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    Asmara Cafe

    5.0 (36 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    Samosas and Coffee
    Jack M.

    This little gem offers Eritrean and Ethiopian food. I had the four sambusas, two with lentils and two with ground beef. They also make coffee and espresso, so I had the lady make me a coffee and hot milk. The sambusas were fantastic. The pastry had a very good texture and was tasty. The lentils were delicious and well seasoned. The ground beef, too, was very good and aggressively seasoned in a good way. The red dry sambusa sauce that came with the dish was fantastic. The lady who was running the place was very nice and attentive. She definitely liked to put smiles in people's faces. The place is small but does offer several tables. Only street parking is available.

    Veggie Combo
    Toni L.

    Made fresh to order with love. Super sweet lady working the register and the restaurant cooking your food from scratch. She even makes the injera herself, and it's gluten free. No wonder my stomach is so happy after i leave. Excellent coffee and tea too. Such a hidden gem. Not expensive either. Love this place!!

    Phyllis H.

    This place is amazing! I was looking for a coffee shop to work a few times per week and happened across this delightful cafe. The food is amazing, the owner and chef is a delight and she serves up some delicious coffee too. The place is small and casual but you can't get better food. It is really a local gem. Highly recommend you try Asmara Cafe! I asked the chef to surprise me and this is what I got!

    This place is so cute and good. It's operated by a sweet lady and she was so caring and kind. It's definitely a hole in the wall the coffee was delightful and the food was amazing. Must Try

    Foule

    Great authentic Eritrean food (spoken from a real East African). The fuul has great flavor and the veggies were fresh. Paired with the tea was a great a breakfast and reminded me of home.

    Inside seating with variety of tables.
    Matthew S.

    Found this little gem which is a great spot for lunch. Fresh salads with fish or steak, frittatas, and other authentic cuisine. I got the fish salad and an iced tea. The tea was fresh brewed with hint of mint. The fish salad includes potatoes, tomatoes, and avocado. Very fresh and the fish is nicely grilled with flavorful inclusion of herbs. Overall a great spot I would visit again.

    Beef kilwa and vegetable platter

    Wow! The flavors are amazing! We had the beef Kilwa, veggie platter, and sambusa (2 beef and 2 lentil). The meal left us full and beyond satisfied. Absolutely worth the trip!

    Foule
    Ace A.

    I love Asmara Cafe. Very tasty food, generous portions & very clean establishment! You feel very welcomed when you come to Asmara and the owner is amazing! One of the best breakfast places in town! A must try..

    veggie combo and lentil sambusa

    I got the veggie combo and lentil sambusa, which were both delicious! The vegetables and lentils in the veggie combo were very flavorful, and the injera had an amazing texture. I also loved the lentil sambusas, definitely excited to try more here.

    A plate filled with the most extraordinary Ethiopian food you will ever find

    Arriving at the stylish restaurant, we were greeted by one of the kindest and most talented chefs in the city. We asked her to create something that was truly her own, and she did a plate filled with the most delicious food we have ever had, and actually her smile is worth the price of admission you can't miss this folks!

    1 order of beef kilwa/tibs
    Dahlak T.

    When my Eritrean mother told me, she wanted to have her birthday lunch here, I was shocked. My mom is very picky and has high standards if we go out to eat especially, at an Eritrean restaurant. So I knew that this food was going to be amazing and it did not disappoint. We ordered the samboosa's both veggie and meat shiro, and beef kilwa/tibs (spicy and regular). The food was so full of flavor. I was extremely impressed. I was super excited to see that they had breakfast food as well. I definitely wanna go back and explore more of the menu. Although this is a Cafe, it is a full functioning restaurant, it's super cute inside and it's a very fun environment to be in. The great thing about it is they have parking behind the building if you can't find any on the street. HIGHLY recommend this place. The service was amazing, the owner was working alone that day but man does she work fast. We ordered the same things multiple time, not because the portion were but because it was so damn good. Also ask for the chili on the side to add more spice to your dish, it will amp up the spicy level at the same time add flavor. I will definitely be a regular customer!!!! Support local black owned, woman owned business.

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    5 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

    We got a steak salad and a latte - everything was really well seasoned, well cooked, and warmly presented

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Delicious homemade food in a cozy cafe atmosphere. Amazing flavors. Very kind service.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Been a few times now. Lovely little cafe, kind owner, delicious drinks, highly recommend!

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Service phenomenal, the food is even better. Highly recommended and would definitely come back again

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great food, amazing service and quality ingredients!!! Traditional Eritrean cuisine at its finest.

