Must try coffee ritual. Communal eating. No Utensils. Delicious african food!…read more A locally family run business with a great showcase of African style food. The decor in this place was beautiful and the paintings and decor really were nice and visually appealing. I knew it would be eating sort of family style. So I was prepared to share. Eating entirely with my hands was a different experience all together. It was neat at first but the mess was kinda hard for me to handle. The food was top notch and I really loved all the meat dishes. So flavourful with each bite. Not too spicy at all. The yogurt at the end was very palate cleansing which was filled with fresh fruits. My favourite part of the night was the coffee ritual. It was very cool to see them roast the coffee beans on a open stove. Served beautifully with bread and popcorn. It was a perfect ending to a fun socializing night out. I HIGHLY RECOMEND COMING HERE FOR THE COFFEE RITUAL!

I understand that this is a fairly new eating establishment. That made it a great choice for our…read moresupper today. We've been meaning to eat at an African restaurant because it's been years since we have last done so. In fact the last time was at an Ethiopian restaurant that is long gone. This is an Eritrean dining establishment. It's an African tradition to eat with your hands, using the rolls of injera which is a bread like food that comes in rolls and is used to pick up the food from a common plate. I think that if we were better at this technique we could have finished the plate without asking for more of the injera to pick it up with. The food was flavourful but not as different as I had anticipated. That's neither good nor bad as the food just didn't taste unusual to me. After the meal we had a light dessert which was ideal to cleanse the palate. Then we received a real treat, coffee from beans roasted just minutes earlier. The coffee was superb. The owners clearly take a lot of pride in what they create and it shows. This is a family run restaurant. Woe be the day that there are Eritrean franchised restaurants! If you are looking for African food you can't go wrong with Mesobena.

I have limited Ethiopian food experience but I'm glad I tried Langano Skies. Service was…read moreexceptional as the lady was very helpful and her passion and character was the highlight. In terms of food, I tried the Yebeg Tibs. I don't typically like sour food but the Injera was really good. The Yebeg Tibs went well with the Injera. That being said, I agree with the lady that the platter experience is the full experience so I'd recommend trying that. Overall, I'd give them 8.8/10. Note that they have moved to Old Country Inn since the pandemic.

Best Ethiopian food - friendly great service great food what more could you ask for? You can taste…read morethe love and pride in every bite

This place is about a block south of the Italian Centre on 97th, and it's easy to walk past without…read morenoticing if you're not paying attention - it was clearly originally a residential house that was converted to a restaurant later. Even now when you enter, you're stepping into what looks like someone's front hall, and then you go through a door on the right to get to the actual restaurant, which may once have been a living room. The decor isn't anything fancy, but the owners are friendly and the food is delicious. I was recommended this place as one of the best in town by the folks serving at the Abyssinian booth at HeritageFest last year, so I had to check it out. The injera is fresh and soft, and the beef tibs I tried was excellent although not as spicy as I'd expected (they probably dialed back the spice for the newcomer). I was sad they were out of lamb the day I was there, but hopefully can go back and try some of the lamb dishes another time!

inexpensive and excellent food. I wish they were a bit more web savy so I could find a menu. Kay…read moreWot is my favourite, and we always get the mixed veg dish (lentils, shredded beets, and I forget the other two). Among the half dozen or so Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants that we've gone to, this is our favourite.

We've been to Awash a number of time and we'll keep coming back. The quality of the food is always…read moreconsistent solid. Their veggie combo is a must have. The diversity of lentils, veggies and salad is always so satisfying and quite healthy. We also really like their beef dishes and the spicy lentil dish called shiro wot (not pictured here). The space is small and cozy and the service is always warm and friendly. We have 3 or 4 Ethiopian places we like to frequent around the city and Awash is one of our favourite. It's also very accessible for people who may not have tried Ethiopian food before.

