.

A great place for a truly excellent cup of coffee in an informal and multicultural environment. After all, Ethiopia is the home of Coffee; it was first discovered and developed as a beverage there. The food is great too, but it's a bit hit and miss for more than light fare. Also, service is Ethiopian style which is not "in your face". Prepare to spend a while. More like a good authentic (coffee doesn't get more connected to the source than this) cup of coffee and a light meal on a sunny Sunday afternoon or something and you will love it!!! read more

Kaffa Crossing - Upcoming flyer - Ethiopian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Once upon a time in Rome, a few of my more adventurous friends dragged me to an Ethiopian restaurant. The heaps of undifferentiated glop and bony bits we received angered me greatly, because I was a student and could not afford to eat out and hate it. Feeling the loss of 15 euros, I vowed never to eat Ethiopian again. Now that I'm older and wiser, I realize the foods I've hated have just been terrible versions of those certain cuisines. Kaffa Crossing is the perfect restaurant to convert those new to Ethiopian, or those like myself who had a traumatizing experience. Tender collards diced in a mathematical brunoise, lightly spiced red lentils, chewy, flavorful lamb tibs and a kitfo touched with cinnamon (?) decorated the giant's plate of food we ordered. Scooping it all up with the best-textured, fresh injera I've ever encountered was gloriously messy and rewarding. Plenty of options here for vegans and vegetarians, but carnivores should definitely check out the kitfo. You order up to your preferred temp (I'd say rare or mid-rare) and it arrives looking for all the world like a bowl of raw hamburger. Don't be put off -- it's delicious. read more

This place had a cute coffeehouse format, very different than most of the other Ethiopian restaurants, but was still quite spacious. It had wonderful hardwood floors that would have been perfect for a salsa night with the tables removed. Ok, I digress. The menu was not extremely extensive. On the other hand, the price was a bit more than other Ethiopian places. When the food came out, I barely contained myself long enough to say grace before pouncing on the HUMONGOUS plate. I would say that the portions are about 30% - 50% larger than at Abyssinia's and maybe 200% larger than at Dahlak's. No, I am not being hyperbolic. The food generally was quite delicious; the lamb and other ingredients seemed very fresh. Kaffa Crossing's Gomen (collard greens) is probably the best of any Ethiopian restaurant in the city. The only really disappointment I had at Kaffa was the injera (spongy sourdough pancake that you eat everything). Although the injera that came on the separate plate was okay, the injera that lined the plate underneath the food was dry. My knowledgeable companion, who comes to Kaffa quite often, stated that the injera is not always consistent - sometimes dry, but usually okay in her opinion. All in all, a great dining experience. It's a bit more expensive (read a dollar or two), but you are getting more also. Thanks to this post, now I have a horrible almost uncontrollable craving for Ethiopian food. Good thing I'm not even close to being in Philly. read more

I got to go on a date with Blake F., Erin F., and Felicia D. this week. I'm new to Ethiopian food, but my compatriots are not. We got the veggie sample platter with a few extras, and Felicia and I split the lamb tibs. I was stuffed halfway through the meal, and we had left overs. The food was good, though the lamb was a little gristly. I really don't know if this is how it usually is or not, though. Guess how much our bill was. GUESS! Really, really inexpensive. That's how much. It's a shame I don't live near by anymore. read more

This is my second time having Ethiopian food, the first time being back in Columbus, OH. I was a bit wary, as my first Ethiopian food experience was not so great, but this was truly a great experience! For people not familiar with Ethiopian food, it is served in a "family style" with the platters of meats and veggies served on a large plate on top of injera, the namesake Ethiopian flatbread. No utensils--you use your hands to eat everything, and extra injera is provided to scoop up the platter portions. From a personal standpoint, I like my injera to be mild (slightly spongy, only slightly sour, and not too sticky). Kaffa Crossing's injera fit this description perfectly. Ethiopian food can occasionally have the reputation of being extremely spicy, but the spice level here was completely manageable (and mild options are available for those who are concerned). The atmosphere on a Friday night was clean, quiet, and low-key. It was truly relaxing. As a group of 4, we ordered about 5 platters, which was more than enough food (we were all stuffed!). The bill came out to be about $18/person pre-tax/tip. Overall, if you are looking for a new food experience, definitely check this place out! Highly recommended. read more

