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    Mesob Cafe

    4.5 (229 reviews)
    ModerateEthiopian, Vegan, Cafes
    Closed 2:00 pm - 8:00 PM

    Order Mesob Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Mesob Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    MESOB CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - Mesob Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Toni A.

    If you haven't tried Ethiopian, then you must! Be prepared to eat with your hands! The food is so flavorful and savory. Pairing the delicious meats with the injera is so delicious. The injera is spongy, which absorbs the sauces of the meat creating a beautiful explosion of flavor in your mouth. The veggies also paired well with the meats, giving a more subtle flavor. The plating is also very pretty, with all the different colors placed on top of injera. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. This is an awesome local business owned by a family. It gives homey vibes. There are not a lot of Ethiopian places in the area, so I truly appreciate them being here serving such good food! The service was fast, and everyone was very kind. I most definitely recommend this place!!

    Ethiopian coffee and shai tea
    Yoonie L.

    When I lived in Montreal, I had Ethiopian food often, and coincidentally, the restaurant I used to frequent was similarly named Mesob D'or. I haven't had Ethiopian food since leaving home, and I've had my eye on Mesob Cafe since moving back to the area. When we were stationed here the first time, Mesob Cafe had just opened, but I never had the chance to try it before moving away. Well, today was that day! - Parking - Center lot. - Vibe - Mesob Cafe is tucked away in a small strip in the same center as the Food Lion, diagonally across the way from it on South Parliament Drive. It's a small and quaint restaurant with minimal decoration. Portraits and native artwork adorn the walls and a few tables for dining in. My dining companion and I were the only diners in the restaurant during our visit. The owner was by herself, so she took our order at the counter, but brought our food to the table and checked on us often. - TLC - The owner was a soft spoken woman, and very nice and kind. She told us that the original owner of the restaurant had had it for 2-ish years before she took over. - Noms - Ye fesig beyaynatu (mahberawi) - this is a combination of chicken mesob special tibs (#2 on the menu) and beef siga wot (#1 on the menu). You also get a choice of 2 vegetables, we opted for kik alecha (yellow split peas) and cabbage & carrots. We wanted to err on the side of caution and ordered this platter to share to start and decided to order more if needed. This decision paid off, because this is a sizeable platter with quite a bit of food for the two of us. I mean, you can't beat the price for the portions, especially in these times! I am used to Ethiopian food being served on a very large platter, but she has modified this to her food being served on an oversized dinner plate, cut the injera in half and placed all the food on it and rolled the other half into mini rolls. The beef had a slight kick and super flavorful. The chicken was great too and the veggies were both mild and great to balance the spice! The injera was cooked perfectly and perfect texture to pick up all the food! We also got the Ethiopian coffee and the Ethiopian shai tea. The coffee is strong, but smooth. Comes in a traditional coffee pot and served with a small tea cup. The shai tea had some spices in it and also served plain. Note, they don't traditionally drink their coffee or tea with any dairy and they don't seem to have any dairy in the restaurant at all. I know, because I asked! haha I asked why she didn't serve it the traditional way as I noticed the traditional mini-tables in the form of a short table basket, that is at the front of the service counter. She said that most customers don't like to share their food, so she has adapted to serving it in this way. This is quite unfortunate, as Ethiopian cuisine is communal and really takes away from the whole experience! I remember eating the traditional way my first time and it was so intriguing and memorable! Oh well, on a positive note, she said that if she has extra staff, she can move tables around so that she can serve it with the traditional style, so just ask! If she can, she will do so. So happy that we have an Ethiopian restaurant as an option in the area and really the best value I have seen in awhile. For all the food we got and a speciality coffee and tea, it was around $30! You really can't beat that! I've bought a latte recently for almost $10, can you relate?! Enjoy, Friends and never stop exploring!

    Christian E.

    Amazing. Truly a traditional ethiopian restaurant. Hard to see due to the shops and all but this hidden gem is definitely worth scouring for. Injera is always amazing and their spicy level is the right amount. Expect no utensils and the stares if you do ask for one lmao, yall gotta eat with your hands and thats the beauty of it.

    #5 and Shrimp with 4 veggies
    Erene H.

