Stated couple price seems high, I'd place it more like $35ish but then I/ we don't eat as much as some. Had spent some daytimes here while working locally- great coffee and european nibbles (muffins etc.) for a lunch/ break.
Had a couple of light evening meals there and later took a lady back (of muslim interest) once for another. Both loved the Ethiopian food and flavours. Yes portions are generous. I'd spend more time there but on a limited budget, what can you do?
Hostess is true and kind, a migrant working hard to make her life in New Zealand.!! Recommended 5*
Lovely service, what an wonderful experience! Best to share unless you are able to manage one plate on your own. We tried Doro Wat, Prawns in mild sauce and Yetsom Beyaynetu and it was delicious.
Authentic, delicious. We spent a couple of weeks in Ethiopia in 2016 and always hunt it out now wherever we go. We came here a year ago and it was was good, but not great, but we went last night and it was amazing. The food was all distinctly different in flavour but equally delicious, we couldn't decide which was the best. They allowed my wife to order Shiro as a full serve this time which made her day. The traditional coffee was delicious. The owners were super accommodating even though they were due to close. Highly recommend trying it out. Come with an open mind if you've never had Ethiopian before, the injera (fermented flatbread) is not something you will quickly forget. We will be back.
There are not many Ethiopian food places in Auckland so this was definitely something I wanted to try out! Went for the first item on the menu- a chicken based dish. The quantities were large and had something like a huge dosa (enough for 2 people) with an egg and chicken curry (called Doro Wat i think). Reminded me of dishes I used to have in India and taste was amazing- not too spicy, but just enough kick in it and packed with flavour. The restaurant itself is very simple and located on the first floor with parking behind building. Good food; decently priced. Will go back again!
This place is amazing on so many levels. Firstly, Ethiopian cuisine is delicious. I have spent a month travelling from bottom to top of the country and feasted every day. Cafe Abyssinia have absolutely nailed the authentic taste of the stews and their injera is simply superb. Bring some wet wipes - you'll need them! Injera is eaten with hands and is a really cool experience.
I went there for the 3rd time this week (I am from Tauranga and was on a business trip) and the most bizzare thing happened. There were 3 men sitting at another table having coffee and I suspect they were watching me devour the food with huge enthusiasm. I realised I'd left my wallet in the car and by the time I returned with it to pay about 2 mins later, one of the dudes had paid my bill! Best lunch ever.
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Honestly one of my favourite places to eat in Auckland not just because of its uniqueness but also of how delicious their food is. Cafe Abyssinia I believe is one of the only if not the only place where you can get authentic Ethiopian food in Auckland. The restaurant is decorated with various African/Ethiopian memorabilia which gives a real authentic and homey feel to the place.
I've been a couple of times and they have a small but focused selection of Ethiopian dishes. I usually get the Doro Wot which is a chicken dish stewed with onions and various spices and aromatics. This is probably my favourite dish to get since all the spices and aromatics give such a depth of flavour and the chicken is cooked to perfection. The other dish we get is the Tibs which you can get either with Lamb or Beef but we decided to stick with beef. The Tibs is less rich and spice heavy than the Doro Wot rather it is much herbier and the sauce thinner but still packed full of flavour. Either way I don't think you could go wrong with what you order in this place and the prices are quite reasonable considering the dishes come with the injera.
The food may take some time to arrive even if there isn't much people but the wait is definitely worth it. The food is served on a platter of the Ethiopian staple "injera" which is a sourdough risen flatbread that is spongy in texture made with teff flour. If you aren't familiar the closest I can compare it to is a slightly sour crepe. The dishes come on top of the injera and the traditional way to eat is to rip off a piece of injera with your hands and use it like your spoon to scoop up and soak up the meat and sauce. Eating with your hands is a really fun experience but maybe bring some hand sanitizer for the cleanup afterwards...or just lick your fingers really thoroughly :^)
Cafe Abyssinia also serves coffee, tea and desserts if you're still feeling for some more afterwards but they're nothing special and just ordinary sweets and pastries that you could find at any bakery. I really do hope more places that serve authentic African/Ethiopian cuisine pop up in the near future in Auckland because I'll definitely be waiting to try them all out. This restaurant is a must for anyone feeling adventurous and wanting to try a completely different cuisine because you definitely won't regret it. I mean even if you're not an adventurous foodie go and try it anyway, it's just great food. I'll definitely be back to try the rest of their menu items.
