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Food and delivery

Ethiopian food is served on injera, a soft, slightly sour flatbread you tear with your right hand to scoop up stews. And this is the home of coffee. Here's what to try, what to drink, and the apps that deliver to your hotel.

Kitfo with greens and cottage cheese
Kitfo with greens and cottage cheeseArsupeee · CC BY-SA 4.0
Doro wat, chicken stew for holidays
Doro wat, chicken stew for holidaysEdsel Little · CC BY-SA 2.0
Tibs, sautéed meat
Tibs, sautéed meatKhajitdadddy · CC BY-SA 4.0
Injera with a spread of stews
Injera with a spread of stewsArtem.G · CC BY-SA 4.0
Firfir, a breakfast favourite
Firfir, a breakfast favouriteLelaw Wondimu · CC BY-SA 4.0
The coffee ceremony
The coffee ceremonyKhajitdadddy · CC BY-SA 4.0

What to eat

  • Doro watDoro watSpicy chicken stew with a boiled egg; the holiday dish.
  • TibsTibsSautéed beef or lamb with onion and chilli.
  • KitfoKitfoMinced beef with spiced butter, served raw or lightly cooked (ask for leb leb).
  • ShiroShiroChickpea stew; vegan and everywhere.
  • BeyaynetuBeyaynetuA platter of vegan fasting dishes. See Vegan travellers.
  • FirfirFirfirShredded injera in sauce, a breakfast favourite.

The home of coffee

An Ethiopian coffee ceremony

Coffee comes from Ethiopia. The plant grows wild in the southwestern forests of Kaffa, and legend says a goat herder named Kaldi first noticed its energy. Coffee is still at the heart of daily life: buna is how people welcome a guest, settle a conversation and pass the afternoon.

  • The coffee ceremony: green beans are roasted over coals, ground by hand and brewed in a clay jebena, with incense burning and popcorn on the side. It takes an hour or more, and you're expected to stay.
  • Three rounds: abol, tona and bereka. Accepting all three is polite; the third is said to bring a blessing.
  • Everyday coffee: small buna bets (coffee houses) are on every street, and Addis loves a macchiato. A cup costs a few dozen birr.
  • To take home: buy sealed retail packs from Yirgacheffe, Sidama, Harar or Guji, and keep the receipt (export limit 2 kg).

What to drink

Grouped so it's easy to skip alcohol or caffeine.

Coffee and teaKhajitdadddy · CC BY-SA 4.0

Coffee and teaCaffeine

  • Buna · Ethiopian coffee, black or with sugar; try the ceremony.
  • Macchiato · The favourite café order in Addis.
  • Shai · Sweet tea, often spiced with cinnamon or clove.

Non-alcoholicNo alcohol

  • Sen'q · Malt drink by BGI Ethiopia, labelled non-alcoholic.
  • Negus · Dark malt drink by Habesha Breweries, labelled alcohol-free.
  • Spris · Layered fresh juice: avocado, mango, papaya.
  • Ambo · Naturally sparkling mineral water from Ambo.
AlcoholJi-Elle · CC BY-SA 3.0

AlcoholAlcohol

  • Tej · Honey wine, served in a round flask (berele).
  • Tella and areke · Home-brewed beer and a strong spirit.
  • Local beers · St. George, Habesha, Walia, Meta, Bedele, Dashen and Harar.

Delivery apps

Pay cash on delivery or with telebirr.

  • beU Delivery

    Restaurants, groceries, parcels and pharmacy items across Addis. Pay in the app, by bank transfer or in cash.

  • Deliver Addis

    Restaurants, a grocery market, drinks and flowers. Popular with visitors and expats.

  • ZMall

    Food, drinks, groceries and more, paid with telebirr in the app.

  • klik Delivery

    Food, groceries, pharmacy and parcels. Pay with telebirr, M-PESA, CBE Birr or cash.

Good to know

  • You'll need a local number: riders call when they arrive, so get a SIM first.
  • Share a pin from Google Maps or the name of your hotel; street addresses are rarely used.
  • Delivery fees are low; a small tip for the rider is appreciated.
  • Yango is for rides only in Ethiopia; it doesn't deliver food here.