I'm head over heals in love with Cafe Desta! The food is really fresh and the service is so quick! I am a little bummed that they are currently on their summer hours, so no more weekend lunches there. (I'm a huge fan of going to lunch to try everything on the menu at a lower price.) During the summer they are only open for Saturday night dinner service. I can vouch for all of the vegetarian dishes on the menu, all perfect! I'm also a recent fan of their mango juice, so refreshing for the summer. The atmosphere is modern, but not cold modern...very warm & inviting! Overall, if I could eat every day at Cafe Desta I would. Enough said. read more

Cafe Desta - Mango juice and yekemem shai tea are the best! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I came here on my recent trip back home to Tucson and ended up going to the cafe several times just to get the coffee and visit with various relatives. The cafe location itself is very inviting and relaxed inside compared to the hustle and bustle outside and it's a welcoming atmosphere. Good food that even the baby liked and reasonably priced lunch deals. Tip: Get the Ethio-Latte because it is so good and smooth. read more

Cafe Desta - Delicious Ethio-Latte. This is the latte of my dreams! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Excellent food, comfortable atmosphere, great service, vegan options, just off of downtown

This place is 5 stars for real, not like all the other fake 5 star places everyone reviews. I'm going to keep it simple. Unique, delicious, flavorful food. All of the details are paid attention to here. Water has a hint of lemon. The place is clean and decor adds to the authenticity. I'm coming back! read more

Cafe Desta - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

It's a cute cafe. The staff is friendly. The portion is big. The food although comes with many different combination of vegetable and meat, there is no distinguished flavor between the meat and vegetable. The dishes taste similar to stew. read more

Cafe Desta - Spinach and lamb - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I don't know if they ran out of berber spices or what. We used to love this place but for the last two years or so, it has been pretty bad. This was my last try. The chicken doro wat looked and tasted like they stirred chicken shreds into yellow lentils. No flavor whatsoever. The beef looked and tasted the same, like beef stirred into yellow lentils. The cabbage carrots and potatoes was good, but didn't make up for the other two. I have eaten Ethiopian cuisine many times in over 7 big cities, and usually I love it. This was awful. The waitress obviously didn't want to be there. She was sullen and barely uttered a word. read more

sometimes the food flavor varies depending on the day but it almost always leaves us satisfied

Thank you for redeeming Ethiopian food for me. The first time I had African food, I thought it was so terrible that I haven't tried it for years. A few people had mentioned this place to me and I really wanted to give it another shot. First of all, I cannot say enough nice things about the service. The gentleman, who had to be owner because he truly gave such great hospitality and care when most people wouldn't be so attentive and distinctive. I haven't had such great service in awhile. The food was awesome. My friend and I family-style our lunch. We both got the three item lunch. We got the fish, the beef, the spicy chicken, the cabbage, the red bean lentils and the green beans. We order one meal with rice and the other with injera. My favorites was the fish, the cabbage and the rice. Everything was delicious though. I also order the chai, spelled shai there, and I asked for a side of soy milk which the server was kind enough to steam for me and didn't charge me extra(I would had expected an extra charge. All ordinary cafe be it starbucks or cartel charge extra). It was soo yummy that I had to order one to go. And only $1.75 for steamed milk chai?! Unheard of! Short version...LOVED IT! WILL BE BACK. EVERYONE NEEDS TO TRY THIS PLACE! read more

Cafe Desta - My yummy shai with steamed soy milk. Ugh, I want one right now! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This is some downright delicious Ethiopian food that accommodated our vegan and gluten free needs.

The best food in tucson I've ordered from them almost 50 times and they've never got my order wrong. They have the tastiest vegan and homemade food. Feels so comforting yet clean and packed with flavor. Thank you cafe desta read more

Hands down best Ethiopian in Tucson, friendly family business, absolutely delicious food!

Vegans love Ethiopian food. Got the vegan sampler, omg to die for. Huge plate, there were two of us and we couldn't get through half of it. And we're stuffed. Best Ethiopian food we've ever had. Will be back fo sho. read more

Came in for lunch. Same standard of cleanliness and order. Discovered the old Manager left months before, received nice and attentive service. Bought a bag of Ethiopian coffee to go, it was a pleasant experience for lunch here. Will come back again! Awo! read more

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This place is amazing! Love love their food and such great people. My favorites are the Gomen, Kaye doro, and the Azifa. Perfect for lunch or dinner near downtown. read more

This is a wonderful Ethiopian restaurant right in the middle of the Barrio district. My boyfriend is vegan and we wanted to make sure he had ample food to order. Boy did he! He got the 3-vegan combo (with rice) and totally enjoyed the Fosolia, Gomen, and Tikal-Gomen. I changed it up a bit and got the wonderfully delicious Shorba with a very large side of home-made bread, and a side-order of Kik with some Injera. I really liked their recipe for injera. It is tasty and light compared to others I have had. All the food was wonderful, and the service was top-notch. Definitely will go back when I visit Tucson again! read more

