This is one of those iconic mom and pop Oakland restaurants I absolutely adore, and it is what…read moremakes the diverse Oakland culinary landscape flourish. Located at a corner across from the DMV (on Sundays the DMV transforms into a lively farmer's market) off of Claremont, its sleepy vibes have attracted its own cult of regulars for years. Moreover, it's a quick bike trip from where we live in Jack London Sq, and I always make it a pit stop whenever we ride up Telegraph. An affordable bowl of shihan ful - a nice savory, spiced bean dip served with airy bread - can keep two hungry bellies satiated for hours. I've even tried to replicate shihan ful at home (SF Chronicles had posted a recipe) but honestly have not been successful. Best to just leave it up to the pros at Alem's. It's hard to describe the flavor but the bean dip is nourishing and bursting with umami-ness that lights up my brain, in a good way. Recommend stopping by for a bite after a leisurely stroll at the Sunday Temescal Farmer's Market.

Ethiopian cafe that serves breakfast and lunch. Come with a friend to share their tasty…read morespecialties. I came by to try the Shihan Phul. First mistake was coming alone! The stewed fava beans come out with the density of something like baba ghanoush. It is served with two rolls of crusty French bread that you'll want to scoop and spread the phul over. The stew would be thick and heavy on its own but the bread lightens it up. Squeezing the lemon over the dish cut through some of the heaviness as well. Together, the bread and phul complement one another to make an excellent dish. The fava beans were topped with diced tomatoes, jalapeños, and farmer's cheese -- all covered generously with berbere and cumin. The effect was a rich spice that touched all parts of your mouth. (Maybe it needed a bit more salt to bring out the subtler flavors.) Spread over the crusty bread, the warm, gentle stew was met by the crunch of the bread that was delightful. If only I had realized why the bowl comes with two rolls! The stew is rich enough to need both. Fortunately, this is the kind of cafe where you can spend an easy lunch hour in the shade and visit. Bring a friend to share!

This place is special. This evening 4 friends who are loved like family and myself sat down to eat…read moreand share our recent experiences/discoveries in this thing we call life. We were quickly seated. Shortly after we were given our water. As we pondered the delectable menu one member of our group brought our attention to the beautiful artwork surrounding those eating. The images are breathtaking portraits of individuals who look to be part of the Eritrean community. Sounds of laughter from the surrounding tables and feelings of safety from the peaceful internal environment embraced us as we looked. Then the food came out. It was full of color and there was clearly intentionality behind the presentation. Upon tasting the dish, flavors of savory seasonings, fresh vegetables, and soft injera filled the mouth. It was more than enough food for us all and we ended up taking left overs. If you are near the area I HIGHLY recommend paying this spot a visit.

Came here for lunch with some friends on our break. We ordered the sampler that included both the…read moremeat and vegetarian versions of dishes. We also ordered a side of injera (sour flatbread). The food took a bit of time to come out but we didn't mind since we were chatting. This was my first time trying Ethiopian food. Eating the food was interesting and fun. Ethiopian food is made to be eaten with your hands and no utensils. My favorites on the platter were the salad, Dorho Chicken, and Potatoes. I wasn't a big fan of the sourness of the injera, but I did love the softness of the flatbread.

Lemat is such a staple. We ordered a beef sambusa as a starter (3 pieces) and shared a meat combo…read morebetween two people. They are always ready to refresh your injera supply (no extra charge!) and the flavors are lovely.

Solid combo meals, with tasty and fresh eats, but a bit pricey for quantity of food. It's filling,…read morebut the most recent go around, portions weren't as robust. At $20, it's a bit steep for small scoops of veggies on the veggie combo. The injera is gluten free and well made, but that's what you're filling up on. The space is large and has ambiance. Service is solid and friendly. Overall, a solid Ethiopian experience with some parking in the front.

There are a lot of Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants in the SF/Bay area and particularly in the east…read morebay. I've been to most. Asmara is my favorite. I have been going since it first opened in 1985. I met the owner, Kesete then and he is still the owner. Great food, lots of dining space and as of 2026 they have an expanded bar in the adjacent space. Check out the rest and then come to the best.

