While technically a few blocks from the official neighborhood borders, Awash is a heavy-hitter of Ethiopian cuisine. Beef is the specialty here, whether raw as kifto smothered in chile and butter, or sauteed with onion and garlic as tibs. The space is rather tight and nearly always busy, so grab a drink at the back bar and save room for some traditional honey wine with your meal.  

A perennial favorite in Little Ethiopia, chef Genet Agonafer has had heaps of praise bestowed on her 20 year old restaurant: Michelin Bib Gourmand, James Beard Award semi-finalist, and numerous other local accolades. The spicy doro wat is a popular order here, while the vegetarian combination is a great way to sample Agonafer’s range. The crisp white-tablecloth interiors are now reserved solely for private events as the toll of the pandemic paired with chef Agonafer’s focus on grandparenting resulted in a recent announcement that the restaurant would transition to take-out only.

Named for the traditional Ethiopian bread basket that doubles as a table, Messob arguably created modern Little Ethiopia when the original owner, Rahel Woldmedhin, opened it in 1985. Today, Messob remains a staple of the neighborhood, and a classic date spot where couples engage in gushra — hand-feeding your partner in a loving gesture. For those looking to try a range of entrees, the super Messob exclusive offers nine samples of entrees including the split lentil Yemisir Wot and the sautéed beef Zelzel Tibs.

Before opening Lalibela in 2016, chef/owner Tenagne Belachew spent time in the neighboring kitchens of Rahel’s and the now-closed Marathon. At Lalibela, Belachew serves up her own versions of doro wat, Somali kifti, and more, along with a breakfast menu that includes genfo, the deeply comforting wheat porridge spiced with cardamom.  

Annalisa Mastroianni has been serving up her delicious cooking food for some 20 years now through her catering company Annie’s Edibles. In 2018, she began holding pop-ups of Annie’s Edibles inside her Fairfax s’mores shop Gotta Have S’More—ultimately replacing the dessert concept with Annie’s Soul Delicious. The soul food heaven has quickly become a local favorite, serving up juicy oxtail, braised short-ribs, and Hennessy Wings (party wings tossed in housemade Hennessy sauce). In-store seating is limited at the moment, but delivery is available through all major apps.

Meymuna Hussein-Cattan and Christian Davis co-founded Flavors From Afar as a social enterprise to support the Tiyya Foundation (a portion of all sales goes to the foundation). Each month the restaurant highlights the cooking of a different refugee who they employ from Tiyya. Past menus have featured Somali, Eritrean, Guatemalan, and Afghani cuisines. Meanwhile, a “classics” menu features Egyptian gravy smothered lamb and Kenyan pan fried tilapia among other favorites.

Don’t let the faux-thatched roofs and kitschy decor of Rosalind’s fool you — the traditional Ethopian food here is solid. The flaky pastry sambussa is a specialty of the house, while the fish tibs is a real eye-catcher. The fully-stocked bar serves various Ethiopian beers like Meta and St. George. 

Merkato lives up to its name, operating as both a restaurant and specialty foods market. The vegetarian combo and staples like awaze tibs or yebeg alicha are the way to go, while the wall decor and umbrellas hanging from the ceiling add charm to the experience. The adjoining market is stocked with spices, incense, fresh injera, and Ethiopian soap.