    First time to eat Ethiopian food and it did not disappoint. The platter was family style where you eat with your hands and pickup your food with Injera: A fluffy tortilla-pancake-crepe like texture. It was unexpectedly good despite the color and looks. The platter was HUGE and very filling. My favorite is the Injera and the tenderloin beef. The best part of course is the Ethiopian coffee: Bunna - Siga Wot: Chunks of Beef tenderloin cooked in Ethiopian butter, onions and red pepper sauce. - Mesob Special Tibs: Beef or lamb cubed, sautéed with onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, and rosemary. - Shrimp With sautéed onions, tomato, spinach, garlic, and Ethiopian butter. - Injera Veggies: - Mesir Wot: Spicy lentil stew with berbere and garlic. - Kik Alicha: Yellow split peas with garlic, and onions. - Cabbage and Carrots. - House Salad - Bunna: Ethiopian - Lemon cake

    Shrimp curry - surprise buried in a generous pile of injera!
    Mary-Ann L.

    Every time I crave for Ethiopian food, there is literally only one place to go - Mesob Cafe! Not that it's the only one that serves authentic Ethiopian food but the staff is always so friendly and welcoming. And every time I go there to pick up my order, I always wish it's that day that they have staff to serve do I can enjoy the food in relaxing sit-down mode! Food is always good, hearty and always comes in generous serving overflowing in a take-out box. I always order their combo with sides and the shrimp. Both come with generous serving of injera! You're in for super delicious Ethiopian food, come visit Mesob Cafe!

    Siga wot
    Chanel T.

    This is my 2nd time here and I got the siga wot. It is beef tenderloin in a spicy red pepper sauce, it was amazing as I love spicy food. The dish also came with two sides; one was a little salad with a light dressing and the other was a cabbage and carrot side that had nice flavor and plenty of injera bread. I also got the Ethiopian coffee. It tasted bitter like instant coffee - I wasn't a fan of it but everything else tasted great.

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    9 years ago

    I was very happy to find this establishment was open! The food was amazing and plentiful. I can't recommend this place enough.

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    Page 5 of 6

    Ask the Community - Mesob Cafe

    Will they ever reopen? Such an awesome restaurant but they are take out only.

    Not sure if they will have in person or not. I went in a month ago and it was to go only.

    Have they reopened for indoor dining?

    Yes!

    Do they offer a good amount of vegetarian options?

    Yes. East African cuisine always has lots of vegetarian options. Mesob offers so many traditional Ethiopian foods that are vegetarian friendly. You can create a whole vegetarian meal here.

    I saw the review of the day and thought I'd never been here. Did the name change?

    It was previously called A & N cafe...

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Ethiopian 197 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Love Song

    Love Song

    4.6
    (73 reviews)
    10.6 mi

    Came here for date nite with friends and thought it was super cute. Love the vibe inside. We were…read morein time for the tail end of happy hour so we got some drinks and apps on the HH menu. We also ordered dinner and desserts too. The food was good from the salad, fish, duck. We loved it all. The olive oil cake we ordered for dessert was delicious too. The staff was super friendly and checked back on us often. We had suck a good time we closed the place down. Love this spot and can't wait to go back !

    I have walked and driven by 100's of times and never stopped. It's not the kind of place that you…read moreare going to walk off the beach in bathing suits and get food. It's a nicer vibe. Bigger than I thought and a cool vibe inside....however....very dark! Use your flashlight on your phone to read the menu and bring your readers. Very small menu but done well. This place is not for everyone....I wouldn't bring my dive bar loving, basic burger kind of guy husband here. We started with a few apps so I got to try the smoked fish dip, cheese with baguette and apple butter. Both were delicious, especially the fish dip. Those house pickles were delicious. I could have eaten just a bowl of those. I didn't try anything else but everyone that did was raving about how good the food was. Service was good. Sometimes a little difficult to get water. I think they even have HH in the back bar. Open kitchen. Friendly staff. Foodies would enjoy this place. Worth the check out.