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    Muzita Abyssinian Bistro - Shiro & Beggie

    Muzita Abyssinian Bistro

    4.4(2.2k reviews)
    2.1 miUniversity Heights
    $$

    Down in SD for a ladies weekend to see the Timbers v SD match. We were seated on the restaurant…read moreporch which had heaters and the friendly server asked if we wanted them turned on, but it was a lovely cool afternoon so we went with nature. The porch faced a busy tourist street buzzing with people and it was great seeing everyone come and go. We started with the vegetable sambusas which outstanding. The spice level and filling were perfection and the pastry divine! I had the Shiro + Beggie which was out of this world! My friends shared a mixed vegan plate and everything on it was delicious! Next time I'm here in San Diego I'll remember to return. Highly recommended!

    My husband and I have gone by here on our way to eat elsewhere so many times over the years, each…read moretime saying that we've got to stop in sometime. Saturday night after a show at the theater down the street, we were walking along Park and decided that was the night! It was almost 9 o'clock when we came into the charming house-turned-restaurant and asked if it was too late to get a table. We were assured it was the perfect time and seated right away. Our lovely server, Melissa, offered us expert guidance on the menu. We went with her suggestion of the roasted mushroom appetizer and were floored by them. I wouldn't expect to be so stunned by mushrooms of all things (I can only think of one other time and beer batter was involved then) but they're wonderfully seasoned and have unexpected crunchy bits. We completely cleaned the plate, scooping up all the spaghetti squash accompaniment. Our mains were also delicious, a fava bean and a lamb entree with cabbage and lentils as the sides. Melissa delivered extra injera without us even asking, and gave us the excellent tip as we headed out to add our leftovers to a pan of scrambled eggs. We did so the next morning, and ate them with our crisped up leftover injera, a very tasty cap to our experience with Muzita!

    Photos
    Muzita Abyssinian Bistro - Interior dining area.

    Interior dining area.

    Muzita Abyssinian Bistro - Inside of one of the sambusas. So much flavor!

    Inside of one of the sambusas. So much flavor!

    Muzita Abyssinian Bistro - Exterior of the restaurant.

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    Exterior of the restaurant.

    Addis Ethiopian - Sambusa

    Addis Ethiopian

    4.7(454 reviews)
    0.2 miNormal Heights
    $$

    Stopped by with a few friends to introduce them to Ethiopian food and had a phenomenal meal. I have…read morebeen trying to find Ethiopian food as good as when I first had it in the DC area and this spot is it! Considering everything between taste, price, convenience, cleanliness, and ambiance, this spot is easily one of the best I've had so far. Service was friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. The restaurant is well decorated with traditional pieces. Parking in the rear is a huge plus! We ordered the veggie and meat combo with the addition of Doro Wot. The taste of every component was super flavorful and the meat was tender. All but the raw protein options are halal! The Tej (honey wine) was sweet and very strong. The Tela was similar to a sweet beer with coffee notes. Really glad we got to try both drinks. Overall, a really good spot! I can't wait until my next visit!

    I've been to Addis Ethiopian for their traditional food and coffee a couple of times; therefore,…read morethis is legit 5-star review. It's centrally located in San Diego on El Cajon Blvd, where Normal Heights meets City Heights...easy to get to plus there's a mini parking lot. I just looove this Ethiopian restaurant! I feel right home when I'm there especially when I participated in the coffee ceremony. The restaurant is nicely decorated with unique furniture, tableware, and portraits from the culture. The owner and staff are super friendly...ready to answer questions about the menu or accommodate your needs. The service was always greaaat and the food was always deeelish. I highly highly recommend this family-owned restaurant to the Yelp Community :-)

    Photos
    Addis Ethiopian - Deco

    Deco

    Addis Ethiopian - Veggie combo

    Veggie combo

    Addis Ethiopian - Dining room

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    Dining room

    Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - One vegetarian combo and one meat combo. Great for 3 people.

    Awash Ethiopian Restaurant

    4.5(614 reviews)
    1.2 miUniversity Heights, North Park
    $$

    Every time I pass by Awash and smell the food, my mouth waters. It gives a mom and pop vibe, has a…read morelittle market in the back, and the service is always very attentive and kind. Came by on a Saturday mid-afternoon and the place was mostly empty, and we were able to just take any seat we liked in the front room. They came by and took our order and when I wasn't sure if the spicy tibs were going to be too spicy, he kindly offered to give me a sample including some of their delicious injera. It was delicious, and the spice only added flavor and wasn't too intense at all. We went with the Awash special spicy tibs and the meat combo and it came on the plate with injera as the base and a bunch of rolls on the side. It was a ton of food, and the tibs are always so amazing; I love even just dipping the injera in the sauce and soaking it up. If you've never had injera before, it's a super spongy sour bread that's made of some gluten-free flour. It's delicious and really light, and the way you eat is by picking up the meat or whatever you have in front of you with the injera and eating it all together. I'd say the meat combo wasn't my favorite since the Tibs blow all the other meats out of the water and in the future I'd stick with what my friends and I do usually: the Awash special spicy tibs and the Veggie Combo. Adding the Veggie combo adds the nice acidic and healthy balance that you need when consuming the sour injera and the savory tibs. Would recommend Awash to everyone I know. It's not necessarily a cutesy spot, but it's a place to go when you want to eat some delicious Ethiopian food and walk away with your tummies happy.