Kaffa Crossing is a true gem in West Philly, and one I've unfortunately neglected far too often - but most certainly will not do anymore. Nestled on the 4400 block of Chestnut, its big front windows are warm and inviting. The interior of the cafe is gorgeous - beautiful wooden floors, contrasting red and yellow walls with modern art, and Ethiopian arts and crafts. There is a great mix of comfy chairs and couches. The menu is unparalleled - with a wide variety of espresso drinks (standard and specialty) to delicious smoothies. The coffee is amazing - Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, after all. The food? Absolutely the best Ethiopian in the city, handily beating out the much more popular spots Abyssinia and Dahlak. The spongey bread, injera, used to dip in all sorts of spicy combinations of lentils, beans, meat, and veggies is made fresh daily. I'm fairly sure Kaffa sees less traffic than A & D due to the fact that they don't serve alcohol. Best of all, prices on the coffee, tea, and food are much lower than other area spots. I think what really completes the Kaffa experience is the diverse mix of folks that come through the door, from local Ethiopian families to students and punk rock kids. It's a perfect representation of the neighborhood. I can't wait for more of your misir wot and ful, Kaffa Crossing. read more

For the first time ever Yelp has truly let me down with this place. I couldn't care less about ambiance if the food is good. Unfortunately, that was not the case at Kaffa Crossing. The collard greens are surely canned or maybe just bad for other, unknown reasons. The yellow lentils are also particularly unappetizing. I left hungry with a plate full of greens and lentils. The beef tibs was tasty and the cabbage was also quite good. The menu said string beans, potatoes, cabbage and carrots. I had, literally, one small piece of a string bean and one, equally small, piece of carrot. I don't feel like I should pay upwards of $8 for a plate full of cabbage (which easily costs 30 cents a head). NO FAIR! I also ordered a smoothie hoping for something to fill me up the rest of the way. It was actually just juice. Admittedly, the juice was tasty but I could pick up mixed fruit juice from the grocery store and get a gallon of it for $4.95. I could potentially see myself returning to study over a cup of coffee but I'll make sure to go elsewhere once hunger strikes. read more

With a plethora of African food options in West Philly, everyone's got their recommendation of which place is best, what you should get, what you should expect and how it'll come out. Among the hubbub, we found our way to this quaint restaurant that masquerades as a simple coffee shop. We love the smoothies. Boyfriend opts for chocolate peanut butter, whereas I usually go for a more tropical flavor. I'm a huge of fan of pretty much every vegetarian dish I've tried...lentils and chickpeas and eggplant, oh my! For meat, we love lamb. Spicy, if you like it. Beef is also good, but not as tender. Honestly, I just love getting a platter of veggie options and gorging myself on soft injera. Service is attentive, bordering on a bit slow. But they're pretty good at filling up water glasses and that's my go to for the final star! Another bonus? Parking is usually relatively plentiful around here - if not on Chestnut, on the surrounding streets. Or you can hop off the trolley or subway just a few blocks away. Go get some Ethiopian! And maybe some delicious coffee while you're at it. read more

