Everything was delicious and the people working there were super friendly. I recommend them strongly enough that I was willing to fight my phone to post this revie. read more

I wanted to try some of the new vendors at the Salt City Market. I've heard good things about Habiba's Ethiopian kitchen. It was just before lunch and they were taking freshly baked sambusas out of the oven. I ordered one of the Vegetable samosas and it was Hot, a bit spicy, perfectly cooked and one of the best I've ever eaten. The filling was mostly chopped potatoes. The woman was very friendly and I wish I'd have asked if she was the owner. I'm definitely going back to try the other varieties as well as other items . read more

See all

Ordered vegetarian platter (Betaynetu) and it was delicious. The flavors are perfectly seasoned and not overwhelming. The lady at the counter was very helpful in explaining the food options. The food hall is clean and lots of table to it at. read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Beyaynetu (Vegetarian Sampler) - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Salt City offers so many varieties of food this was my first opportunity to choose Habibas. Sorry no pics got it to go and was starving by the time I got it home smelling the deliciousness for 15 minutes in the car. Service was pleasant and good prepared in a few minutes. I love the atmosphere of Salt City. Doro Tibs spicy and a side of injera provided a well seasoned meal with plenty left over for another. Chicken was tender and juicy flavors were gently spicy I will ask for extra spice next time but I truly enjoyed. Injera was perfectly soft and spongy great for eating the Tibs with. Traditionally eaten this way no for needed. There are other dishes to return for see them soon! read more

I love the beef sambusa and the doro tibs here. Service is very friendly. Located inside the Salt City Market this brings some diversity to what the market has to offer. Everything is authentic and fresh and tasty. The sampler platter is great for a group of people looking to try out a variety of food. read more

See all

This stall is located towards the quieter end of SCM, but is not to be missed. Firstly, Habiba, the owner, is the sweetest and has an amazing story. The food is fantastic. I've tried a few different vegetable dishes and they're all so tasty and hearty and satisfying. The injera is spongy and soaks up all the sauces exactly as it should. Definitely journey to this end of the market and check it out! read more

One of the top places in Salt City Market, and the move there seems to have solved their problems from being a stand alone establishment (bad service, undeveloped space, and odd in restaurant seating). Delicious food, a vegetarian delight, and reasonable prices. What keeps this from being 5 stars? There is a better, cheaper, and more often open Ethiopian restaurant a short distance away. EthioEritrea deserves to be ranked higher, but Habiba's is a worthwhile place read more

Sambusa's will keep you coming back. Restaurant is super clean in a beautiful spot. Just across the street from the bus depot, this place is very convenient. It's also just a few steps away from Syracuse Co-op market so you order & do some grocery shopping if needed. Food is made to order with variety. The owner & cook is a sweetheart. You will get the best service! I remember eating here when it was on North Salina. Memories & good food! read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Restaurant front - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

See all

I've wanted to try Ethiopian food for a while now. While staying in downtown Syracuse on business, I saw that Habiba's was closeby so I decided to give it a try. Street parking along the main road was easy. There are tons od active parking meters in effect until 6pm. After that, parking there is free. I parked about half a block away. The storefront is very plain and somewhat dark...it wasn't immediately obvious that the place was open. I walked into a lovely greeting by the staff. It was practically empty, but I went at around 6:15 pm and I believe they close at 7 pm, so that may be expected. The decor was lovely. The space was also very neat and clean with lots of tables, chairs and bench seating. Not knowing what to order, the lovely server was able to suggest one of the platters which had a sampling of a few items. (About $18 for a sampler of 2 meats, 3 vegetables and injera.) The food came out in about 15 minutes. While I liked some items, more than others, I understood that my palate was not acustomed to the spices they used. I did like the heat of the food, I didn't immediate love one of the main spices, which was present in all three vegetable dishes. As with many things...I figured this was an acquired taste. Overall I had a great experience at Habiba's. I hope to return and try some other items. The staff was very nice, patient and helpful. read more

See all

Habiba's is now located in the Salt City Market and not on North Salina Street. She is located on the side of the market that faces West Onondaga Street. I had eaten at Habiba's in her former location. This was my first time eating at this location. This was delicious and a lot of food! I left stuffed and happy! I ordered, I was given a restaurant pager, so I'd know when my food was ready. Several of the eateries in the Salt City Market do this, snd it's much nicer than just hanging around the counter. read more