There was a time when Ethiopian food was once an enigma to me and I can easily see how it might…read morefeel that way if you've never tried it. However, after you've familiarized yourself with the world of wots and tibs you will soon learn why this cuisine is so beloved. The flavours are bold and the dining experience is special. Edmonton has several options for Ethiopian dining but the most popular these days (after Langano Skies sadly closed their dedicated space) is now Awash which has been open since 2017. Edmonton Journal named them Favourite African Restaurant 2022 and Favourite Ethiopian Restaurant 2022, while EDify Magazine awarded them Best Ethiopian 2023. I'd never visited myself and was very interested to try this highly favoured east African restaurant. Interestingly, Ethiopia is the only African country that has never been colonized, therefore the food has essentially remained uninfluenced by other countries. As such, the cuisine has retained its unique taste, style and tradition. I absolutely love that we have the ability to take part in this beautiful culture right here in our own city. You'll find Awash located in Sherbrooke, right at the traffic circle. In fact, you've probably driven by it a bunch of times. Named after a town in central Ethiopia, the restaurant itself is very cute and you'll notice it right away with their obvious signage and lovely patio area out front. Inside, the atmosphere provides a wonderful taste of Ethiopia with bright, earthy coloured walls in red and orange. Decor items have been thoughtfully selected to reflect the region and there is plenty of greenery as well. I noted that there are several large TV screens around the space, each showing something different. I found this a bit distracting but otherwise the vibe was on point. There was only one server working in the entire restaurant and she was very friendly. However, as more customers began to fill the space on the Saturday evening I did find that her attentiveness slowed considerably. There were a few instances where we had to approach the front counter ourselves to ask for a glass of water or to order dessert (which they do not have even though the menu lists two dessert items). Ethiopia is quite famous for their coffee (and coffee ceremonies) but I generally try to avoid getting ultra caffeinated during the tail end of the day. As such, I was pleased to find the Spiced Tea ($2.50) on the menu as an alternative. The tea arrived steeped to perfection with nothing else added to it. The server suggested that I could add sugar (which was on the table) if needed. This tea tasted exactly like the Bengal Spice blend from Celestial Seasonings and I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly what it was. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable cup filled with the warming aromas of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove. As an appetizer, Awash offers Sambusa (Choice of lentil or beef. Thin dough shells stuffed with a blend of minced lentils or minced beef, green chili and herbs, lightly fried in vegetable oil - $2.95) which is a very common Ethiopian dish that you'll see on most menus. I love them and was even more pleased to see that theirs are stuffed with lentils - my favourite type. My co-diners wanted to order the beef version but we were told that they didn't have any. This was okay by me because as I said, the lentil option is my preference. These triangular pastries are similar to an Indian samosa but with an African flavour profile. The golden shell was perfectly fried however I did find their dough to be different than other sambusa that I've had in the past. Awash's pastry is a lot fluffier and soft on the inside compared to the very crispy types that I'm used to. It was interesting to see that the preparation can vary depending on who is making them. The menu described the filling as "minced lentils" however the lentils were certainly not minced - they were whole. The flavour and texture was enjoyable but maybe not the best sambusa that I've ever tasted. If you've never tried Ethiopian food before the menu may seem overwhelming what with all of the wots and tibs up for grabs. My opinion is that you should just wing it! Try a few dishes and soon enough you'll get a feel for which items you like best. The enticing flavours will surely win you over! Another aspect of note is that there are no forks, knives, or any flatware at all. Everything is eaten with your hands and it's all a part of the experience! Awash boasts that their food is prepared using homemade spices and of course all meals are served with injera. Injera is a sourdough-risen Ethiopian flatbread that is made out of teff flour and barley. It's a lot like a spongy crepe. I've said this before but injera is like if sourdough, a crumpet, and a crepe had some kind of a weird three-way baby. Injera is used as a utensil of sorts in the absence of forks, similar to the use of naan in Indian culture. The menu features plenty of choices and I was easily drawn to the She