Oh, fellow Yelpers, you've let me down. I had a hankering for good Ethiopian and the reviews of this place made me expect, apparently, too much. First off, there's the location. It's hard to get over. I'm street savvy and not overly scared of watching my own back, but there's no getting over just how unpleasant this part of West Philly's ghetto really is. At 3pm on a weekday, it was already full of bums, crackheads, shady guys making comments, and more trash than I could wade through. Seriously, the location is a dump. I wouldn't go here alone, even during the day, and I sure as hell wouldn't come here at night, even with company. So that's par for the course. (Also, I digress: if you're the grungy or dreadlocked type of hipster, or just down with a more street crowd, you might not get the sort of looks I did. It's not like I walked out here decked out like a prepster, but I definitely got extra flack for being a whitey-white girl being where she shouldn't be.) The cafe itself is also very, very dingy. Paint peeling, rickety furniture, cracks in the flooring, more than a handful of free-roaming flies, etc. It was, I suppose, a little more "earthy" and a little less "homey" than I expected, in that regard. A glance behind the coffee bar at least told me that hygiene was definitely being maintained back there--can't speak for back in the kitchen, which is behind a solid door in the back. The lady behind the counter was very nice and spoke very limited English, which is usually, to me, a sign of good things to come. I have a good bit of travel under my belt and language barriers don't phase me. My beau and I got iced coffee, which was ok (I still like Almaz's better) and ordered a hummus platter to start, as well as yebeg tibs (spicy) and kitfo (medium rare). The hummus platter was generous, with decent hummus (probably not home-made), tons of extremely tasty green olives, and store-bought thick multigrain pita. Not exhilirating, but alright. The meat dishes came served together on a large platter, on top of injera, with a tiny portion of collard greens, a mild crumbled white cheese (think Feta in looks but cottage cheese in terms of taste), and yellow lentils--these added sides were no more than maybe 3 Tbsp each, though the tibs and kitfo portions were almost too generous. There was also an extra plate of injera on the side--definitely more than plenty, so don't even think about ordering extra. ;) All the sides were delicious, so I was sad the portions were so small. I did enjoy my partner's tibs, though I found it a little underwhelming and very greasy. My kitfo was floating in chili oil and, while tasty, had come raw rather than medium rare. (I loves me some still-mooing cow, but I also like to trust a place and don't generally get raw red meat items on a first visit, unless highly recommended.) That was fine, but how they managed to make raw ground beef heavy rather than light/refreshing, I don't know. My favorite part was the injera. I found it a little less sourdough-y/tangy than Almaz's (not better or worse, just different) but the texture was perfect. We dropped just under $50 with tip for those two iced coffees (which neither of us finished: rare for two ex-baristas), the appetizer, and two mains. It was too much, in my opinion, for the quality of food. Worst part, I had to stop by the pharmacy on the way home for a bunch of antacids because the kitfo just started riling my stomach up. I don't know if it was a freshness issue (it tasted fine--but was very highly spiced, so I might have been off on that count) or just all the chili oil everything was floating in. It took a half pack of extra-strength Rolaids before I felt alright, and it took me out of commission for the rest of the day. The service was friendly and not pushy; the atmosphere was laid-back. But the location was extremely iffy, and nothing about the experience makes me want to make another trip back to see if it was the kitfo's fault or my stomach's. Sorry Kaffa; I'll be sticking to Almaz from now on. read more

Part cafe, part restaurant, and local hangout; this describes Kaffa Crossing. I stopped by the other day for some din din and was really surprised at what I found when I walked in. The location led me to believe that this place might not be as inviting as it actually was. It's a couple stores up from 44th and Chestnut, slightly hidden by trees if you are driving by. Upon entering you find a very inviting space, with lots of tables spread around, couches, and books. There were lots of local artwork on the walls, some of which it seem were for sale. That was cool. The vibe of the place was very chill. The night I went, there was live music. It caught me slightly off guard since you walk right past the stage area when you enter the cafe. But it's all good. I like to make a big entrance anyway! Everyone was really nice there. I ordered the Yebeg tibs (lamb dish with onions, tomato and jalapenos) from a very decent menu. There were lots of vegetarian offerings, meat dishes and soups and salads and a few appetizers. Not as extensive as other places, but rather solid menu. Service was great, it was sort of busy since there were a good number of people there for the music it seemed. My dish was rather good. The lamb was well seasoned, however not as spicy as I would have liked, but very exotic tasting. It comes as little bits of lamb, not chunks or big pieces, so don't expect that. I had this on top of a bed of very fluffy couscous. I enjoyed the meal, along with the price, which was very inexpensive. Apart from the eats, this place has great coffee. So if you are looking for a good cup, good eats and some free Wi-Fi. This place might be for you! read more

I just moved up from DC, which supposedly (I've never verified this, but I've heard it repeated so many times that, gosh, it MUST be true!) has the largest Ethiopian population outside of Ethiopia. So, when my friend here in Philly suggested we go to an Ethiopian place, I was, well, cautiously optimistic. And I wasn't disappointed! We split a giant vegetarian combo among the 5 of us. It was good. Not quite spicy enough, the injera was a little bland, but we were all full and happy by the time we left. The cabbage, okra, and eggplant were the standouts. Two people in the group got smoothies and the one I tried--some kind of fruit combo--was awesome. Service was ok, I don't think the waitress was too happy with us for rolling in at 8 because they do want you to be done with your meal and out the door by 9. Kind of odd for a restaurant. Regardless, I'm glad this place is here and I'm glad that I can get decent Ethiopian food in Philly. read more