Had a great family meal today, we ordered Doro wot, Kai sega wot and Menchit abish, they are served on top of the traditional fermented bread Injera, all three dishes were delicious, generously served and filling, enough for the four of us, great sharing platter, fun to eat, place is very clean and nicely decorated and the staff are welcoming and kind, I highly recommend!
Kicking myself for not getting enough photos, but it looked too good not to devour immediately!
My boyfriend took me to this lovely little Ethiopian spot in Mt Roskill, and it was so damn good I can't believe I've never tried it before. Since it was my first time trying it, my boyfriend ordered Doro Wat and Kai Sega Wat and it came with enjera which is like a flat wheat like pancake that tastes like sourdough bread. You eat with your hands (kind of like roti and curry) and use it to scoop up the delicious meats and sauces. Not only is it fun, it's so tasty and filling!
The woman that owns this place is super friendly too, so be sure to check this place if you're looking for something new and interesting to try!
Antoinette Drodrolagi-Masame
+4
Loved the whole experience . Food was fantastic, atmosphere was lovely, waiter was very nice. Overall everything was lovely. I would definitely come back again.
This place is absolute bliss if you like flavor in your food! Pretty sure this is the only Ethiopian place with authentic food around in Auckland. Limited menu but omg all the dishes are amazing, the enjera has a very pungent, strong flavor but it goes perfectly with all the dishes! So so good, can't go wrong here.
Incredibly tasty food. We got there early in January and there was nobody around. Still, the food was great. We had driven from the North Shore because we wanted to experience this restaurant and their food. And we would most certainly go back.
We went back in April and tried bothering the food we'd eaten + some other delicacies. And yes, Ethiopian coffee. A second trip and as wonderful as the first.
What a lovely little place located at the end of an arcade with parking at the back. Lovely staff serving up beautiful clean yummy food. My wife and daughter had dorowat (chicken), prawns in mild sauce and I had yetsom beyaynetu, a really lovely vegan dish, both were served with the lovely teff enjera. The enjera was so light and even better once the currys had seeped into them. I have wanted to visit Cafe Abyssinia for the last year and finally we did and feel all the better for it. Next time we will visit with friends and family.
Enjoyable particularly if you're looking for something a bit different to a heavy Indian or European dish.
All main dishes are served on an injera (essentially a flatbread which has the texture of a spongy pancake), main dishes are $18-20 each.
Limited menu options but both the chicken and beef were delicious with some dry chilli sprinkled on top.
Some heating in the venue perhaps would have helped with the ambiance.
Pictured are two main courses side by side.
Awesome experience! It looks like curry but tastes different. The "bread" was also awesome.
Not expansive at all and everybody was full and happy!
Cafe abyssinia is simply home of delicious spicy Ethiopian foods! The food and organic ethiopian coffee , are yummy! If you want to try spicy ,delicious and healthy foods, I guarantee to you to try cafe abyssinia !!
Good food, reasonably priced, and given its the only one of its kind in Auckland (as far as I know), it's an experience for those who are not used to eating communally with their hands!
If you haven't tried the only Ethiopian restaurant in Auckland, get yourself here, now.
It's so different to anything else I've had before, it's more than a meal, it's a cultural experience in itself.
The staple food is injera/enjera, which is a sourdough flatbread with the texture of crumpets (holes on the top, smooth on the bottom). It's paired with wat, which is a stew. You pour the whole bowl of wat on top of the injera, tear off a piece of the injera with your hands, and scoop some of the wat into your mouth. It's such a fun experience and good bonding times with your friends.
Injera is very sour when eaten by itself, but it matches perfectly with the rich wat.
It's a normal shop at the back of a mall, decorated with some Ethiopian art on the walls. They have a traditional low table with stools you can sit around if you want the full experience but you can still use standard western tables and chairs.
Definitely recommended.
Delicious! We ordered the vegetarian platter for 2 and it was amazing 💗
Ridiculously good Ethiopian food. The injera is divine and I can not over recommend the meat and vegetarian specials.
Loved it. Food was awesome and the atmosphere was good too. Will definitely be back again.
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