I had a lovely meal here a few weeks ago. I ordered the green chicken curry with a small coconut…read morerice. This was a good portion for one person. Rice is not included with any of the dishes and have to be ordered separately. My table also shared the miang kham appetizer. This was something unique but it was quite delicious. Everyone at my table enjoyed what they ordered. In fact, someone from our group loved it so much that they came back again within 72 hours. It was pretty quiet for a Saturday. Upon arrival we were the only customers so we got seated instantly. The restaurant isn't big but they do have enough tables to seat a good amount of people. The service was quick and the gentleman waiting on us was pretty friendly. I highly recommend this place for Thai food. It seems like they also have deals on certain items throughout the year.

We ordered take out and I am so glad we did choose this spot for our Thai food! It was a lovely…read moremeal and we were so pleased with all of our choices. We had a green onion cake and the coconut shrimp for appetizers. The cocoa shrimp was large and deliciously breaded. The pineapple dipping sauce was so sweet and balanced that came with it. Absolutely loved that appy! For our mains we have tofu pad Thai, shrimp panang curry (delicious peanut sauce), Pad Med Ma Mong and coconut rice. My plate is a mish mash of it all! It was delicious. The Pad Med Ma Mong had flavours that are hard to describe-it was brights and so layered in flavour. The peanut curry was rich and had the perfect heat. The pad Thai was tasty too but felt like it was missing something. I can't wait to try some more items next time we order and possibly do dine in.

If you haven't visited Edmonton, you should plan a visit! It's a great city with lots to see and…read moredo, while they don't have a freeway system - the roads are easy to navigate and efficient. In addition you can easily get all around the city via their light rail. If you're flying from Seattle, you can fly out of SeaTac (2 hours), or drive to Vancouver Int'l Airport or *best* .. drive to and fly out of Abbotsford Int'l Airport, we found tickets r/t for about $150, flight is only 1.5 hours, and as it's a small airport so the experience is so lovely! So, to the food! We knew we had to visit Gebeta thanks to their inclusiveness to vegans by having a separate section on the menu dedicated for vegans (see included video), this in addition to having both salad and appetizer options labeled specifically as vegan!!! We started with their delicious Azifa Dip (Special zesty dip, made with blended lentils, garlic, onions, jalapenos, dijon mustard and olive oil. (Served with your choice of injera or pita bread)). This dish had an incredible depth of flavor, a perfect pairing for injera or pita bread! For the main dish, we chose the Vegan Sampler (Combination of house vegan dishes including, spicy red lentils, yellow split peas, green beans and carrot, beets and potato, shiro, whole lentils and cooked spinach). You really can't go wrong here, such an incredible variety of smells, flavors and textures and a different combination in each bite, you control the balance ... you have the power :). I'm a mango fan so I couldn't resist a tall glass of Mango Juice. If you're a fan of Ethiopian food and visiting Edmonton, or if you've never had Ethiopian and are curious to try, Gebeta needs to be right at the top of your restaurants to visit, the Vegan Sampler alone is easily worth "the price of admission".

