15 Best Restaurants in USA

Along Fairfax Avenue in the Little Ethiopia neighborhood locals and visitors can enjoy Ethiopian signatures like tofu tibs; spicy chicken dorowat; and potato, green bean, onion, and carrot atkilt. Chef-owner Genet Agonafer transports diners to Addis Ababa.

The best way to sample the diverse flavors of Ethiopian cuisine is by dining at this restaurant that transports you to Addis Ababa through its decor, music, and above all, it's selection of traditional dishes. All dishes are plant-based, including chickpea-based shiro, lentil wot, and a mushroom version of tibs (typically a stir-fry with meat and veg). It's all served with injera, a sourdough flatbread used to scoop up the various stews, with your hands. The drink menu includes traditional t'ej (honey wine), cocktails, and wine and beer from Ethiopia. The namesake bunna—Ethiopian coffee brewed with cardamom and cloves—is worth a try, too. 

The highest concentration of the Ethiopian diaspora lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area, which means there is no shortage of Ethiopian restaurants. DAS, a long-standing restaurant on M Street, provides an upscale dining experience with one of the District's most popular global cuisines. You'll find all the Ethiopian classics, such as the chicken doro wat (chicken with a spicy pepper sauce). Vegetarians and vegans will enjoy the many plant-based options. Skip the fork and use injera, a spongy flatbread, to scoop up the hearty stews and sauces served.

For more than 20 years, Dukem has been a favorite of those seeking authentic Ethiopian food. Guests come for the injera, a spongy flatbread topped with tibs, a dish with cubed tender lamb or beef fried with onion, rosemary, jalapeño pepper served with injera, and salad and spicy awazie sauce. Dukem also has vegan and vegetarian-friendly combinations with spicy split lentils, yellow peas, greens, cabbage, potatoes in spicy sauce, and also shiro. Order tej (Ethiopian honey wine) for the full Ethiopian dining experience. On the weekends, you may catch live music from local Ethiopian performers.

This welcoming spot offers authentic Ethiopian cuisine in a casual and friendly setting. If you're unfamiliar with the cuisine or don't know what to order, the helpful staff can guide you with suggestions and advice, but we suggest you start with lentil sambosas (savory vegan pastries) and then try the yebeg tibs combo (lamb with ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and onions), or one of several vegetarian dishes on the menu. 

Don't let the modest digs dissuade you: the Ethiopian cuisine here is delicious. Open all day, Cafe Selam serves specialties like beef or lamb tibs (cubed meat sautéed with onions and spices) and ketfo (steak tartare), but is particularly known for its ful, a spicy breakfast dish of lightly pureed fava beans topped with eggs, onions, peppers, and feta cheese, served with two fluffy French loaves.

In Shaw, a neighborhood known for its traditional Ethiopian food, this celebrated spot offers both authentic flavor and great prices. Named for the West Hararghe zone of Ethiopia, the restaurant celebrates the traditional cuisine that is eaten mostly utensil-free, using a special spongy bread, injera, to scoop up food that's laid out on a large platter. There are also great vegan options here for those that don’t want the traditional Ethiopian sirloin or chicken stew. And you'd be hard-pressed to find most of the choices from a great list of African beers elsewhere in the District.

A Baltimore Avenue institution, Dahlak is often credited with introducing the cuisines of Ethiopia and Eritrea to a wider Philadelphian audience. Family-owned and operated, it serves signature dishes like zigni (braised beef stew with tomatoes and onions) and braised lamb shank as well as an equal number of good vegetarian options. After dinner, stick around for drinks and dancing, as Dahlak has long been popular for its energetic nightlife scene soundtracked by local DJs and Wednesday Karaoke. There is also a late-night menu.

It's the Ethiopian spin on fried chicken with a lemon turmeric zing—along with the spicy berbere version—that has this small, tidy spot bustling with customers; the fried chicken is gluten-free to boot. As doro means chicken, the other few dishes, such as the doro wot, a spicy stew with ayib (a cottage cheese), are also chicken, except for a few vegetarian options. Occasionally, between the constant seatings and take out, they run out of food early.

The spongy rolls of sourdough injera bread (ubiquitous on Ethiopian plates) used in place of utensils can make traditional Ethiopian feel decidedly indelicate, but the bright surroundings and friendly service here make for a downright romantic experience. Venture off the well-beaten path of tender curry lamb to try the spicy chickpea dumplings or fragrant simmered split peas, laden with garlic and served in a clay pot. For devoted meat lovers, the cured beef tibs (a type of hearty steak cut) in spicy berbere sauce and the fried croaker fish marinated with fresh herbs and spices will crown a memorable, affordable meal. The full bar also serves potent Ethiopian beers.

A standout in the pocket of international eateries clustered around Nolensville Pike, Gojo Ethiopian Cafe serves authentic dishes in a cozy brightly colored building. The lunch buffet is a favorite of both vegetarians and meat-eaters. The staff is known to be helpful to beginners having their first Ethiopian food experience.

Look past the sad, faded strip mall exterior: Lucy is bright, cheerful, and big—with a designated bar area and a stage for DJs or bands. Separate breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus offer various stews or deep dishes, which include cubed beef goreb goreb, and collard green and bone-in beef gomen besga, both meant to be scooped up with spongy injera flatbread. If you're curious, the name Lucy comes from Ethiopia's most famous fossil skeleton, and this place feels like a community hub. Officially designating a loosely defined area as "Little Ethiopia" in 2023 might have seemed as optimistic as the signs pointing the way to Chinatown did in the early 2000s, but the area is definitely evolving, and Las Vegas is said to have some 40,000 Ethiopians. Ethiopian restaurants and markets are scattered around the edges of Chinatown, but this restaurant is a solid place to anchor it.

For an authentic Ethiopian experience, you will enjoy dining at the family-owned Merkato. Classics like spongy injera bread, spicy beef, and grilled fish are meant to be enjoyed with your hands. The market has Ethiopian ingredients to purchase to make at home.

This small, friendly family-run eatery with a loyal following prepares classic Ethiopian dishes, served on a communal platter with injera, a spongy bread, and eaten with the hands. Sampler plates of any three items allow you to try dishes like yemisir wat (a spicy lentil dish) and lega tibs (a milder beef dish with a tomato sauce).