This restaurant never fails to amaze me. I was born and raised in Tucson, this is hands down my favorite place to dine out. If I had to only eat one thing for the rest of my life, I would choose the desta vegan sampler plate. Always friendly service, always amazing food. I wish I could give it more stars! read more

The food was delicious! The spices were amazing. And the variety was great. They had a detailed menu for adventurous travelers and had a full coffee bar. read more

I love Ethiopian but seldom have an opportunity (there are none in my home town). But stopped here during a trip to Tucson - really excellent! Great flavors and probably the best injera I've ever had. Definitely give this place a try! read more

This place is the absolute best. We order takeout often and always have a great experience. Tonight, our Uber Eats driver left half our order at the restaurant and the owner's wife *personally* delivered it to our house for free! read more

Has to be one of the best restaurants in Tucson, arguably the world. Food is always so delicious, coffee is great, and the staff are always so friendly and delightful! 10/10 would recommend to anyone in Tucson. (I'd recommend the Lunch special) read more

Fantastic food. Very friendly service. Excellent value. Incredible vegan combo plate. One of the best.

Forks are for fools, injera is where it is at. For those of you who are not familiar with Ethiopian cuisine, injera plays a pivotal role, it is the trencher, utensil and the wrap. You may wonder what is this amazingly versatile injera like, It is a soft thin spongy slightly sour bread. The fun part comes in deciding what thick stews you pick up with our Anjera. Like Indian food most menus are divided into Veg and non veg dishes, which makes life great. Meals are typically served family style. One nice thing about desta is the modern urban feel with exposed brick and regular tables which makes the whole experience more inviting to newcomers. The various lentil, potato and veggie based wat's (Ethiopian for stew) were all well spiced and the textures were distinct Four people ate very well, with free anjera refills for about $11 a person with out drinks.. If you are in the mood to visit a cofee shop after, no need to leave they have a full coffee bar and enough local art on the walls to please any coffee shop snob. read more

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Cafe Desta delivers now?!? How awesome is that? This would be so dangerous if I was still living in Tucson.

So yummy! We've eaten here twice and just love it! Ordered the works...HUGE amount of food! We only finished 1/4 of it, but it was fun to try everything. It became clear which our favorites were, as those were quickly gobbled up and others were left with only a bite or two gone. Now we can just order bigger portions of our faves next time. TIP: they are BYOB and there's a liquor store just up Stone a block away, so you can grab your booze before dinner. read more

Cafe Desta - The Works! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Such lovely food and super fast service. Get the green beans! So delicious. We had the combo for two with all vegan dishes. We chose numbers one through five and everything was awesome. Next time I'm in Tucson, I'm coming back. read more

I went with friends who recommend I try this place. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, people and the food was delicious. I didn't have any idea what to order but they said most people on their first visit order a sampler platter to try a little bit of everything which I went with. I am so thankful I did because I liked the flavor of everything I tried. You can't go wrong with anything. They all have a unique flavor and difference in a good way. When I go back I will still order the sampler just because of the diversity. read more

Wow.. so incredibly great that I'm writing the review while still sitting from the meal.. We ordered the combo for two.. Lamb, chicken, collard greens, chicken pea cabbage and more.. All served on a large platter!!! My girlfriend is in food extacsy as well as u.. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!! read more

The food is PHENOMENAL!!! Everything is good here!!! If you're sensitive to spicy there are still options, great for meat eaters or vegetarians! My favorite Ethiopian in Tucson!!! read more

This family owned restaurant is a true delight. Love the complex flavors and fresh ingredients. I like that they have a variety of both meat and vegetarian options. This is a great place to go if you're going to share a meal - if you go by yourself I suggest lunch and getting one of the combos so you can try a couple of things. Their Kaye doro and the misr are my favorites. It can get quite busy on weekend evenings so there may be a wait but it is well worth it. They also have some amazing (strong) coffee for after dinner. Chances are you'll have leftovers. Service is friendly and helpful. The servers hustle but on weekends it can get a little crazy so plan on a longer meal then. If you're a diner that wants to get in and out, I suggest going during the week. read more

they're just so awesome!! i love their service and all their option, the staff is super friendly and attentive plus their food is super super savory with quality read more

Absolutely delicious Ethiopian food. The Kaye Doro, Shiro, fosolia, even the salad is delicious. The service is great. I highly recommend this place. read more

Cafe Desta - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Amazing, food has been delicious and full of flavor every time! I go with their individual plate, you can pick three items of either vegetarian or meat dishes. Perfect portions and reasonable prices. read more

It was an odd Friday. We worked two days, had a random holiday, came back for two days. Most people were out of town. Time for a long lunch. We took the 20 minute drive to Cafe Desta for lunch. The pick three for $7.95 lunch special had me sold. I had the spicy red lentils, the spinach, and the spicy beef. You have your choice on injera or rice. I went with injera. There were six of us and the service was pretty good for only one person working the room (which began to fill after us). Our food came out in a timely manner, and everything was wonderful. The food was very, very good. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to get back. The portions are great for lunch, and the price can't be beat. A good go to spot for lunch if you are in the area.... or want to take a long lunch :) read more

