Great food. Friendly people. Lete was wonderful! We enjoyed the lentils, veggies, and of course INJERA! We will definitely be back! Excellent find. We had the veggie combo and tea. Fantastic! read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Veggie Combo - Injera (bread), Red Lentils, Yellow Split Peas, Collard Greens, Beets, Carrots and Cabbage - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Lete's is a hole in a wall that serves the best Ethiopian food in town! Originally from Asia I have tried Ethiopian food and this family run business by wife and husband is a simple unassuming restaurant where you walk in and are greeted with Ethiopian artifacts, music, videos and you are transported to how life is in Ethiopia. Lunch and dinner are served and food takes a good 30-40 mins as everything is made from scratch. I tried the veggie combo and I was amazed by the taste and the amount of food. It was a lot for one of us. My friends ordered lamb and chicken and enjoyed the taste almost saying it was just like home. This in itself is a compliment! Must try! read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Veggie combo - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Lete takes no days off and is family to everyone. Her hardworking nature and love can be tasted in the communal injera meals. Eat with your hands and sit for a coffee ceremony with a side of popcorn and incense served by Lete herself. She is a warm and bright spirit and I'm happy to support her shop anytime. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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We feel so lucky to have found Lete's Injera & Cafe! This may be the best Ethiopian food I've ever had! I had a vegetarian meal and my son had chicken. It was his first time trying Ethiopian food and he loved it. The owners are lovely and the sevice was great. Highly recommended!! read more

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Service was phenomenal!! The owner herself came out, took our order, made our order, and chatted with us for us for a bit. This is truly an Ethiopian experience from beginning to end. You get to see a glimpse of their inviting culture.the food itself was so flavorful packed with protein, nothing was greasy or obviously prepackaged food. You can taste the love in every finger-full of injera. The food was not overly salty, and it was prepared to our spice comfort. I honestly felt like the left overs were even better the next day. A very filling meal. I love how beautiful and colorful the inside was, the art choices and the music was the cherry on top of an amazing meal. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This restaurant serves some of the best food that I have ever had. I wish I had discovered it sooner. We had a mixed veggie and meat combo and it was amazing. I highly recommend this place and plan to be back often. read more

My fiancé and I stopped by Lete's Injera and Cafe during a road trip. The restaurant itself is small and cute with colorful walls and decorations. There is a little tea set up front and art on the wall! Service was great. Lete and her hubby were so kind! We enjoyed the veggie combo platter. The stewed ones were our favorites! We also like the injera that was stained red from the beets. Like others have mentioned, the injera was soft and fluffy. If you are undecided from the menu, you should go with the veggie sampler! read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Ambiance: I grew up frequenting the poorer ethnic parts of San Diego and this place makes me feel like I'm home again. The place is run by Lete and her husband with no wait staff, the place has no accessibility features, part of the restaurant sells African cooking utensils and they sell spices behind the counter. The restaurant portion feels like a church function that should have folding card chairs. It's one of those things that's either really off putting or really charming depending on your expectations. Lete herself is a bright and proud chef who is happy to see people enjoying her food, she seems like someone who would become your auntie if you were a regular here. Food: As many have mentioned, the food here is great. The injera is pillowy and not too fermented/sour. The veges are soft and savory while the proteins are rich and tender. There was literally nothing we didn't like from the two combo platters we got. The portions are a little small to share across 4 people but they're pretty typical for other Ethiopian places I've been to, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of each item. We did also try the coffee ceremony and would recommend it. It's fun to see and smell her fresh roasting the beans and she serves it with a very tasty vanilla cream. It's like having a very good vanilla espresso. Overall, I had a great dinner here and am looking forward to coming back. If Lete's was the only Ethiopian in town, I wouldn't have a problem with that whatsoever. read more

Amazing Ethiopian cuisine and friendly atmosphere. The veggie combo was superb! We will be back!! read more

Absolutely amazing food. I loved the injera so spongy and soft and super flavorful and paired perfectly with all of the other menu items. My favorite was the Derek tibs with the fried crunchy pieces of garlic and rosemary. We decided to also get the ceremonial coffee which Lete serves herself. It was really good coffee with sweet cream and I loved that it was served with popcorn. This is a meal I will think about for a week. I need to go back. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Derek tibs and beef stew - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

