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    Cafe Colucci

    4.2 (1.4k reviews)
    ModerateEthiopian
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Cafe Colucci Takeout or Delivery

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    CAFE COLUCCI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Colucci

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    Samosas
    Kristi C.

    So many vibes. I've been here but it's been a long time. In fact it was in their old location. Met up with some friends. They are vegetarian and we eat meat. So 3 of us ordered 2 meat dishes and they 3, ordered vegetarian dishes. We also ordered samoses (2 orders) and 2 lattes, and 2 baklava. Oh, they also ordered the stuffed jalapeño dish, which surprise was hot. All the food was delicious, even the two teenagers with us liked the food. It's got a good vibe inside and despite there being a pretty constant line we were seated within 15 mins. I would absolutely go back. Also - order the coffee, was hit with wonderful flavors served in this awesome ceramic mug.

    Andrea N.

    Very unique experience! First time trying Ethiopian food & it was interesting. The flavors are quite strong & meat was tender. They don't give utensils unless you ask which is fun. The bread roll thing they gave was pretty acidic & dominated over the flavors of the meat dishes. Don't know if I love that. The sambusas were delish. Airy spacious restaurant but not a huge place so I imagine it gets busy.

    Marissa C.

    My first time trying Ethiopian food and I LOVED IT!! The dishes are FULL of flavor! This family run cafe has been serving up East African cuisine in Oakland since 1991! Each dish was loaded with spices and I'm going to say it again, soooo much flavor. To be honest, we had no idea what to order or where to even start, so we got the sampler that our server recommended and it was soooo good. It was also a fun experience because we got to eat with our hands lol. If you're like us and completely clueless, go with the meat sampler because for $23, you get a HUGE portion and then can figure out which items are your favorites for next time. What we ordered: Meat Sampler ($23) * Doro Wot - spicy, slow simmered chicken stew * Doro Alicha - chicken stew in turmeric-based sauce * Sega Alicha - spicy beef stew * Minchet Wot - minced beef stew * Gomen - stewed collard greens We also got their Sambussas (half lentil and half beef), which were similar to samosas. Both their mocktails and cocktails were really well made too. I loved how they incorporated spices into the drink too, which was pretty unique.  So if you're looking for a fun date night or just to try something new, definitely bookmark this place!

    Vegan Combination
    Chris B.

    Mr first time having Ethiopian cuisine, and now I'm wondering what took me so long. Walked a few short blocks from home in a Friday night, to find the place packed upon arrival. A good sign, and we sat after a short wait, and I could immediately see some of the reasons this place is popular. Service was quick and courteous, and provided some great recommendations for a first timer. Food and drinks came quick too. The vegan platter is a must for first timers, everything super flavorful. We started with polpetti, which were slightly spicy meatballs packed with flavor. The cuisine is mostly gluten free too, which is a plus for my wife and I, and they even have GF anjeera bread. Will be back again to try more before long!

    Beef Sambussa and Vegan Sambussa
    Tim L.

    Drove up to Oakland since there's a lot of unique food places up here. This is my first time trying Ethiopian food and it did not disappoint. First off service was phenomenal, Gabriel, our server helped recommend some appetizers and the sampler since it was our first time. My favorite was the sambussa's. Crunchy and full of stuffing inside plus the chili dip. My favorite drink was the spritz. Sweet and refreshing. Overall I'd come back if I was in the area. Appetizers: - Sambussas - Polepetti - Buticha Plate: - Sampler (both meat and veggie) Drinks: - Bessobela Lemonade - Sellasste Spritz

    Juliana S.

    There is something magical about walking into a place and immediately feeling wrapped in warmth before the food even hits the table. The high ceilings made the space feel airy, but the deep, rich colors on the walls made it feel like I had stepped into someone's home with incredible taste and a love for Ethiopian spices (hey line the wall like an art installation with sacks and jars everywhere). You can buy them separately, too. We came in as a group of seven or eight, and the staff handled our large party with ease. My standout dish was the kitfo. It was my first time having it and it was my favorite part of the meal! This is a place I will make a point to visit every single time I am in town. A lovely and fully immersive cultural experience from top to bottom.

    Vegan Combination and Eggplant Tibs
    Krupa T.

    The food was good and it was nice to have move vegan options. They bring out the tibs on a skillet like fajitas. The service was good and the restaurant has a good vibe. They bring out one dish that is sizzling with spices that perfuses the air and makes people cough which was a little off putting.