Food the great taste of the food likes the time it was Delivered will recommend it to all my friends and family

This was the first time I tried Ethiopian cuisine! It was a great experience! The server was really good at explaining everything and offering suggestions. We ended up splitting a meat platter. If you're sensitive with spice, be mindful of that. It was such a unique and great experience! The type of bread they use is extremely soft and delicious. Any type of restaurant that encourages you to eat with your hands is good in my book! You will wait a little for your food, so make sure you're not in a rush or consider calling ahead. read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

The food and service were excellent. I'm vegetarian and got the sampler. It was such a great experience. If you've never had Ethiopian, get a sampler platter, and it's totally worth it! read more

I have been wanting to try this spot and we finally made it today. We tried the platter that has all of the chicken dishes and 4 vegetarian dishes. The collard veggie side was good, the lentils too- they had moderate heat. The chick pea side was puréed vs chunky. The split pea side was less flavorful but still good and a nice consistency. All 3 Chicken dishes were good. Going there, I was most wanting to try the Wot because I like Berbere but that was actually my least favorite. Though it wasn't spicy, the flavor the Alechia was really good. I would definitely go back but may try the beef dishes. Note you're definitely not going for atmosphere or service (not bad but not great), you're going for the delicious food. The food was received pretty quickly. read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Chicken dishes middle is Alechia, 6 o'clock Wot, 11 o'clock split pea, 2 o'clock red lentil veg dish, 9 third chicken dish $33 - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Now moved to Salt City Market, STILL OPEN (I had dinner today). I did the 2 chicken -3 veg dinner, Veg were a dal, a saag-like greens dish, and some potatoes-carrots. Both chicken dishes were tender and flavorful. My favorite thing? They give you extra injera bread to mop up all that goodness ! Really superb food, very nice people, and you can wander around Salt City Market while they prep your food. So go. read more

I've known Habiba for over 10 years. If you don't know her story, it's amazing and inspiring. Her family left war torn Ethiopia when she was 4 years old, she spent 10 years in Kenya in a refugee camp before moving to America on 2000, alone. In Kenya, she watched her mother cook to support her family, selling meals out of a small hut made of mud and sticks. Habiba and I worked together a long time ago, and even then, her dream was always to open a restaurant. She started catering and had test runs of her food at With Love and My Lucky Tummy. She sold meals at the Westcott Community Center. Finally, in late 2018, her dream came true and she opened her own restaurant, the first Ethiopian spot in the city, on Syracuse's northside. I made it a point to go to With Love when Habiba was there, wanting to show my support and try her food. So I already knew she could cook. My wife and I finally went to her restaurant today for the first time and she did not disappoint. Habiba herself waited on us and we caught up a bit. The restaurant is very small, only about 10 tables, probably 35-40 people can fit inside. My wife ordered a mango smoothie, a veggie sambusa and gomen besiga, a dish of seasoned beef stew and collard greens over top injera bread, while I chose Doro tibbs, a dish of seasoned basmati rice with chicken seasoned and simmered in a slightly spicy sauce. Everything was SO DAMN GOOD. The mango smoothie was fresh, sweet and delicious, the sambusa has great spice and flavor to it and our main dishes were just amazing. My wife repeatedly said "this was a good choice" about her dish and mine was delicious. The seasoned rice had great flavor and the chicken itself was even better. Just packed with flavor, slightly spicy. I got it normal this time to feel it out but I'll definitely get the spicier version next time. All the main dishes are over $10 but you get plenty of food. Both my wife and I brought home enough to have another meal of, and honestly, it's so good it's worth the money anyway. 2 meals, a smoothie and a sambusa came to less than $40. Be prepared...you may be in for long waits at busy times. Habibas is everything you want in a restaurant. Delicious, amazing food and owned by genuine good people who care about their community, their patrons and the food they serve you. If you don't try it, you're doing a disservice to yourself. read more

See all

Habiba's is a great addition to the salt city market! I love going to the market for a quick bite to eat, or when you're with a group and want to appeal to people with different taste preferences. I tried the beef tibs and I'll definitely be getting them again. I got the mild and my fiancé got the spicy. We didn't find either dish to be too spicy. read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Awaze Beef Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Amazing rice and chicken, friendly and quick service, and great location in Salt City Market. The prices are reasonable and the portions are sizable. Would definitely get food from here again! read more

