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    Lucy Ethiopian Cafe

    4.1 (517 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 7:00 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    LUCY ETHIOPIAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Lucy Ethiopian Cafe

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    Kik Aletcha Tikl - A
    Salma S.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and it was very yummy! I ordered the beef lega tibs combo, and it was delicious. The highlight was definitely the beef itself - it was so tender and bursting with flavor. The texture of the bread was also so unique and it was so soft and fresh. I really loved how everything is customizable - you can pick your spice level, and also pick the vegetable sides - there were so many options. I really enjoyed the vegetables I chose. The portions for the combo are also huge and extremely filling - it's definitely well priced considering how much food is served. The place has a comfortable and casual feel, and is a nice place for a relaxed and easy meal. The service was great and the food came out quickly. I had a good experience here!

    Ethiopian coffee
    Rachel S.

    The standout item here is definitely the peanut tea, which basically tastes like liquid peanut butter! It is also extremely creamy and has a foamy layer on the top. This place was empty around lunch time so we got the whole restaurant to ourselves. We got chickpea stew, extra injera, lamb tibs, and potatoes and carrots. The food arrived after a while. The lamb tibs were super flavorful and def the standout item. The chickpea stew was also great and not too spicy. I have def been out-spiced by Ethiopian food, so I was conservative with the spice level. The potato's and carrots were excellent and very soft, saucy, and delicious! The prices are solid, but the food is huge portions. You will prob have leftovers! We enjoyed the coffee. It was pretty strong and the sugar helped a lot! I don't know if I would get it again. Don't miss the peanut tea though...

    4 CVC - Veggie Combo
    Divya J.

    Quite a nice Ethiopian place. Got the 4-Veggie Combo for One (Spinach w Potatoes, Missir Wot, Shiro Wot, Kik Aletcha) I loved Kik Aletcha the best. Service was nice and quick

    Evelina K.

    I had a hard time scoring this place. I am not Ethiopia and it is my second time trying this cuisine. The staff was nice and helpful when our group was choosing what to try. Our group didn't really care for most dishes, but I don't know whether it's just us not caring for Ethiopian food in general. So, if you never had Ethiopian food like most of our group and you want to give it a shot - you definite.y should try it and make your own opinion because they have a rich variety of dishes.

    4 CVC - Veggie Combo
    Vijay N.

    Stopped in for a quick meal before a performance at symphony hall. There were several open two-top tables when we arrived. Service was fast and friendly - via QR code. The food looked nice, but was undercooked and also lacking in any flavor but spice. I'm sure with a few menu tweaks it could be much better, but will pass on going again at least for a while.

    Beef Combo for 2 with spinach, potato and carrot, cabbage, and red lentil
    Anita L.

    Good space to grab a bite to eat - there's only two to three tables that seat more than two, so it's definitely more situated for smaller tables. You can order at the counter or scan a QR code to order to your table. I ordered the hot peanut tea, and it came out hot and creamy. It's lightly sweetened and very comforting! It definitely has a strong peanut flavor (my husband said it reminded him of a peanut butter cookie). I actually felt like this would've been a good dessert post meal! We ordered the beef combo for two. You can choose four veggies from variety of veggie sides. We also ordered the vegetable rolls which is injera bread with spinach and red lentils. We ordered the beef as medium but the beef itself tasted pretty mild- however the injera underneath it was spicy so all the spice got soaked up! Next time we'll definitely order spicy (there was also an extra spicy option). The spinach and lentils were our preferred sides - the cabbage could've been cooked more and the potatoes were just alright. It took around 10-15 minutes for us to get our food when there were a few tables dining it.

    Chabely I.

    10/10 food and service. Not only is the food super flavorful and delicious, it's also super filling. The meat is seasoned with thyme, so you'll get extra flavor out of the meat. The injera (rolled up bread) is super soft and you use it to pick up whatever food you have in front of you and eat it.

    John H.

    Great authentic flavors. However, it is priced a bit high compared to other restaurants serving similar fare. I ordered the single combo with choice of two sides and meat. I ordered the douro wat which had great robust berbere seasoning with caramelized onions but only ONE drum stick. Also not a fan of the presentation. For two person combo I am guessing is probably more of a traditional serving where food is laid on top of the injera. I definitely wanted more injera to pick up the amazing sauce. Food won't disappoint and break the bank but wanted more for the price. Close to transportation and the symphony hall.

    Combo for 3 with Lega Tibs
    Alejandra H.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and WOW! My two friends and I shared the Special Combo for 3, which comes with all the veggie dishes, beef (Lega Tibs), and extra injera. We ordered the combo at medium spice, and it wasn't very spicy! All the food was so flavorful and came out fresh and hot. The establishment is small and quiet, with really kind staff. My favorite veggie dish was the Miser Wot (red lentils). The combo also includes sides served on injera, with a few rolled up on top as well. We finished all our sides but had a bit of leftover injera because ordering extra injera added so much for only $2 -- a great deal! I'm already thinking about the next time I'll be able to eat here again!