    Items for purchase
    Towanna W.

    I got a chance to discover Ethiopian food for the first time at Cafe Colucci with some friends back in December. This location is in North Oakland - very conveniently located with lots of street parking options around (take note of the street signs and meters). There is residential parking on the side streets without meters. We showed up on a really rainy day and I was pleasantly surprised at the number of folks who still showed up to dine. This place is great for groups and gatherings- lots of open space and the aesthetic is very traditional with lots of Ethiopian art displayed on the walls everywhere including the bathroom Our server Jennifer was so personable and approachable- knowing it was my first time she was eager to guide me through the menu and educate me on injera. Our group was very eclectic as far as our dietary preferences...we had carnivores, vegans, pescatarians and vegetarians. What was impressive is the menu offered something for everyone! Everybody eats. I ended up ordering the shrimp tibs which simply was a plate full of sauteed shrimp and peppers (cooked to order) alongside some greens and injera. I ordered the non traditional injera which was gluten free and had less of a sour taste to me than the traditional. There was a great deal of shrimp on the plate- I scooped it up with the pepppers and injera for a delicious flavorful bite. The shrimp were nicely seasoned with their house spice which is also conveniently placed on your table should you want to add extra- the spice is also available to purchase. When I ordered the greens- in my mind I was thinking soul food greens..... silly me. LOL The greens were good and flavorful as well- more on the vinegary side for me. I would eat them again. We all ordered the Selassi spritz with fresh mint- it was made to order by our server. Light and refreshing. Overall, this is a great neighborhood place that serves classic Ethiopian fare and provides warm and friendly service and good food. Definitely a 10/10 experience and I will say that Jennifer (our server) is what took it to a ten! She is a gem!

    Restaurant sign
    PDog R.

    A true east bay gem! You must try café Colucci! The best Ethiopian restaurant around! The injara is plentyfull and the portions are huge. I felt as if I was actually at home. That's how they make you feel. From the moment you arrive until when you're leaving. Our waiter was top notch, and very attentive. Great for family and small parties alike. Or if you're feeling some dining alone it's also a perfect choice. You can also sit at the bar and enjoy your meal as well! Trust me you will be in heaven when tasting the dishes! And you'll leave satisfied full and happy!

    Vegan Sampler
    Cynthia P.

    This has been a restaurant that I have been wanting to visit for soooo long! I finally found the time to go with my bestfriend on a Thursday! Parking is on the street, but we didn't have trouble finding any. There was a short wait for a table; not bad at all. The place itself was very bustling with a lot of customers. The vibe was great! For the food, we ordered a vegan platter to share and half lentil sumbussa and half beef. All the food was yummy! I really liked the pepper seasonings that they leave on the table for you. The chili pepper was 10/10! The seasoning for the lentils on both dishes stood out to us the most. Overall, this place is good and I would recommend for people to try it out!

    Veg Sambussa
    Christine L.

    Cafe Colucci is so consistently solid the few times I've been with friends and family. It's such a great place to introduce those who've never have Ethiopian food before. They're also super generous with their injera and portions are big. So be prepared to leave full! The restaurant space is also beautiful and open. I always enjoy our dining experience. The servers have always been kind and patient in answering questions.

    Denitch Tibs
    Kyra K.

    I'm a newfound fan of Ethiopian food! Getting together with one of my friends, we decided to get Ethiopian food since she'd never had it before. It was a pleasant time and we enjoyed Cafe Colucci. We arrived for dinner on a weekend. I brought my pup so we sat outside, you have to walk through the restaurant to get outside. Inside was spacious, big, and can get quite loud since it's a bustling spot. Outside was roomy, casual, and chill. The mural outside is gorgeous as well. The service was nice, we'd occasionally get checked in on, and food came out at a decent time. The workers were sweet and they complimented my pup. My friend and I shared the Denitch Tibs and Vegan Combination. The chips were crispy, parts of it on the softer less fried end, and a nice savory seasoning. The sampler was perfect for us to share. A balance of savory, slightly sweet, a bit sour vegetarian dishes. The injera was light and rolled thinner than other spots I've been to. Everything was good and we took some to go. Cafe Colucci is a popular spot for authentic Ethiopian food! The vibes are quite nice and the food is great. I wouldn't mind coming back. With it being off San Pablo Ave. parking is street only.