Went to the location at the salt city market. Everything was delicious. they have a lot of vegetarian options in addition to chicken, beef and lamb options. The sambusa are to die for and our cooked fresh. The staff was friendly, courteous, and quick. I'm definitely going back again and again. read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - YEBEG ALECHA and VEGGIE SAMBUSA - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

I first learned about Habiba when she was the chef of the month at With Love Restaurant. As I now live in Vermont, I was excited to see she was opening up her own place in Syracuse that I could go to with my family members, many of whom have never had the opportunity to eat Ethiopian food, as there has not been an Ethiopian restaurant in Syracuse in years. If you've never had the opportunity to eat Ethiopian Food, I highly recommend the experience. Our server was a pleasant young woman who helped us choose a platter combination of meats and vegetables. We each ordered the mango smoothies and also one hot chai. The smoothies were described as mango pulps and chunks, strawberry, banana, blended with skim milk. The chai was a steaming and fragrant tea served black with sugar and cream on the side. We love chai and I think this was the first time we'd had it with the additional spice of clove. The platter came out soon after, piled high with four vegetarian sides and four meat sides. It consisted of: Gomen Wot x 2: Finely chopped seasoned collard greens stew with garlic, black pepper, and onion Shiro Wot: Seasoned ground chickpeas stew, with berbere, garlic, and curry powder (mild) Misir Wot: Seasoned red lentil stew with berbere, garlic, tomatoes, and black pepper Doro Wot: Seasoned drumstick chicken stew cooked slow with berbere sauce, Mekelesha (special blend of 7 spices), onion, garlic and ginger Awaze Doro Tibs: Seasoned diced chicken breast sautéed with onions, garlic, rosemary, peppers Siga Wot: Seasoned beef cubes stew cooked slow with berbere sauce, Mekelesha (special blend of 7 spices, onion, garlic and ginger Siga Alecha: Seasoned beef cubes stew with onions, garlic, fresh ginger and a touch of curry in a sauce Everything was well seasoned and excellent; the beef cubes were a little tough, but not a real complaint. We had more than ample food and injera (traditional and special homemade gluten free sourdough bread). The meal is extremely reasonable in terms of value, quality, and price. Four of us ate well for $75 (including tax and tip) and we still had leftovers. Our service was very good, but our server had to be asked a couple times for napkins, etc. As they've been open less than a month, I am certain this will improve in time. Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen is aptly named. When you are here, you are treated as family. Habiba came out to personally chat with each table in order to have a sincere conversation with her clientele. We each let her know we'd definitely be back. FYI: please be sure to have cash for tipping. You can pay for your meal on a credit card, but there's no line for tipping on the card. read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - a meat and vegetarian combo platter for four - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Only been here once. I ordered the Lamb (Yebeg Alicha). Well, I really didn't enjoy it. It wasn't made like I've had before. I was expecting more of a stew like dish. The lamb chunks were tender but the dish lacked character. It just looked like poached lamb chunks in a bed of rice. I couldn't get any real flavor and there was no sauce/stew, potato or spices. I ask for something to give it flavor and the chef gave me a chili pepper condiment. So yeah, big let down. At $18 It was a expensive let down. I will say the staff is very friendly and the woman cooking was very nice. Maybe this dish needs a rework as it nothing like I've had before, hope so. I think the restaurant is a great addition to the Salina street food court. I hope to see it do well. The picture of the dish in Yelp, nope, doesn't look like that. Don't order the Lamb. read more

We started with the "Chicken Sambusa". Tasty but a tad dry without a dipping sauce. For our mains, we shared the "Beyaynetu" for 1 person, and "Beef Tibs" with basmati rice. Our server graciously supplied us with more injera; though it wasn't necessary as the Beyaynetu is served on a large platter lined with injera. Everything was delicious. The wife favored the cabbage, collard greens, and beets, while I favored the ground chickpeas, red lentils, and split peas. Each selection was complemented well by the well-spiced beef tibs. Perhaps one of the other beef dishes with beef stewed rather than sauteed would have been more enjoyable as the beef tibs were quite hard. The basmati rice was very tasty mixed as it was with the oil from the beef tibs. That with the substantial injera filled me up pretty quickly. I think I'll be more judicious with the injera and rice the next time to better savor the dishes. Plates and flatware are provided. But where's the fun in that. Use your hands to RIP, DIP, PINCH and EAT. Just bring handi-wipes for before and after eating. We Uber'd to Habiba's. I think a good thing too as the neighborhood looked kind'a scary after dark, and parking close by might be an issue. read more