I was driving cross country and ended up staying the night in Tucson at a cheap hotel near the highway. Because I cheaped out on the hotel, I wanted to make sure that dinner was memorable. However, because of a yappy dog who did not want to be left alone in the room, I had to grab takeout. I chose Cafe Desta because I was in the mood for something healthy and flavorful with a solid Yelp rating. Desta fit the bill, with a large selection of vegan Ethiopian dishes. I chose the Vegan Signature Plate ($29.95), with generous helpings of all the restaurant's vegan dishes, along with a small green salad and four huge injera to eat everything. All of the dishes were fresh, flavorful, and well-seasoned, but I was particularly fond of the Misr (spicy red lentils), Gomen (collard greens), and Tikil-Gomen (cabbage, carrots, and potatoes). Nothing was spiced very aggressively, which was nice. The injera bread is a little bizarre looking, which is pretty standard for Ethiopian-Eritrean cuisine, but it's really just an edible utensil, so who cares if it looks like a gray dishtowel? Cafe Desta was very good. Because I got takeout and did not dine in, and I can't speak to the dining room service (although the restaurant itself was clean and attractive inside), or the desserts and coffee (both of which looked very nice). However, if you are looking for healthy, delicious vegan food in downtown Tucson, Cafe Desta is a gem. read more

Excellent Ethiopian on par with the other place on B-way. Service was supreme. Upon arrival, we sat down, had glasses for wine and an opener, and water before our ladies even finished their bathroom break. We got the menu, told the server, who I think was also the owner, to bring us the sampler platter (serves 4 and is $40). Seriously, about five minutes later she arrived with a giant platter full of vegan and meat Ethiopian goodness. The injura bread was gray/tan, thin, and not too sour. I liked it better than their competitor's. The decor is modern and clean with pleasant art and photos on the wall. I will definitely be back again. To Zemam's: You better step up your game and update your humble digs because Desta could easily be your demise. read more

Hmmm...it's weird that I've never written a review of Cafe Desta. We eat here fairly frequently. (Our next door neighbor went to high school with the owner and she loves to bring us here.) It's a nice space, very open and modern, and you rarely have to wait for a table. Pretty much 100% of the time I've eaten here, we ended up ordering "The Works," which is a giant plate of injera with 1 of everything on the menu. Everything is pretty good, although there are some pieces that everyone seems to like better than others. The split peas never get much love, but the chick peas and lentils are always spot on. I've had tastier spinach/collard greens in other Ethiopian joints but overall the food here is high quality and enjoyable. The chicken is always juicy and tender. You get some little green salads mixed in there too with the cooked food. After tonight I must warn diners NOT to order The Works if there are fewer than 4 people in your party. It's a huge amount of food and there is something about the presentation in Ethiopian restaurants that almost compels you to overeat. It's a better amount of food for 4-6 people, and they have other (smaller) combo platters. read more

The service here was horrendous. I have never actually been treated so poorly in a restaurant (and by the owner!). It seemed like our group was nothing but an inconvenience to the staff. We couldn't get the right amount of chairs, they wouldn't give us water, and the owner actually snapped at us when we asked for coffee. A couple of friends came to join us and they were told they couldn't sit with us. The food itself was decent but the service left a bad taste in my mouth. I will never eat here again and anyone who asks, I will send them to Zemam's where the food and the service are always fantastic. read more

Food was good and well made, but overpriced. I was alone and had a vegetarian platter with a single extra side with the meal and one side to go. Bill was $40. read more

Great food and coffee. This was my first experience of Ethiopian food, and I was so impressed by the flavors and spices and the kind demeanor of the owner. My friend and I had the lunch special where you pick 3 of the dishes (meat or vegetarian) and then have it on the injera (floppy, sourdough-ish pancake-y thing... which I loved). We had 3 meats and 3 veggies. I personally loved the beef and fish, and the collards.. (sorry, I can't remember any of the proper names) Basically we ordered everything that was spicy. It wasn't too spicy (at least by my standards) There was a fresh berry pie-like dessert (a little like cobbler or bread pudding) with home-made whipped cream (omg omg omg thank you.) The berries were incredibly fresh and it was not too sweet. (again, thank you!) I topped it off with an Ethio Latte which was sweetened (but not too much) with a thicker, creamier flavor. And the coffee itself was just delicious. I wish I lived down here! read more

Wow, I really need to update this review. I've been back several times since I last wrote and this place has won me over. The staff is consistently friendly, the food delicious, and the ambience is great for a date, dinner with friends, or a big group. I had my birthday dinner here, and they were able to accommodate a large group (around 20) in the room that they acquired to the left of the main restaurant. Ordering was a cinch, as we ordered 4 "The Works" plates for the table, which is a large sampling of almost every dish on the menu sans some specialty meat dishes. And as always, it's byob, meaning you can have a delicious, filling dinner with wine, for half the cost than another restaurant. I definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a place for a large group of adventurous eaters! read more