Craving Ethiopian food? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Ethiopian restaurants around Minneapolis, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to satisfy your cravings.
1. Dilla's
Topping the list is Dilla's. Located at 1813 Riverside Ave. North in Cedar-Riverside, it is the highest rated Ethiopian restaurant in Minneapolis, boasting four stars out of 110 reviews on Yelp.
On the menu, start off with veggie and meat sambusas, then move on to entrees like lamb and chicken curry, or spicy dulet with lamb tripe and liver mixed with lean red meat, diced onion, garlic, jalapeño and Ethiopian butter. Seafood and large combination platters are also on offer. Take a look at the full menu here.
2. The Red Sea Restaurant & Bar
Next up is Cedar-Riverside's The Red Sea Restaurant & Bar, situated at 320 Cedar Ave. South. With four stars out of 64 reviews on Yelp, the Ethiopian spot has proven to be a local favorite.
This place's extensive menu includes appetizers, protein-centric entrees, vegetarian dishes and combination platters. Standout options include the kitfo, a beef dish with homemade spiced butter and ground chili powder, served raw with homemade cottage cheese; a sampler of six freshly prepared vegetarian dishes; or tibs firfir (beef tenderloin, onion, tomato and jalapeños with injera flatbread). The complete menu can be seen here.
3. Lucy's Market & Carryout
Lucy's Market & Carryout, located at 3749 Cedar Ave. South, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Ethiopian spot 4.5 stars out of 18 reviews. Established in 2017, the business is named after Lucy, one of the oldest skeletons found in the Afar region of Ethiopia. It is estimated Lucy lived 3.2 million years ago.
On the extensive carryout menu, look for fish goulash with tilapia, onion, jalapeño and garlic; spicy key wot beef stew marinated with Ethiopian red peppers and butter seasoned with Ethiopian spices; and vegetarian or meat sambusas. Caffeinated beverages are also on offer. The full menu can be seen here.
Also on-site is a small grocer with cooking items from Africa including nuts and spices.
