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    Lucy Ethiopian Cafe

    4.1 (515 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

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    LUCY ETHIOPIAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Lucy Ethiopian Cafe

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    Ethiopian coffee
    Rachel S.

    The standout item here is definitely the peanut tea, which basically tastes like liquid peanut butter! It is also extremely creamy and has a foamy layer on the top. This place was empty around lunch time so we got the whole restaurant to ourselves. We got chickpea stew, extra injera, lamb tibs, and potatoes and carrots. The food arrived after a while. The lamb tibs were super flavorful and def the standout item. The chickpea stew was also great and not too spicy. I have def been out-spiced by Ethiopian food, so I was conservative with the spice level. The potato's and carrots were excellent and very soft, saucy, and delicious! The prices are solid, but the food is huge portions. You will prob have leftovers! We enjoyed the coffee. It was pretty strong and the sugar helped a lot! I don't know if I would get it again. Don't miss the peanut tea though...

    4 CVC - Veggie Combo
    Divya J.

    Quite a nice Ethiopian place. Got the 4-Veggie Combo for One (Spinach w Potatoes, Missir Wot, Shiro Wot, Kik Aletcha) I loved Kik Aletcha the best. Service was nice and quick

    Evelina K.

    I had a hard time scoring this place. I am not Ethiopia and it is my second time trying this cuisine. The staff was nice and helpful when our group was choosing what to try. Our group didn't really care for most dishes, but I don't know whether it's just us not caring for Ethiopian food in general. So, if you never had Ethiopian food like most of our group and you want to give it a shot - you definite.y should try it and make your own opinion because they have a rich variety of dishes.

    4 CVC - Veggie Combo
    Vijay N.

    Stopped in for a quick meal before a performance at symphony hall. There were several open two-top tables when we arrived. Service was fast and friendly - via QR code. The food looked nice, but was undercooked and also lacking in any flavor but spice. I'm sure with a few menu tweaks it could be much better, but will pass on going again at least for a while.

    Beef Combo for 2 with spinach, potato and carrot, cabbage, and red lentil
    Anita L.

    Good space to grab a bite to eat - there's only two to three tables that seat more than two, so it's definitely more situated for smaller tables. You can order at the counter or scan a QR code to order to your table. I ordered the hot peanut tea, and it came out hot and creamy. It's lightly sweetened and very comforting! It definitely has a strong peanut flavor (my husband said it reminded him of a peanut butter cookie). I actually felt like this would've been a good dessert post meal! We ordered the beef combo for two. You can choose four veggies from variety of veggie sides. We also ordered the vegetable rolls which is injera bread with spinach and red lentils. We ordered the beef as medium but the beef itself tasted pretty mild- however the injera underneath it was spicy so all the spice got soaked up! Next time we'll definitely order spicy (there was also an extra spicy option). The spinach and lentils were our preferred sides - the cabbage could've been cooked more and the potatoes were just alright. It took around 10-15 minutes for us to get our food when there were a few tables dining it.

    Chabely I.

    10/10 food and service. Not only is the food super flavorful and delicious, it's also super filling. The meat is seasoned with thyme, so you'll get extra flavor out of the meat. The injera (rolled up bread) is super soft and you use it to pick up whatever food you have in front of you and eat it.

    John H.

    Great authentic flavors. However, it is priced a bit high compared to other restaurants serving similar fare. I ordered the single combo with choice of two sides and meat. I ordered the douro wat which had great robust berbere seasoning with caramelized onions but only ONE drum stick. Also not a fan of the presentation. For two person combo I am guessing is probably more of a traditional serving where food is laid on top of the injera. I definitely wanted more injera to pick up the amazing sauce. Food won't disappoint and break the bank but wanted more for the price. Close to transportation and the symphony hall.

    Combo for 3 with Lega Tibs
    Alejandra H.

    This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and WOW! My two friends and I shared the Special Combo for 3, which comes with all the veggie dishes, beef (Lega Tibs), and extra injera. We ordered the combo at medium spice, and it wasn't very spicy! All the food was so flavorful and came out fresh and hot. The establishment is small and quiet, with really kind staff. My favorite veggie dish was the Miser Wot (red lentils). The combo also includes sides served on injera, with a few rolled up on top as well. We finished all our sides but had a bit of leftover injera because ordering extra injera added so much for only $2 -- a great deal! I'm already thinking about the next time I'll be able to eat here again!

    Combo 1 Lamb w/Split Peas and Potatoes
    Hanna H.

    We've been wanting to try this spot for a long time since there aren't many Ethiopian spots in Boston and it was super yummy! We ordered the Single Lamb combo (medium spicy) to share and were given the option of 2 sides. We picked the potatoes and pureed split peas and surprisingly we loved the split peas! The puréed texture was great for dipping the injera since it soaked up all the sauce. The lamb was also flavored well and had spices dancing in my mouth. Considering we weren't super hungry, for 2 we just ordered this one dish then ordered an additional side of injera to share and that was the perfect amount. Although it was a little pricey at $25 for a single portion of lamb combo, it was worth it. The food came out quickly and the restaurant was decently empty mid afternoon on a Saturday so we had the option to sit wherever we liked. What we ordered: - Combo 1 Lamb Medium Spicy w/potatoes and split peas

    Combo for 3 with lamb
    Valerie A.

    I love Ethiopian food and we definitely got our fix here! It's a simple place, order at the counter and find a seat. There are not many tables but we were able to find one. There were three of us and we got the veggie combo for three plus lamb. It was huge and we took a lot home. I loved the ability to get the combo because I love all the vegetarian dishes and it was hard to choose just one. Service was friendly and we were among the last to leave. Parking was a little challenging but we wound up using the symphony hall garage across the street.

    Shana S.