See all

We have been waiting such a long time for Ethiopian food in Syracuse! We went on a Tuesday night and the food was so delicious. We ordered a special combo with four meat dishes and four vegetable dishes together. We ate it all this was enough for 3 of us but we were very full! Habiba came out and said hi and introduced herself; she was lovely! Not to mention an amazing chef! Everyone should go and if you don't know if you like Ethiopian food, you gotta try it! It is so flavorful! read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Beef Tibs, Kaye Siir, Misir Wot, Gomen Wot, Shiro Wot - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Excellent Ethiopian cuisine! Delightful service. Look forward to visiting again soon. read more

Went with Syracuse Eating Club--party of 13!! Food was all delicious. Not a single complaint at the table. Only comment is that it was a bit of a wait but we were all understanding since we had a large party. Also the place was a pretty warm but cooled off at the end. The restaurant also kindly accommodated us past their typical operating hours. Would reccomend 100% ... small party would have resulted in even better meal experience, though our table had a fantastic time. Reasonable prices!! read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Wow! Sooooooo goooood!! Ethiopian food is quite possibly my favorite food and Habiba really rocks it! As my wife said, "this is so stinking good!" We got the vegetarian platter for two and could not even finish at all but we definitely tried. I'd give it more stars if I could. Best in Syracuse! Support your local Habiba! read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Very delicious new happening spot! When we arrived we were able to snag the last available table and apparently injera bread! While we waited patiently for our food, the aroma of spices permeated the air..... all the dishes looked so colorful and beautiful as they came out... When we finally got our order everything tasted fresh and delicious. No one particular dish tasted like the other and complimented each one perfectly. We had ordered a combo plate of three meats and 4 veggies. While it was more than enough for two... probably could share it among three people easily and possibly a 4th if you picked some appetizers to munch on. I will definitely be coming back to try some other dishes. I loved the doro tibs. Enough spice to keep it interesting!!!!! read more

See all

This small portal to Ethiopia is likely one of the finest "hidden gems" that Syracuse has to offer. Walking in from the admittingly run-down part of Salina St. is instantly simultaneously stimulating and relaxing, The décor is interesting and subtle and the unfamiliar, yet enjoyable, popular Ethiopian music adds to the "small dinner party" atmosphere. The menu has a nice variety of both meat and vegetarian dishes, though I suggest that you choose one of the combination plates to attain the optimal tasting experience. The chicken sambusa that I ordered was piping hot from the fryer, crispy on the outside and filled with ground chicken, onions, and other spices. It definitely had a much different flavor than an Indian samosa, so though they look similar, they cannot be directly compared. The server/owner, Habiba, was extremely inviting and offered to answer any questions. I did ask her what the spongy bread that was served with the main dishes was made of, and was told that it was a combination of teff flour and white flour, which was made into a dough, allowed to ferment overnight (forming the bubbles) and then cooked like a crepe'. I found that the slight sourness of the bread to add an interesting and authentic flavor to all of the four vegetable and two chicken dishes in the combination platter that I ordered, which had a delicious red chicken dish, a drumstick in a warming sauce served with a hardboiled egg. And I will not soon forget the tasty vegetable dishes, three of which might be compared to Indian dahls, but with different spices. The chai tea I ordered was good and quite strong, requiring a couple packets of sugar for me to truly enjoy. I would not hesitate to say that Habiba's puts Syracuse on the culinary map, giving visitors a good reason to come to Syracuse. It was certainly one of the most pleasant and enjoyable restaurant meals that I've had as far back as I can recall. If you have not been to Habiba's restaurant yet, you owe it to yourself to try it. There simply is no comparison that I can think of in Central New York. https://www.habibaskitchen.com/story read more

See all

Atmosphere: warm, friendly and inviting. It smells amazing the moment you walk in! Food: fresh, hot crispy Sambusas with spicy dipping sauce, and Beyaynetu vegetarian sampler. All the items in the sampler were delicious, but my favorite was the split peas which were nicely spiced and tender, and the red lentil stew. Service: friendly and helpful. Chef/owner Habiba came out from the busy kitchen to say hello! It is so nice to have an Ethiopian restaurant in Syracuse! read more