    Photos
    Cozy interior
    Cozy interior
    Holiday in Cambodia & Duck Breast
    Holiday in Cambodia & Duck Breast
    Olive oil cake

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    Olive oil cake
    Yendidi Virginia Beach

    Yendidi Virginia Beach

    4.3
    (69 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    Yendidi has been on my Yelp radar for years, but never found time to try them out. Their flagship…read morelocation is in Norfolk where they even have a grocery market. A few years ago, they opened this location which has a bar and dine-in service. Sophia and I joined a friend of ours for lunch on Saturday. Let's see how the event turned out. I happened to place a reservation for our table the previous night, but since there weren't many people present, it wasn't necessary. The staff greeted us when we walked inside and got seated immediately. The decor inside was really nice. There's artwork abound, a bar and even a foosball table. Simply put, you should not be bored at a place like this. After looking at the menu, we were all ready to order. I selected their cabbage stew with chicken as the protein with plain jasmine rice and sweet plantains. Overall, the food was good. The stew was presented with medium spice so it definitely had my lips burning (a great thing) and the rice was well cooked. The plantains had flavor, but I felt it was overcooked. It has been a minute since I've eaten plantains but they were always a bit soft. The stew did have plenty of chicken but it could've been cut to slightly smaller pieces. Still, the meal had yours truly full and I did takeout. So did Sophia and our friend. All in all, I had a really nice time. The hospitality was really nice (the owner actually came to our table to check on us) and the food was plentiful. Oh yeah, we even had a robot bring our food to us. How cool is that??!! Anyways, till next time :)

    My wife and I had friends coming into town over the weekend and I suggested meeting up at Yendidi,…read moreas my friend loves African cuisine. I have been to Yendidi two times prior and have had great experiences both times. However, this particular time left a LOT to be desired. I've previously visited Yendidi during the week and around late afternoon/early evening. They have good happy hour deals and they allow you to order off their lunch menu well into the evening which I appreciate. Since my friends got into town late we ended up visiting Yendidi around 7:30pm on Sunday evening. When we sat down and were getting ready to order our waitress informed us of a laundry list of food options they had run out of (chicken, shrimp, plantains, jollof rice, white rice, beef patties, bread rolls, and samosas). This really limited the availability of options that we could choose from on their extensive menu. I would highly recommend having a white board or some way of communicating what options are not available before customers sit down so that they can make an informed decision about whether to dine at this location or go somewhere else with more options. My friends ordered the goat suya and chicken suya (they apparently still had a small amount of chicken left) and they both enjoyed their appetizers. The meat was very tender and well seasoned. I was relieved that things were taking a turn for the better but unfortunately I was disappointed again. My friend ordered the pepper soup and the wrong entree came out...twice! The waitress didn't give a sincere apology and it took my friend about an hour to get the correct entree. His correct order came out around 8:45pm (Yendidi closes at 9pm) and I could tell he didn't have enough time to enjoy his food. He ate about half of it and didn't even box up the rest (likely because they were staying at a hotel). My wife and I ordered the Waakye Special with a side of sweet potato fries. Fortunately our orders were correct and our food was tasty. Though I much preferred a side of jollof rice or plantains like I normally get, I was satisfied with my meal specifically. Given the lack of food options available and the lack of accuracy with my friend's order I believe their whole meal should've been complimentary or at least significantly discounted (i.e 50% off). I was so disappointed and embarrassed that their dining experience was so subpar. I expect much more out of Yendidi since I've had such better experiences in the past and I've met the owners. I hope they reach out and make this experience right. This restaurant provides tasty authentic West African food but I highly recommend coming during the weekday and or before 7:30pm to ensure that you have the best dining experience. Also, ask for Connie, she's a super jovial waitress.

    Photos
    High top seating by the bar
    High top seating by the bar
    Egusi with goat
    Egusi with goat
    Entrance

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    Entrance
    Civil Libation

    Civil Libation

    4.5
    (303 reviews)
    9.5 mi
    $$

    Was recommended by a couple local people who recommended this place…read more Welcoming environment, reserved a table, wasn't as busy on a Thursday, which was really nice and we got our table really quick. We came here for our pre-Valentine's Day dinner. Our waiter was really nice. He was prompt and he paid attention and was an attentive listener, which was really nice as a server. I got an appetizer or a starter. That was the grilled rustic bread along with the seafood pasta, and my boyfriend got the Civil burger. I forgot the name of the drink, but it was an espresso martini. Everything was delicious and tasted really good and the meal was cooked perfectly! Wish their menu was a bit bigger with a lot more variety. Overall a 5 star place!