    Combo 1 Lamb w/Split Peas and Potatoes
    Hanna H.

    We've been wanting to try this spot for a long time since there aren't many Ethiopian spots in Boston and it was super yummy! We ordered the Single Lamb combo (medium spicy) to share and were given the option of 2 sides. We picked the potatoes and pureed split peas and surprisingly we loved the split peas! The puréed texture was great for dipping the injera since it soaked up all the sauce. The lamb was also flavored well and had spices dancing in my mouth. Considering we weren't super hungry, for 2 we just ordered this one dish then ordered an additional side of injera to share and that was the perfect amount. Although it was a little pricey at $25 for a single portion of lamb combo, it was worth it. The food came out quickly and the restaurant was decently empty mid afternoon on a Saturday so we had the option to sit wherever we liked. What we ordered: - Combo 1 Lamb Medium Spicy w/potatoes and split peas

    Combo for 3 with lamb
    Valerie A.

    I love Ethiopian food and we definitely got our fix here! It's a simple place, order at the counter and find a seat. There are not many tables but we were able to find one. There were three of us and we got the veggie combo for three plus lamb. It was huge and we took a lot home. I loved the ability to get the combo because I love all the vegetarian dishes and it was hard to choose just one. Service was friendly and we were among the last to leave. Parking was a little challenging but we wound up using the symphony hall garage across the street.

    Shana S.

    Food is always great. Excellent service. This place is always clean. Decorative wall art

    Kega (beef) tibs, collard greens, red lentil stew, cabbage+carrots+green beans, potatoes+carrots

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    1 year ago

    A bit stingy. They don't serve food on the injera but rather on a plate and there wasn't enough injera for the food.

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    11 months ago

    Great Ethiopian, best in Boston by far. And the people are nice. Great tibs, you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Great food. Really varied from meat to vegan. Wide range of spice levels too. Try the iced peanut tea.

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    1 year ago

    10/10 need to go if you want to experience great food. Peanut tea is must go to if you like peanuts. Woah woah woah wow wow wow wow

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    Page 1 of 13

    Lucy Ethiopian Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lucy Ethiopian Cafe

    I'm a Pescatarian and I don't eat dairy. I heard they have vegan options. What dishes would you recommend?

    Veggie combo

    Would you consider this as spicy food?

    Each dish has mild medium or spicy options, so it's really up to you!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Tatte Bakery & Cafe | Charles St

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    One of the largest Tatte's I've seen. It's a clean, brightly lit cafe/restaurant with plenty of…read moreindoor and outdoor seating. Service is very quick and there's self-serve utensils and water stations. Great for a work/study session, though I'd imagine it gets pretty loud when busy. I'd recommend the orange upside-down cake, raspberry cloud, Kouign-amann, or any of the coolers. The short rib panini is also excellent too. Prices are very fair. One downside to this particular Tatte is that despite its size, it only has one bathroom, so you might be waiting in line for a while.

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    Food: none of it was good enough to write home about. I am not mad I ate here at all but would I…read morerush back here no. Things tasted fresh and the waffle was the showstopper. Mimosas were super underwhelming personally which is surprising cause it's just OJ and champagne but whatever! Service: basic service nothing bad not amazing about it which is all I require I'm not looking to be like wow'd by service I go to restaurants to eat you feel me overall not bad! Ambience: We got way in the very back so ambience wasn't amazing

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    This spot was adorable - both for books and food…read more We lucked out as we didn't have a reservation, but called and turns out they had an outdoor table available. We weren't sure how to enter, so we started in the bookstore and found their convenient elevator downstairs! The restaurant is tiny but cozy, which is the perfect atmosphere for a book store! We sat outside in the little courtyard and it's a mix of magical and relaxing! There were only a few tables, so it wasn't overcrowded and with nice weather, it was perfect. I had a salad with salmon on the side which was delicious - and the ginger lemonade - wonderful! From buttered noodles to seafood, everything was executed well. The staff didn't rush us even though they were busy - and they had to give really long wait times to a number of others, but we still weren't rushed. I would highly recommend reservations, but even without we were treated very well. Pricing was in line with city pricing - and the food was extremely high quality and produce was lovely - not a shriveled lettuce leaf in sight. We then went upstairs to the bookstore and perused - each floor has something fun to see (including a tiny kids door - or is it a mouse door for the mouse who stars in the book about the store?!). 100% worth a visit - definitely stop in!

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    Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - ethiopian - Updated July 2026

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