What a cute little restaurant! We went with my family last night and had a wonderful experience! Lete is the sweetest person! She welcomes you with the kindest smile! If you have never tried Ethiopian foods, it is truly an experience! It is communal eating with your hands, so be prepared. The food is very flavorful! Try the meat platter and the veggie platter! The injera is light and tasty! Also get the coffee after ur meal! It comes with popcorn which Lete says is like a little "snack" with your coffee! We had a lovely time at Lete's! I recommend to anyone that wants to try something new and eat some good food! Also, the place is very clean! read more

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This was such a lovely discovery. I've had this spot bookmarked since I read Brady R's review a few months ago. We're big fans of vegetarian and vegan spreads at Ethiopian restaurants. The owner of the business was incredibly friendly and eager to share more about the business with us. We all ordered the vegetarian spread that featured 6 to 7 varying veggie dishes including cabbage, red lentils, collard greens, and more. It's hard to beat these flavorful veggie spreads paired with the injera bread. Overall, it was a delicious, budget-friendly and healthy meal and has me thinking about how we need to get more Ethiopian food routinely . My only critique is that there seemed to be a heavy emphasis on the TV screens and sound but it seems like music, for the background would be much more suitable and less distracting. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - tables and chairs in a restaurant - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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I have long been wanting to try this little cafe, and got to go Saturday evening with some friends. They have a separate parking lot off of 10th St. to the east side of the building, but make sure you pay attention as otherwise. It's easy to drive right past the building. When we went inside, we were greeted immediately by the owner Lete and told we could sit anywhere. It's not a big space, but has plenty of seating for various group sizes. It wasn't crowded so we were able to take a spot and sit down with menus quickly. The menu shows breakfast and entrée options, but does not actually list the traditional, veggie Injera combo or even the meat and Injera combo. I had done some research and knew I wanted to try the house specialty so we got the veggie combo for two. Our friends tried her meat specialty, which had quite a few of the other delicious aspects, but had chicken and beef in a wonderful sauce as well. The dish comes on a "plate" of injera, which is the local bread. She makes all her injera in house, around 60 a day at minimum we were told! Our veggie combo had lentils, mustard greens, zucchini with a delicious spicy sauce, A spinach/lentil stew type side as well as cabbage with carrots. The owner also brought out additional Injera so we had plenty. Traditionally you eat the cooked dishes with a bit of injera as your utensil. It takes practice (for us anyway) but was a delightful way to enjoy the food and culture. She kept bringing us the slightly tangy and light injera bread so we kept eating it! I especially loved the spinach/lentil combo but my husband went for the spicy zucchini. It was all delicious and the owner was super attentive and kind. She stopped often to answer our questions and chat. Another table had ordered coffee so she showed us how she roasts the beans (brought it out of the kitchen) and then we could smell the amazing richness as she ground it. Our friends decided to go ahead and order it as well and said it was amazing! It is poured from a traditional clay pot that sits on your table and keeps the brew warm. It is served in small espresso cups and she offers sugar and milk as well, but I was told it didn't need it. Overall a wonderfully different meal that was delicious and fun. We loved the owner, the food was warming and tasty and it was pretty reasonable considering how full we were at the end (and even had some to go). I highly recommend this spot and will be back with other friends! read more

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Delicious! I loooove Ethiopian food and am so glad Indy has multiple spots to choose from. Very cozy, friendly service though there was some confusion about water (tap vs bottled). We ordered two platters for three people: veggie combo and meat to share, and it was great. Will definitely be back! read more

Fantastic food, service, and ambiance. A must experience when in Indy. The owner, Lete, is such a gracious host. I'm coming back really soon. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Beautiful mural on the wall. - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Fantastic food! It's been quite a few years (ok, decades) since I had Ethiopian food. So I wasn't sure what to expect. The two people on staff were super friendly and helpful and happy to answer questions. Someone had ordered the coffee ritual before we came in, so there was nice incense burning. This place is in the heart of Haughville, but it was clean and comfortable inside. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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such a perfect experience! vegetarian food seems so hard to find in my area, so I'm so glad I found Lete!! The spice flavor was so beautiful and Lete was so charming. I recommend this amazing eatery to anybody that loves Ethiopian food. Great price, too + fast! read more