    Assa Gored Gored, Selassie Spritz, Vegan Sambussa, and Vegan Combination
    Sophia S.

    We tried Cafe Colucci after work based on a coworker's suggestion and it was so yummy! We were seated really quickly and our server Emily was so nice and friendly. She had great recommendations and we wanted to try everything. I ended up going with the Assa Gored Gored and my friend got the Vegan Sampler/Combo plate. We shared the lentil Sambussa and a Selassie Spritz too. Overall, it was such a great vibe and a delicious dinner!

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    28 days ago

    Best Ethiopian food that we have ever had. Our server was very helpful and both he and tha host gave great service, too

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    27 days ago

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    6 days ago

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    3 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    Thank you Chris!

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    5 months ago

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    Thank you Tim! We will forward your kind messages to Gabriel :)

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    7 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    Thank you Jazel, it means alot to us :)

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    5 months ago

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    Thank you Tiffany!

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    7 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    15 days ago

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    3 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Best ethiopian restaurant in the east bay. honey wine, tibs, good vibes. stuffed jalapenos yum

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    5 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    19 days ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 months ago

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    Page 1 of 36

    Ask the Community - Cafe Colucci

    Are you open on Memorial Day?

    Yes we are! Regular hours 11am to 10pm

    Are dogs allowed in outdoor seating?

    Yes they are! We have dog bowls and treats as well :)

    View All 4 Questions

    Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant

    Enssaro Ethiopian Restaurant

    4.2
    (1.7k reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    came in on memorial day bc I was in the area, and a family friend recommended this place :)…read more Quickly seated for a party of one, average sized lunch crowd Servers were great, helpful, and kind Food & drink: - Sampled the classic honey wine! Def sweet & kinda strong for me but still loved hehe - Another server said her fave was the honey pineapple cider wine and it fsho didn't disappoint; came in a cinnamon-lined glass and tasted more apple than pineapple haha but not complaining at all, just noticing - small plate of chicken w/ red lentils -- came w/ injera and salad --- HELLA SHMACK (usually at Ethiopian restaurants, I get the samplers to split w/ friends) since I came in solo, I got the small plate today. I thought I'd need more injera, but the serving was actually a perfect size bc I even needed a to-go box **can't wait to visit again!! though they did note their moving locations soon

    The food was delicious and prices were reasonable for the large quantity. Deducting a star because…read moreit's so loud here I could barely hold a conversation. I'm glad they've moving locations in a week. Wait staff was friendly. We got the veggie sampler for two ($40) and the meat sampler for one ($23). The veggie sampler was very filling, and each dish was flavorful. My friends enjoyed the meat dishes. The dishes came with plenty of injera. The spicy red lentils were my favorite as well as the carrot/cabbage/potato mix. I can't stomach onions so I was happy none of the veggie dishes included chunks in them. They were probably in there but blended or cooked down to nothing. My friend is diabetic so he couldn't eat a lot of the injera. We asked and the wait staff brought him eating utensils. When we entered, we stood around for a while and then figured out we were supposed to go to the back right where there's a few chairs put together for a waiting area. I flagged down a staff member and they had me put my name on a wait list. We were there early on a Friday (around 6pm), so we only had a short wait. Although this place has a decent amount of tables, I can imagine long waits during peak times. I'm glad they're moving to a new location in about a week and I hope it's quieter. We sat in the semi enclosed outside area and even there was loud. Voices echo throughout and since the restaurant is near a stoplight outside, cars and motorcycles blaring music go by constantly. Many were so loud just about the entire restaurant turned their heads to look at what was so noisy. As soon as we finished eating I suggested we leave since I could barely hear our conversation.

    Photos
    Menu
    Menu
    DORO WOT ( chicken stew ), BEEF Tibs, LAMB Tibs
    DORO WOT ( chicken stew ), BEEF Tibs, LAMB Tibs
    Amazing Cocktails: Espresso Martini, Honey Wine Pineapple Cider, Honey wine, Campari

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    Amazing Cocktails: Espresso Martini, Honey Wine Pineapple Cider, Honey wine, Campari
    Admas

    Admas

    4.4
    (90 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    ADMAS is definitely my favorite place to go whenever I visit the Cities! The food, the vibe, and…read morethe culture are absolutely amazing. The service is a 10/10 every single time, and the food is truly the best of the best. I've never had any complaints when coming here. Everything is always fresh, flavorful, and made with care. I 100000000000% recommend this amazing place to anyone looking for great food and a welcoming atmosphere. I love being able to connect with my people and my culture, and ADMAS always feels like home.