    Food is always great. Excellent service. This place is always clean. Decorative wall art

    Combo for 2 Yebeg/Lamb, Mango Juice, Peanut Tea

    Food was prepared quickly and served hot. Each item was so unique and flavorful. You can tell the ingredients are fresh.

    Kega (beef) tibs, collard greens, red lentil stew, cabbage+carrots+green beans, potatoes+carrots

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    1 year ago

    A bit stingy. They don't serve food on the injera but rather on a plate and there wasn't enough injera for the food.

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    9 months ago

    Great Ethiopian, best in Boston by far. And the people are nice. Great tibs, you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Great food. Really varied from meat to vegan. Wide range of spice levels too. Try the iced peanut tea.

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    9 months ago

    10/10 need to go if you want to experience great food. Peanut tea is must go to if you like peanuts. Woah woah woah wow wow wow wow

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    Page 1 of 13

    Lucy Ethiopian Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lucy Ethiopian Cafe

    I'm a Pescatarian and I don't eat dairy. I heard they have vegan options. What dishes would you recommend?

    Veggie combo

    Would you consider this as spicy food?

    Each dish has mild medium or spicy options, so it's really up to you!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Stopped here for ice cream the other day! I love the location of this JP licks, it's the perfect…read morespot to hit after an esplanade sunset. There was plenty of seating inside and we had no trouble finding an open spot to sit down and enjoy our ice cream. There also wasn't a line which was really nice! My boyfriend got the mint chip in a waffle cone, and I got the salted caramel cookies n creme in a cup with sprinkles on it. While I do usually prefer my ice cream order to my boyfriends....i do have to admit that I liked his more. Don't skip the waffle cone like I did. Definitely a great stop to add to your day in boston! The flavors are always great, and there's seasonal flavors which rotate that are always fun to try.

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    Flour Bakery + Cafe - Chocolate mousse cake!!!

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    Came here for a quick lunch and it did not disappoint! The chicken in my sandwich was cooked…read moreperfectly and had a great sauce on it. The milk bun as the bread was also a nice touch. Since I was in Boston, I definitely needed a slice of Boston creme pie. It was delicious! I would love to try their coffees and other pastries next time I come by :) Lines get long for lunch and things do sell out quickly so plan on either waiting or coming a bit earlier. There is seating upstairs and downstairs but it does get filled pretty quickly.

    Went out this morning in the snow for a nice coffee and pastry to take in some fresh air and…read moredecided on flour bakery + cafe. I do not go out for coffee much anymore due to the convenience and cost effectiveness of a Breville and am often frustrated paying over $5 for mediocre coffee, but flour cafe was not in this boat. Their cappuccino had the balance of flavor and aesthetic for a pleasant drink for my wife and I. Even better was the fact that these drinks were served by someone with a warm spirit and smile.. hard to get great service these days. Also, I am not eating flour until March but my wife said the ham and cheese croissant was incredible: generous portion of ham and cheese, baked to perfection, and not too bread(y). This is a great place to stop (in a beautiful residential area too).

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    Pastries

    Flour Bakery + Cafe - Pastries inside

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    Flour Bakery + Cafe - I had a friend hanging out with me on the patio.

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    I'm "Thinking" this place used a K-cup twice to brew our coffee. Watered down. It's hard to imagine…read morecoffee being literally flavorless - but they somehow managed to accomplish this. As a bonus, I had the (mis)fortune of trying one of the hot chocolates we ordered for the kids - and their review "dad, this kind of taste like foam without sugar" was spot on. You can literally see three other coffee shops from the front door of this place - choose one of them. Now, all of that being said, they have somehow managed to generate a loyal following. I went in around 1PM and the place was literally PACKED! Not sure what the 100+ people there were having - but they were camped out, laptops in hand, having extended social hours with cups in front of them. Maybe it's the ambiance, maybe the wifi is ridiculously fast, maybe the food is better....not sure - but there is absolutely no way these people were there for the coffee (or hot chocolate).

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    Entry display case with menu boards.

    Thinking Cup - Almond Croissant

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    We stopped at Caffe Vittoria during a food tour and we were lucky that a reservation was made and…read morewe had a table set aside for our group. As we walked in, we were met with the great aroma of coffee and baked goods. The place was very busy and there were a lot of staff moving around and customers having conversations or in line to order take out. We sat in a separate area downstairs and we were the only guests there. It was somewhat dark but it was private and there were bathrooms downstairs. We tried their tiramisu that was one of the bests I've ever tried. We also ordered their pistachio martini that was a super treat as it also had pistachio gelato. Their cappuccino made me want a second one. I am coming back to this place next time that I visit the North End!

    I'm not a regular here so I don't know if this is always true, but based on the behavior of certain…read morewait staff it seems like Vittoria does not like to accommodate larger groups and actually prefers them to stay away. Our party of 9 chose this cafe as a convenient midpoint location and had a terrible experience recently, which is why I'm updating my prior review. When about 2/3 of the group had arrived, we asked if we could be seated. The woman we asked said yes and started putting two tables together. While another woman was bringing chairs over, an angry male server who was not involved at all, suddenly began having an aggressive outburst that made very little sense to us. Even if we didn't fully understand what he was saying, the nonverbal communication was clear enough. Our group felt extremely uncomfortable and disrespected, so we left immediately. I don't know what their internal rules are about seating, but offending customers should not be one of them. Thankfully we were able to salvage the evening elsewhere, but service here could be a challenge, especially for larger groups. I'm fortunate that the cafes in my own neighborhood are always kind and welcoming, which makes them a joy to support. I'd hope Vittoria could do better in the future, but personally, we are unlikely to try them again.

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    Lucy Ethiopian Cafe - ethiopian - Updated May 2026

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