    Coming in, the restaurant is small, but has a charming and homey quality to it. The servers are so…read moresweet, and would check in on us throughout our meal. We ordered the meat and vegetarian combo platters, and the food was very delicious. The portions were sadly a little small compared to the amount of injura we got and the price we paid, but delicious nonetheless. Unfortunately, the day after my friend and I both got food poisoning from this restaurant. I want to love this place since the food and people were great, but from sifting through Yelp reviews, it seems like food poisoning is a common thing guests experience.

    Photos
    Awash Ethiopian Restaurant
    Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Alitcha Tibbs & Meat Combo

    Alitcha Tibbs & Meat Combo

    Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - 2 orders of 26. Vegan Combo.

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    2 orders of 26. Vegan Combo.

    Flavors of East Africa - African Jerk Chicken Sweet and Spicy, Corn and Beans, Pilau Rice, and Chapati Bread with a delicious Mango Black Tea.

    Flavors of East Africa

    4.3(1.3k reviews)
    1.6 miUniversity Heights
    $$

    This was my first time here, and I loved it! The employees were the sweetest people, answered any…read morequestions we had about the menu, and gave us great suggestions. We ended up getting the lunch combos so we could get a taste of many different dishes! You can ask them for half & half for rice, meat and/or veggies to get the full experience((: My favorites were the sweet jerk chicken, beef stew, and curry lentils - DELISH.

    I have been here lots of times at the farmers market, but this was my first time actually visiting…read moretheir storefront. They offer soo many more options!! I was shocked! Our server was great and I was happy she let me try a sample of their Black Berry Juice because it was soo good! I loved how tarty it was. We got the following food to try: - Sambusas (spicy lentil and potato) - they were good, but not the best sambusas I've had. The shell was crunchy, but the filling had a more subtle flavor than I'm used to and I felt like I was missing the "wow" punch. I really liked the spicy mint sauce it came with. - Goat - this was really flavorful and the meat was soo tender! The size was a bit disappointing especially because we didn't get many goat pieces, but plenty of bones. I also wish there was more than 1 carrot in the whole bowl. It was mostly broth. A tasty broth, but still. - Beef Mbavu Choma (beef short ribs) w/ Dengu (lentils) and Ugali - this was insanely good! The meat was beyond perfectly cooked and we couldn't get enough of it. The ugali was good on its own and with the lentils, but I liked it best when dipping it in the soup broth. I would definitely get this dish again! I really like this place, but the small amount of goat in our curry dish left me a bit disappointed, which is the only reason I'm not giving 5 stars.

    Photos
    Flavors of East Africa - More indoor seating

    More indoor seating

    Flavors of East Africa - Spicy african jerk chicken, collard greens, saffron rice

    Spicy african jerk chicken, collard greens, saffron rice

    Flavors of East Africa - A delicious meal fit for a foodie: Large Combo, African Jerk Chicken Sweet and Spicy,  Saffron Rice, Nyoyo,  Whole Chapati, Mango Black Tea

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    A delicious meal fit for a foodie: Large Combo, African Jerk Chicken Sweet and Spicy, Saffron Rice, Nyoyo, Whole Chapati, Mango Black Tea

    Abay Ethiopian Market & Restaurant - Doro wot Ethiopian chicken plate

    Abay Ethiopian Market & Restaurant

    4.7(108 reviews)
    1.6 miNorth Park

    Fantastic food! I was out with my cousin at the nearby Lafayette Hotel for a drink when we started…read moresearching for dinner nearby. She mentioned she had never tried Ethiopian Food, so we had to go. The restaurant is a little confusing from the outside because it looks more like a little market. It is a market but as you walk through to the back there is a small restaurant area with 5-6 tables. There was Ethiopian music playing from a TV in the corner. We shared the veggie combo and a lamb dish called Ye-Big Siga Wat. Everything was delicious, perfectly spiced, and the injira was light and spongy. The server may have been a one man operation (server, cook, and even running the register in the market) and I think his family was hanging out a table. It felt like being welcomed into his dining room. This was a great find and I'm glad I got to introduce my cousin to Ethiopian food! (Note: this was previously Abay Ethiopian and the name changed to Blue Nile in 2025. It looks like the menu and the interior all stayed pretty similar.)