It doesn't get much better than fresh injera (literally straight from the kitchen), savoury food…read moreand wonderful customer service from the cook (who served to also the owner too). The 4 of us out met for a late supper (as smaller & quieter restaurants are my level of comfort) & we ordered 2 vegan sampler dishes. This was more than enough for us as it included spicy red lentils, yellow split peas, green beans and carrot, beets and potato, shiro, whole lentils & cooked spinach. We thought everything had good flavour & was presented beautifully. The one order also included mushroom tibs which was also really tasty. I'll definitely order that for myself next time. What really impressed me is that not only did we get more injera with our meal to enjoy but even though she had none of properly cooled injera, she asked if we would be ok with a fresh one if she made it while we were eating. For those of you that don't know, ideally one should have it sit for awhile before eating it. We of course let it sit as long as we could to cool it off but what a neat opportunity to try something extremely fresh to understand why it's usually served another way & chat with the cook about her memories of growing up & eating her mom's cooking. Two of the friends ordered extra items to take home for their meals next day, including more injera too. We were happily full. If you haven't experienced eating Ethiopian food before, be sure to allocate extra time for waiting the food to be prepared. This isn't something that's flying out of the kitchen in 10 minutes. Seriously, expect to sit for at least 30 to 45 min (if it's not busy) before you have your food. Same if you order from SKIP. It's going to take as long as it's going to take. Honestly, I think that's part of why it tastes so wonderful and part of why I'll be returning when I know things are made with such care. Also, I know we're programmed to drink coffee whenever. However, it's typical to order coffee after the meal with this type of food. As we we gathered pretty late already & it was already closing time while we were finishing eating, we decided to pass on that part. But if you do order coffee, again remind yourself that it is an experience not a quick coffee that will be served. Oh and it will definitely keep you awake. Accessibility wise, entrance is straight off the sidewalk. Be mindful that there's two doors you need to enter through & you would definitely need someone to hold them open for you if you have a walker or wheelchair. There's a good mix of tables & booths. The couple of bathrooms are located on the upper half of the restaurant past the bar area (they're non-gender specific & decent size/spacing but I didn't see any change table for those that dine with their babies but I didn't take a look at the other bathroom). For me, I was super grateful that the upper bar area leading to bathroom access was accessible and by a very good sized ramp. It's nice not to stress about struggling on stairs with my cane & being in pain afterwards. There's parking along the avenue. Also, if you turn at the next corner (past the next restaurant called the Carrot), there's angled parking on the street. Currently the window is being fixed but the sign is very noticeable from the street. I really enjoyed the food, atmosphere & customer service. I'll definitely be back again & will bring more friends to try other items on the menu.

We met a friend for supper at this restuarant, and because it was on the weekend we decided on the…read moreMoroccan Experience which included 1 Tangina (a traditional Moroccan dish which was slow cooked lamb, cooked with spices), 1 lamb tagine with with prunes, 1 Moroccan couscous, and one chicken tagine with olives, and harira soup. The food was massive and tasty. The tangina was the standout..but everything was good. The soup was also amazing. My only complaint is the Moroccan couscous had no real meat in it. It was 3/4 cous cous and really nothing else. I would not order this again. It is pretty inside and rather large. They have a seperate room for special parties etc. Service was good. The owners gave us complementary tea and baklava which was tasty and appreciated. The tea was lovely. I woul like to come again on the weekend and try other things on the weekend menu.

Food was great! The dishes were interesting and the lamb was delicious. At the end they brought us…read moresome tea in the sweetest little cups, and something sweet. What a wonderful gesture! The tea was so good I thought about ordering more. Thank you for your great food and service.

I just moved downtown and after a morning of unpacking I was starving - so I decided to treat…read moremyself to lunch. Turns out Bete Africa wasn't far away, and I love Ethiopian food, so easy choice. Late lunch time on a Thursday was super quiet, I was the only one in the restaurant till nearly the end of my meal, but they were open and super friendly. I ordered the shiro wot with beef, which came with some of the best injera I have ever had. Thick and spongy and unbelievably fresh - wow. I complimented it and was told they make it fresh on site, which I can definitely believe. The shiro wot was delicious too, I was expecting it to be a bit spicier but I didn't actually state a preference and they may have just assumed I would prefer it mild. It was very tasty though and served sizzling hot in a clay pot. I think this is the fourth Ethiopian restaurant I've tried in Edmonton and definitely my favorite so far (the others being Blue Nile, Walia, Langano Skies). All this and a fruit drink came to $20, and there were lots of left overs for lunch the next day. I will be back!

A hidden diamond in downtown Edmonton. A labor of love run by Jamila, the owner, chef, and server…read more Food made fresh everyday you may even catch some items off the menu. A restaurant that takes you outside of Edmonton. Stop by for a freshly roasted coffee experience, meal, or shareable platter - make sure you ask for some beef tibs and come with an appetite!