The guys at Jerusalem Coffee recommended for my friends & I to walk over to Asmara for dinner when…read moreI said I have not had Eritrean food before. They said Eritrean is very similar to Ethiopian food so we finished our beverages & headed down Telegraph to Asmara. We were delighted when we were told to wait at the bar next door until they have a large table for our group. I asked the server to bring us their popular dishes, enough to feed 7 adults and she told me not to worry, that she would take care of it. She brought out the Meat Combo and the Beef/chicken/lamb tibs along with platter of veggies and eggplant. She gave us enough injera to keep us munching away. The food and service were Fabulous so naturally we had a great evening.

I had a great lunch at Cafe Colucci!…read more This place came highly recommended, and it didn't disappoint. I ordered the turmeric beef with a side of shiro and it was delicious! The beef was super tender, the shiro was flavorful, and the injera tasted fresh. The portion size was quite generous, especially for lunch. Next time I visit, I'm definitely ordering one of the giant platters to share. The platters were enormous and looked incredible! So many good Ethiopian restaurants in the East Bay, but Cafe Colucci stands out. Can't wait to return!

Upscale Ethiopian spot with delicious spices across the board…read more The vegan sampler covers the highlights and mainstays of the menu. The foundation of the meal is the injera, which has the welcome sourness of wild yeast. Wrapping it around the cabbage of the AtaKilt and the collards of the Gomen lightens the vegetable bitterness and makes eating them into nearly a dumpling. The mild turmeric of the Kik Alicha is well met by the other split pea item, Messer Wot, which has a much bolder flavor. The pro move is to combine the appetizers with the entrees. Azifa is made with lentils but has the smooth texture of stewed eggplant and spreads easily. The Buticha brings garlic to whatever it meets. This time we also got the mushroom tibs. It came spicy but the mushrooms themselves didn't contribute much flavor -- the sautéed onions in the dish were doing most of the work. We will stick with the sampler next time. But regardless of what you order, by the end of the meal the flavors will all get mixed around and soaked into the injera beneath. The best part!

I've been coming here for years but I forget to take pictures and write a review…read more This picture is the veggie combo which is my go to order. It's from 2019. Love this dish here! Their injera is the best! The service is warm, the restaurant is very clean and decorated well. Can't wait to go babk!

My brother was excited to try something different. I went with him to support. This place has its…read moreown parking lot which is a plus. Service was good. We were the only ones there on a Saturday at lunchtime. The Ethiopian black tea with ginger and clove was good since it was cold inside. The waitress let us sit near a heat lamp. My brother really liked the tartare sliders. We shared the combination plate which was basically a sampler of all their meats and lentils. It was served on top of injera and included extra rolls of injera. I would say it's like their version of rice or naan. It's what they eat all their food with. U eat with your hands. The injera is spongy and a little sour. It was all very filling. It tastes healthy. The spices were interesting and had some heat that made my nose run. The Bathroom was very clean fyi. Food was interesting, but maybe just an acquired taste. it's worth a try!

I love this place. Every time I'm there I just talk the whole time about how much I love it…read more Ethiopian has been a passion since I was a kid and this is one of the best Ethiopian restaurants I've ever been to. (My #1 favorite is owned by a friend from high school, so I can't give first place away. ) It's amazing to me how quiet it always is. Because the food is amazing.

i tried ethiopia restaurant on my birthday and WOW i will 100% be back. the food was amazing. i'm…read morevegetarian and there are so many options. this was some of the most flavorful food i've ever had. my friend and i shared the vegetable combo and mushroom tibs with a side of ayib. i loveddd the injera and they gave so much of it. we had so many leftovers and they definitely do not skimp out on the portions. the food was equally as delicious as leftovers too the next day. the server was welcoming and nice to us. i also loved how the restaurant has outdoor seating at both the front of the restaurant and in the back. absolutely will be back and i'll tell all my friends about this restaurant! thank you

Good Foul Breakfast Tea has spice…read more Great outdoor ambiance The owner is alright Pasta is delicious

Love this place every time I go, quality Ethiopian food, small and quaint, relatively casualread more