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This was by far one of the best meals I've ever had. We ordered the meat combo, which was enough for two people to share but we ended up ordering another to-go because it was so delicious. Very flavorful and the spices were perfection. I really like the injera and it compliments the meat well. We also ordered the coffee, which was an entire experience itself of it being set up, and learning about how it is traditionally prepared and served. The coffee tasted amazing! Strong and a little sweet depending on how much cream is added. The coffee is served with popcorn on the side, which was new for me. Overall, it was a great dining experience that gets my 20/10 rating. The lovely woman who greeted and served us, Lete, was so kind and engaging, and the restaurant overall is casual, inviting, and it feels like dining with family. I will definitely be coming back! read more

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Food speaks to my soul, and tonight it serenaded me with Eritrean and Ethiopian flavors at Lete's Injera & Cafe. Surprisingly, every bite was a dance party in my mouth. We got the meat and veggie combos, and it was savory goodness. I wouldn't be able to tell you which meat was which, but my favorite was the chicken, possibly coated in berbere sauce, stealing the show alongside the lentils. Our host, cook, server, and cashier--seriously, she wore more hats than a hat store--was a gem. I didn't catch her name, but she might be Lete She took the time to guide us through the culinary journey with the grace of a seasoned chef and the warmth of a long-lost auntie. Ohhhh, if you want the Ethiopian coffee experience, get the traditional version. Cheers to Lete's for the hospitality and for the killer music videos that had me attempting dance moves at home. read more

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Food is SO GOOD. One of the people I was dining with has a legit gluten intolerance and Lete was so awesome about making 100% GF injera as opposed to the 95% GF standard version. It's a very cozy atmosphere and, again, the food is delicious. 500/10 recommend! Drove over an hour to try and it was more than worth it! read more

Delicious food cooked and served by a talented chef. This was my first time visiting Lete's and my first time eating Ethiopian/Eritrean food. I came a little after lunch time and was greeted with open arms. While I waited to be served, I looked around at the different artwork on the walls which looked like it was possibly traditional artwork from Ethiopia/Eritrea. When it came time to order, I informed Lete that this was my first time eating food from her home country and asked her to help me decide. She cooked up some spiced chicken with some of the sides on injera. The injera is soft, spongy, and tastes similar to sourdough bread. It hurts my sould that I haven't been eating Ethiopian/Eritrean food all of my life. This was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. I can put away a lot of food and upon first glance, I thought there wasn't going to be enough, but the meal was very filling. Honestly, it would probably be best to split the plate next time I go. I plan on coming back to expand my palate by trying other dishes plus the tea and honey wine. read more

Ethiopian is one of my top ethnic cuisines. I've been seeing recommendations for this place and finally was in the area to try it. The food was decent but the portions were very small for the price and they don't have boiled eggs. My husband and I got a combo meal. There was no one else there when we went and the waitress (I believe she is an owner) wasn't the friendliest and we felt like maybe she was just having a bad day. I'll stick with Major for our Ethiopian cuisine. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Combo meal for two - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I don't ever do reviews, but this place I HAD to. Went for lunch, walked in & was immediately greeted with a smile & guided to my seat. Leti herself was interacting with myself & the other customers there. Was extremely helpful with any questions I had about the menu. I ordered the veggie platter & it was FIRE & filling. Ate at 1, it's 7:30, I took a nap & I'm still full. & the price was unbeatable. It was a slow day & Leti ended up eating her lunch with me & we shared a convo . PHENOMENAL woman who makes GREAT food. We shared some coffee that she roasts daily btw & it was great as well. They had some Ethiopian music videos playing to set a vibe. I'm only here once a year for work, I'll go again before I leave, & will come back every year. Yall make sure to go there, & tell your friends to go to! Places like this deserve to THRIVE. Literally not 1 negative about the place, & the price you literally can't beat. GO.EAT.HERE read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Owner & operator Leti - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Great food made to order. Super friendly staff. Get the Ethiopian coffee it is strong.