    My husband and I ended up coming here for brunch before a snow storm hit! The service was 10 out of…read more10 and they had many recommendations for drink options. I would recommend sitting in a booth far away from the door during winter because the breeze can be quite cold. The booths are also super comfortable and very well padded. My husband ended up getting the chorizo scramble which he liked a lot. I ended up ordering the steak and eggs. The compound butter that comes with the steak and eggs is amazing on toast or steak. I got a blood orange drink that was OK, but I wouldn't get it again. The second drink I got was with Rose and lavender and I would definitely get that again. We love this place. This is our second time going and we will be back!

    Photos
    Front dining area
    Front dining area
    Blueberry Waffle
    Blueberry Waffle
    Civil Libation

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    Esoteric Craft Beer and Curated Provisions

    Esoteric Craft Beer and Curated Provisions

    4.3
    (400 reviews)
    10.5 mi
    $$

    This was hidden gem a farm table style food and everything made with perfection. We decided to sit…read moreoutside which to me was so worth it. you walk into a garden with beautiful layout with the option to sit in the garden it self if available the time of your visit hopefully next time we are able to. The drink menu options had some cool names for the speciality drinks. I tried their Aries SZN that was sweet and more on the tart side if you like that combo I would recommend it. Food options were endless with classic food to your going out food I did there girl dinner which comes with a Caesar Salad truffle fries with a Diet Coke or coke all for $25 that right there a perfect combo for something to have after or before night out or to just evening bite. Our server was excellent with telling us what options would be a good choice and he also mentioned if we had any allergy or allergies to anything to make sure it was prepared right which to me is always a good thing to be ask. My favorite part was the view of the garden it just added a sweet touch to while you are enjoying some good food and company and it the food was delicious and well prepared I will definitely recommend this if you are nearby the oceanfront I would come visit it and request for outdoor seating if you want to see the garden and take some pictures and lounge eat and drinks some good food that made fresh and prepared very good and drinks that are well crafted this the place to go to.

    I've been coming to this restaurant since they opened and I've never had a bad experience-ever!!…read more But...tonight was slightly disappointing. Staff was great as always but the food was not what I usually expect. I ordered the burger which was fine ! But the fries were overcooked and maybe even reheated? They used to have hand cut -almost shoestring-potatoes. Maybe that has changed-! Just disappointed but will def go back!

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Beer cheese pretzel is a must
    Beer cheese pretzel is a must
    Interior

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    Interior
    The Pink Dinghy

    The Pink Dinghy

    4.5
    (181 reviews)
    10.4 mi
    $$

    Great fun little brunch spot. Stumbled in here right after attending the Virginia Beach farmers…read moremarket on a Saturday. Loved sitting in their back patio on a warm spring day. It is fully shaded which was nice considering we had some young kids with us. Service staff was very attentive and knowledgeable. I'd encourage them to be more targeted when describing some recommendations on the menu, she simply listed about the entire menu she asked "what are some of your favorites". Drinks were delivered very fast by the bartender. 2nd rounds were offered prior to the drinks being empty which shows good serving habits. The serving portions were very plentiful and played very well on the brunch theme! Burger was cooked medium well but still very juicy with a delicious mayo based sauce. The chicken and biscuit was juicy and the biscuit was flaky and delicious. It would have served the dish well TJ have a little more syrup. I also loved the unique hash tots. I was simply visiting from out of state so I won't return, but I'd encourage you to! They are also included on Resy so be sure to book there or use a Resy credit if you have it!

    The pink dinghy was great! Service was very friendly and quick to get us seats for Sunday brunch…read more They were accommodating for finding a spot to put our baby in his carrier too. Food came out very quick and they easily added things to my order. The biscuits and gravy were delicious! Personally I definitely recommend adding an extra egg, jalapeños and cheese. The pancakes were solid too, albeit a bit pricy. The restaurant had great vibes and intentional design. Indoor does have limited seated but there is plenty of outdoor in the front and back. Well worth a visit!

    Photos
    Matcha-strawberry lemonade
    Matcha-strawberry lemonade
    Brussel Sprouts & Chorizo
    Brussel Sprouts & Chorizo
    Smash burger

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    Smash burger

    Mesob Cafe - ethiopian - Updated June 2026

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