    First off, I ordered for delivery…read more I love Ethiopian and Eritrean food, so I was excited to see this spot finally open for deliveries in my neighborhood! I think I've eaten at the majority of Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco, so I'm a fan. Sadly, I was NOT a fan of this spot. :( (For context, I tried to go back to the delivery app to give a review, but the window for leaving a review had closed.) I looked over the menu and I was suspicious that there was no standard Doro Wot for delivery, but, whatevs --sometimes restaurants leave off certain items on delivery apps. I got the Chicken Tibs and Beef Tibs. The beef was spiced, but the chicken tasted bland and watery. Both seemed to be missing salt. The beef tibs was tougher than I'm used to. Maybe it was an off day. The Yemisir Wot (stewed red lentils) was flavorful. The vegetarian combo was a complete miss for the price and the portions were super small. The Tikil Gomen (cabbage, carrots, potatoes) looked like one tablespoon had been scooped out and put on the injera. It came with Yemisir Wot, Yekik Alicha (yellow spiced lentils), beets(???), Gomen (collards), and green salad (though I don't remember getting the green salad in my combo). The Gomen (collards) were super bland and tasted like reheated frozen collards. My last issue is that the a-la-carte items are photographed with a small salad and injera, pretty standard (see attached image from site). Unfortunately, the a-la-carte options came singularly in a container with a side of injera. Bummer. If I hadn't included the vegetarian combo, I probably would've been even more upset. What I did like: --- - The Tikil Gomen and Yemisir Wot were well spiced and tasty. - Plenty of injera, almost too many. I think my biggest issue is that given the portion size, most items are between $16 - $24, so if you're looking to have a rounded meal (injera, vegetables, meat), you're going to have to order multiple items and that adds up fast; it will be cheaper if you just eat in or call them and order for pick-up. (I'm also kind of bummed because I was rooting for them since they are in the space where Casa Vallarta used to be.) If you plan to go, I'd suggest sticking to the vegetarian options.

    Photos
    Dining room area. We forgot to take a picture of the food. Ate it too fast.
    Dining room area. We forgot to take a picture of the food. Ate it too fast.
    Gored gored, disappointing chicken doro wot, vegetable combo, & lamb tibs
    Gored gored, disappointing chicken doro wot, vegetable combo, & lamb tibs
    Admas

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    Zara Restaurant

    Zara Restaurant

    4.2
    (26 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    First time trying Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine and it was delicious. I really appreciated the staff…read morefor being patient with us and explaining the dishes we had questions on. The portion size is like having a feast - definitely perfect for sharing. The injerito was a great appetizer, love the silky and soft texture of the injera. I ordered the House Special Sampler which was a great option for me because I wanted to try as many dishes as I could. From the choices of meat, the beef was my favorite. I ate it with the rice from the "Lamb with Rice" dish - very perfect pairing. The rice and beef were packed with so much flavor - every bite was a sensation. If you're looking for a great Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine, I highly suggest this place!

    Food 4/5 I went with…read morethe vegetarian platter which is my go to wherever possible. My food was made to order and came out within a reasonable timeframe. Everything had a good flavor balance except the Gomen. For my taste buds it could use more seasoning. The whole platter was delectable. Just one thing, a gnat showed up and landed on my other roll of injera so I did not eat it. Service 4/5 KEren, the owner is soft spoken and kind. I told her the spelling of her name was unique to the traditional spelling Karen. She greeted me as soon as I entered. At this time there were no customers. She brought me the drinks menu and the food menu accompanied with a pitcher of water. I feel a pitcher of water should be offered at every restaurant for your table. Minimizes the requests for refills. On a warm sunny day like today hydration is paramount. Keren returned moments later to take my order. Ambiance 3/5 Clean. Neat. A little bare. Four big screen televisions though for those who are into watching TV. There's a bar with a limited alcohol selection. Happy Hour is offered from 4-8pm. No days specified. There's two restrooms. One for women and one for men. The women's is missing the door have handle. Inside the one person restroom it's very clean and stocked with all the basics you need.

    Photos
    Minimal art work but nice
    Minimal art work but nice
    Because... there's a no crumbs left behind policy.
    Because... there's a no crumbs left behind policy.
    Zara Restaurant

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    Cafe Colucci - ethiopian - Updated July 2026

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