What a sweet little place. I haven't even tried the food yet but my roommates have said great things.. This is just a few blocks from our place so its conveniently located and a good place to do work or study. Its also much less crowded than the other cafes in the area so you can actually get a seat and an outlet. =) I'm not sure if they usually play music but I came early on a weekend so it was pretty quiet. Only a few other tables were occupied with lap tops and coffee mugs. The interior is warmly decorated with Ethiopian art, dark wood with cherry red and light yellow paint schemes. (and I love a place with details like art glass transoms and tin coffered ceilings!) The best part of my experience was the woman behind the counter. I was short a dollar in paying for my coffee and ginger cherry biscotti but when I told her just to take the biscotti off, she insisted I take it. "I buy" she said. I wanted to hug her. What a wonderful gesture on a rainy Sunday morning! I'll definitely be back soon. read more

I came here for lunch with some friends and we were all quite pleased with both the food and service. We split the tibs (very nicely flavored and tender), kitfo (fresh and tender; we got it rare), and veggie platter. The standout veggie dishes were the eggplant and collard greens. They were nicely sauteed and flavored with garlic. They went well with the injera, which was soft and spongy. I love the coffeehouse vibe and the fact that they have an awesome raspberry swirl latte. This is the place for good Ethiopian food in the city - plus, you can get a latte or smoothie to go. One of these days, I will drag myself up and here to get the breakfast. read more

Man, we had one baddddddd experience here a couple weeks ago. Came here on a Friday night and there was only one person working the front of the house. Started off fine, as he took our orders and filled up our water glasses. Unfortunately, we wouldn't hear anything from him again for nearly an hour. No refills, no 'sorry, we're shorthanded and your food will be a little while longer', no 'can I get you some bread while you wait', or anything like that. Just straight ignored us or was in the back of the restaurant (probably cooking since we wouldn't see him for stretches of time). Finally someone in our party asked if our food would be ready soon, to which he assured us it would... and it didn't come out for about another twenty minutes. With half of our table enduring headaches and ready to keel over from lack of sustenance, the food was quickly inhaled with a flurry of injera flying in all directions. We got the lamb, beef tibs, hummus platter, and ful to share. Both of the meat dishes were very chewy (I think I worked off more calories trying to digest them than were actually in the food), but well seasoned and sauced. The ful was good, the hummus was very good, and the injera was exactly what it should be. Our waiter never came back to check on us or to see if our food was all hot and what we ordered, and we basically had to chase him down later to pay for our meal. Amidst our endless wait, we saw other tables full of famished people hoping their food would arrive before midnight. Thank goodness the food was (mostly) good, or this would have been my first 1 star review. That said, I sure as hell won't be back to find out if this experience was a fluke. read more

First thing I craved when I arrived in this "big city" was Ethiopian! Understand that I come from Norfolk, Virginia where their idea of exotic is take out Chinese food (which is on every corner btw). Did a quick search and tried to find something easy to get to by foot and public transport. This one popped up and I wasn't sure at first whether they would meet expectations. I mean... they're a cafe. Even when you walk in you're not very reassured because it's like you're walking into a Starbucks... and they don't serve meals! Anyways, when I was handed a menu I was reassured and I saw the familiar items of tibs and wot! I have been here several times now and I do like their lamb and beef a lot. Chicken is ok, but I like the others better! The okra wot was slightly tangy which made it fun to eat. All the vegetables from chickpeas to lentils were fantastic. They also had a decent list of smoothies that seemed delicious as well. Bring your friend who have never tried Ethiopian food before! Remember... no utensils! read more

YUM! 1. AMAZZZZZZZZZING food 2. Good service and the management cares about what the customers think. They're super nice to talk to. 3. Cute, authentic atmosphere with a coffee-shop kick. 4. Get the okra dish. I am in love with it. PS. When I made a reservation there once they made me call back the day of, because they didn't do advance reservations or something. It was kind of weird. read more

The coffee here is great. The vibe is great. The fact that most of their products are fair trade is great. What is not great is what the service turns into when the place is crowded. I guess that's typical of a lot of similar places, but if you're going to serve food at a coffee house, you need to be prepared for customers to eat and drink. Still, I think the mission of Kaffa is fantastic, and everyone is always super nice. It's a little out of the way for me, but you can also park in the lot if you have a car. I don't have a car. Boo. read more

Really good. Went there for a date and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. My date noticed that the air conditioner was dripping water next to him which wasn't very cool since it was so close to his plate. Also the length of time the food came was a bit long and they don't have appetizers that we saw so definitely would eat a tiny snack if you're starving lol. The $5 fee for byob was also annoying in a way because it's not posted anywhere but it's fine. Will definitely come back. read more