    Very good Ethiopian spot that is totally no frills: 4 tables, no decor, barely clean. There's also…read morea shop where they sell spices, beans, drinks, and other random items. I ordered the vegetarian combo ($16 plus tax), which comes with 5 typical Ethiopian dish, salad, and injera. The food came out in about 15 minutes. Everything was quite solid, especially the misir wot. Nothing was particularly amazing but it was all solid. Good price, portion, and value for money. Service was fine--one lady working and doing everything, though not particularly friendly. Decent spot.

    Photos
    Abay Ethiopian Market & Restaurant
    Abay Ethiopian Market & Restaurant - Awesome plate of injera and toppings

    Awesome plate of injera and toppings

    Abay Ethiopian Market & Restaurant

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    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Deliciousness!

    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant

    4.8(163 reviews)
    0.5 miCity Heights

    Came here one evening on a whim because it's close to the church my mother goes to. While I had my…read moreeye on the restaurant for a while, I never realized it was so close. The staff are all very welcoming and kind and quickly got me seated with a menu and soon after got my order in, just an order of Derek Tibs, and started. The water I ordered came soon after in the form of a glass and a pitcher. There's a wait time that's pretty typical of ethiopian food that you'll get used to as you have more of it. When it comes to the Derek Tibs, they're honestly a bit bland, but not any more or less so than what I've grown accustomed to. The Berebere sauce (they offered it to me as hot sauce), and the Injera is really what gives it a lot of flavor. Honestly my favorite part of the dry style Ethiopian food is the texture and amount of crust they're able to get on the meats. Overall a very enjoyable experience, I would definitely recommend trying if you get the chance. Likely will return with friends.

    as a san diego college student, i am in a tireless search for affordable and nourishing food in…read morehospitable places, and i was able to find this experience at lucy ethiopian restaurant. we ordered the two meat combo, which was satisfying for two hungry adults, and a glass of tej (ethiopian honey wine), which was a beautiful pairing to our meal. even as someone unfamiliar with ethiopian culture, the food and drink made me feel nostalgic, and the peaceful atmosphere of the restaurant contributed to a blissful dining experience. our server was very friendly and helpful, and the service was very quick. i felt very welcomed in this environment, and i will happily return again soon.

    Photos
    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant
    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant
    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant

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    Faridas Somalian Cuisine - Potato and beef Sambusas with green chutney and BBQ dip.

    Faridas Somalian Cuisine

    4.4(138 reviews)
    2.6 miChollas Creek
    $

    we got potato sambusas & chicken suqaar, both were great. both came w a green hot sauce (like a…read morecilantro chutney) that was rly good, the refreshing-ness balanced out the heat. the suqaar was sauteed w onions & bell peppers. you can either get it w basmati pilaf, spaghetti, or both. i def liked the rice better but the spaghetti grew on me too. it also came w a basic salad (just romaine & red onions, ranch on the side but i just used the lemon wedge) & some seasoned cooked veggies (potatoes, peas & carrots). the server / cashier also offered us bananas so we said yes, the sweetness rly complemented everything. the only thing i didn't care for were the artificial drinks but they just came w the meal. there was so much food & it all melded together so well! v satisfying

    came to Faridas Somalian Cuisine with my brother in law and mother in law and overall had a good…read moreexperience. It was pretty lively inside and there were a few people talking very loudly on their phones, which started to get a little distracting. My mother in law was joking about it, but it did make the space feel a bit chaotic at times. The wait for the food after ordering was quite long, but once it arrived it was worth it. My mother in law ordered the fish with rice and I got the fish with pasta. The portions of rice and pasta were honestly more than one person could finish, but everything was flavorful and well cooked. My brother in law ordered a wrap and said he really enjoyed it. We also tried the watermelon drink, thinking it would be fresh juice, but it wasn't what we expected so that was a miss for us. The sambusas were okay, but the meat filling was a bit too finely minced for my preference.

    Photos
    Faridas Somalian Cuisine
    Faridas Somalian Cuisine - "2 Person or More Sports Plate," Sambusas, bananas, watermelon drink, mango drink, buttermilk dip, ketchup, & green chutney dip

    "2 Person or More Sports Plate," Sambusas, bananas, watermelon drink, mango drink, buttermilk dip, ketchup, & green chutney dip

    Faridas Somalian Cuisine - Store front

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    Store front

    Asmara Cafe - coffee - Updated May 2026

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