I ordered the vegetarian combo. It was good, but I am accustomed to Ethiopian food that has fat and more flavor. The greens for instance seemed like they were cooked without fat at all. My partner ordered a meat combo based on chicken, but each portion only had one tiny piece of chicken in it rather than the 4 or 5 he's accustomed to getting at other Ethiopian restaurants. I definitely want to try the other Ethiopian restaurant in town before trying Habiba's a second time. read more

Consistently delicious and hot. Injera is amazing. I have dined in and taken out many times, Habiba never disappoints! read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

See all

Habiba's is located close to downtown Syracuse and two blocks from Rt 81. In other words, easy to find and get to. We parked on Division St, where there are no parking meters. Habiba's has a nice size dining room with a bar. Likely seating for 30-40. Comfortable. We shared the Doro Bayenetu and both had the chai tea. The Doro Bayenetu was wonderful and more than the two of us could eat. Spicy! We both took home leftovers. And the chai tea was dark and flavorful. We would definitely go back! read more

It's closed and there is days old mail in the entry. My friends and I went to Salina Street first and it is not there either. Then we walked 26 minutes to a closed place. They need to update their info. We're from our of town and that was a disappointment due to bad info. read more

Finally Ethiopian Food in Syracuse....Always being a fan of Ethiopian food and this place didn't disappoint...Give this place a try...Amazing food and amazing staff....If you love Indian Food, you will love this food too..if not you will have a amazing and delicious food experience. Tip:- Start with Somali Chai Tea and ask them to make it the Indian way read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Absolutely fabulous and delicious! Everything we had was wonderful. We had the vegetable pastry appetizer, two beef dishes, and three vegetable dishes. My daughter had the mango smoothie. The owner greeted us and the service was wonderful. We will definitely come back again and again. A local favorite for sure! read more

Habiba's Ethiopian Kitchen - Ethiopian Near Me - Syracuse, New York

OMG ! Best restaurant for fresh Ethiopias finest This lady's hand heal . My daughter wanted soup she made her okra soup it was healing and delicious. Not heavy . Not spicy just wonderful. Always love her fufu and egusi just wonderful great customer service! read more

We made our first visit to Habiba's last Friday, but there will be many more to come. The place is small without feeling cramped, and the service is friendly and efficient. We were greeted, seated, and offered something to drink within moments of stepping through the door. Having only eaten Ethiopian once before (in NYC), we had a LOT of questions about the menu, and our server offered great recommendations that worked out beautifully. The food was excellent. Like a lot of people, we ordered one of the sampler plates with two kinds of chicken (Doro Wot and Awaze Toro Tibs) and one beef (Siga Wot). All were excellent, but the latter two especially appealed to the spicier sides of our palates - not overpowering, but enough to tingle. Completing the meal was a selection of vegetables: chickpeas, split peas, collard greens and cabbage. Again, all were good but we especially both liked the chickpea dish (Shiro Wot) and I the collard green prep (Gomen Wot). My wife's not a fan of greens, so my opinion carries more weight here :). The injera (flatbread) was a sticking point the previous time we had Ethiopian - that time started good and went downhill as it cooled. Not so with Habib's injera - the bread was good from the first taste to the last, and the way the food is served atop a large piece encourages eating more just to soak up a few more tastes. There were two reasons we didn't eat more of the bread: we were stuffed by all the other delicious food on the plate, and unlike some other Ethiopian places, Habiba's provided for us less cultured types by providing silverware to eat with :) We'll be back. read more

I really enjoyed the food here; coming from me, that is truly a compliment. I am a fairly good cook myself and God has blessed me with impeccable tastebuds. I have the ability to be able to recognize many of the ingredients that may be in a dish by tasting it. I am also very hard to please when it comes to food that I have purchased when I have ordered out. When I tasted the food here I was extremely surprised and almost completely satisfied. My only complaint has been that the potion size for the goat that I ordered seemed a little on the small size. read more

Where do I start? The founding/mission? Ok sure. Just a badass lady entrepreneur doing THE MOST for her community. And making delicious food on the side. I'm here to support that mission always. I stopped by with a group of 5 on a cold Saturday night at 7pm. The tables were mostly full with many take out orders sprinkled in. We shared the sampler with a mix of meat and veggies dishes. The veggies were the standout. The flavor was unreal. Try this place, at least once. (You'll be back) read more

A suggestion from a new friend led us to Habiba's and we loved it. Very happy to have such an eclectic food scene in Syracuse.