I've been wanting to try Lete's Injera and Cafe for quite some time. It did not disappoint. The near west side location had plenty of parking which is always a plus close to downtown. The Ethiopian food was full of robust flavors. The injera was light and spongy and the freshly roasted coffee was incredible! It is definitely worth visiting this small, family owned business. I can't wait to go back and share this experience with others. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Meat and veggie combo for 2. - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

What a great experience! When we walked in, Lete asked us if we were interested in vegetarian or meat. We're kind of both, so without anything specifically being named, she said she'd fix up something for us that included both veggies and meat. We got a variety of veggies as well as marinated beef with a bit of spice to it. With the injerait was delicious. When we ran out of injera, she offered to mash it up for us with spoons and we finished what we had that way. That actually turned out really well and helped dull the spice a bit. After dinner, she offered us some honey wine which wasn't on the menu but was very cold, sweet, and a perfect way to end the meal. 100% recommend, will be back to try one of the breakfast items! read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Honey wine - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

What a fantastic meal! We enjoyed the derek tibs and chicken with vegetables. The injera here is fabulous. Try Ethiopian if you haven't, and if you like Ethiopian, try this spot! read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Injera, derek tibs, and chicken with vegetables - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

As a vegetarian I love Ethiopian food because it's reliable- but I don't always love all of it. Here the flavors hit just right. The tea was a perfect combo! I think the lettuce and cabbage sides were my favorite because they felt pretty refreshing on a hot summer day. Gone in 15 seconds. I stayed at worked a bit because I felt inspired after eating. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Vegetarian dish and tea! - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Haven't had Ethiopian in awhile and wanted to check out a new-to-me place so this was up on the list! Sadly, very inaccessible as it requires stepping up into the restaurant and then once more to get to the seating. Came on a Tuesday evening and we were the only ones there the entire 1.5 hours we dined. Got to speak with the owner - a very kind gentleman. I ordered the veggie combo, and it was delicious. The injera was very whole wheat-forward, which I really loved. It was fresh, slightly tangy, and super tasty. The lentil and veggie dishes on the combo were also scrumptious. All in all, ate myself full and walked out with at least one or two more meals...less than $20. Great food and service. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Veggie platter - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Definitely not a place for ambience. However...Lete brings the mood with service that makes you feel like family. I went with a large group and we had to make special arrangements due to the small space. After ordering she came by to tell me she made something better and I should get it. A bit unusual to not get what you ordered...but...I trusted her smiling face and sure enough...delicious. I don't know what it was called but it was spicy and beefy. She engaged with the group telling stories and affectionately teasing her "employee" (husband). If you didn't eat everything she asked with genuine concern if you liked your food. This womam has a passion for food and feeding others. She treated us like we were friends, bringing coffee and popcorn after our meal. The prices are very good yet she still asked if it was too much. Take a chance on this place and try it. The menu is small but the food delicious and hospitality is super sized. Go. read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Spicy beef (center) the beef lower left-aswaze tibisi- is what I actually ordered. - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Located in a very unassuming building you are likely to miss this, so keep an eye out. There is a small lot on the East side of the building. Be careful when entering, one of the steps is very high. Inside you will find a small restaurant and also a small grocery store area. You will be greeted by the friendliest people, who are happy to tell you all about their dishes and their restaurant and their country. We chose some lovely sparkling waters, served in a bottle. The menu is rather limited, but the food is delicious. My friend had the vegetarian combo and I opted for the Awaze Tibsi. Wonderful. The vegetarian combo came with red lentils, yellow lentils, salad, cabbage, spinach and zucchini based dishes. All delicious. My Awaze Tibsi came with a smaller portion of all the aforementioned veggie dishes. And in the middle a glorious beef dish... OMG so tender and flavorful with spectacular sauce/gravy, don't know what you want to call it, but it was just soo dang good. I will have to come back soon and try their breakfast menu too. read more

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For my son's birthday he wanted to go on an ethnic and dessert food fest. After donuts from Long's Bakery, this Ethiopian restaurant was our first stop. It is a hole in the wall place, but we were greeted nicely by a women who gave us menus. When we ordered only 2 dishes for the 4 of us, she was not pleased. We said the 2 dishes could come out on one plate, and it was plenty of food to get our day started. We ordered beef and lamb. It came with lentils and cabbage. It was also served with extra rolls of injera. Everything was amazing!! The flavors were fantastic and even the injera was better than I've ever had before. My only negative is the meat itself was a little grisly. Very tasty place! read more

Every once in a while, an experience comes along that awakens something deep inside of you. In this case that experience was at Lete's Injera café. After a week without sun, I was desperate for something different--Something interesting--something outside of the "Top 10 Most Instagrammed Restaurants". I had saw that this café was nearby and decided to go check it out. It's located on the busy street and if you blink you would definitely miss it. Fortunately I did not. The outside of the café was definitely lacking some curb appeal and even the interior decor was minimal. We were greeted immediately by Lete herself and directed to some of the dishes that she recommended. We ordered one breakfast item and one lunch item as well as the coffee. The food came out first--without much silverware (as expected). The breakfast was a stewed bean dish with fresh tomatoes, cilantro and onions served with some rolls. The lunch dish was a classic Ethiopian chicken dish served with a few vegetable dishes on top of the injera. The first thing that stood out, was how vibrant the colors were in each of the dishes. Once we started eating, we knew this is something special. The food was so flavorful. Even a breakfast, as seemingly boring as stewed beans was rich in flavor! Once we were done eating, the coffee came out, she roasted the beans right in front of us! She serve the coffee with warm milk and a side of frankincense incense, in little espresso cups. We left there with full bellies and warm hearts. I cannot recommend this place enough. It is by far my favorite dining experience in Indiana. read more

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Very attentive service and all items made on site! Entrees are very large and usually enough to share and eat family style with their injera bread! read more

Not only was the food phenomenal, so was the service. I had not had Ethiopian food in over a decade, but I was very excited to "try it". It did not disappoint. We ate the meat combo, which consisted of chiro (?), some cabbage, and 3-4 different lamb dishes. This was the most flavorful food I had eaten in the last 5-10 years. Also, as an added bonus, the coffee was INCREDIBLE! My bank account is very lucky I don't live close by. read more

Service was impeccable. Husband and wife greeted us right away and made us feel welcome. We had breakfast and took food to go. It was quiet when we got there and it was nice having the restaurant all to ourselves. 5/5 would definitely recommend to others and will return ourselves. read more

The owner/chef was so friendly and welcoming. She was nice enough to answer our questions and help us choose our meals. She even customized it a bit based on our questions. I really loved this place! read more

This place is a gem! Very friendly and welcoming atmosphere! I had a unique and delicious meal of the veggie platter. Coffee was awesome! Owners were very accommodating and wonderful. I will be coming back for sure. read more

WOW! I cannot speak highly enough. Lete welcomed us with open arms and created such an amazing experience over one meal. She walked us through the dishes and her recommendations. As we ate we chatted and connected about her family and accomplishments. She takes so much pride and love in her work. The food is phenomenal. The coffee experience is absolutely worth it - she roasts the beans in front of you and pours the perfect cups. We invited her to sit and chat over coffee too, making the whole experience even better. What I anticipated being a quick dinner turned into a 2.5 hour meal with genuine connections and a whole lot of laughs. Thank you Lete for such a lovely night, we'll be back soon!! read more

As an Eritrean I grew up on this food so trust me when I say it's good! Service was quick and friendly. Food was light yet well flavored and delicious. We've been buying the injera from Lete long before the restaurant opened and it's the best out there. Serving size is plenty. She offered to make us coffee, which you'll need after being full. I'd not the black tea is needed. Definitely coming back! read more

Lete's Injera and Cafe - Awaze Tibs, my husband and brother in law loved it! - Eritrean Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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