Ruki’s Kitchen, a chef-owned Ethiopian concept that built a loyal following through stalls and pop-ups, has locked in a permanent home inside Switchman Hall at Terminal South in Peoplestown. The menu leans on traditional tibs, vegetable plates and injera served in three rolls, while a doro wing program keeps things playful with Habesha lemon-pepper wet and a kategna dry-rub option. Wings come in shareable portions, and the whole setup is built around compact, price-friendly platters.
As reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Switchman Hall opened as part of the larger Terminal South development and has quickly become a landing spot for new operators in south Atlanta. Ruki’s posts its hours and contact details on its official site, and the food-hall format means you can walk up and order or opt for pickup and delivery. Developers and neighborhood leaders say the project is intended to weave more retail and dining into Peoplestown as the Beltline's Southside Trail comes online.
What's on the menu
Ruki’s menu highlights tibs, which are sautéed proteins seasoned with Ethiopian spices, paired with vegetable sides and a side order of injera served as three rolls. Most entrées land in the roughly $12 to $22 range, and the doro wing specials include a Habesha “Lemon Pepper Wet” and a kategna dry rub, according to Atlanta Magazine. Delivery listings also show wing options offered in six-piece formats and describe the wings as all-natural, non-GMO chicken tossed in the house blends, per listings on Uber Eats.
From pop-up to food hall
Chef Ali Lemma first launched Ruki’s as a stall and residency in East Atlanta Village in 2022, then expanded through pop-ups and partner residencies, as detailed by Eater Atlanta. The sudden closure of the Qommunity food hall in 2024 forced several vendors to hunt for new homes, a shakeup covered by Axios, and Ruki’s is among the concepts that shifted into the Terminal South food-hall circuit. That path, starting small, building a following, then locking in a permanent stall, has become a familiar playbook for many Atlanta operators.
Why lemon-pepper wings matter in Atlanta
Lemon-pepper wings are a citywide obsession, and lawmakers even introduced House Bill 1013 this year to name lemon pepper the state’s official chicken-wing flavor, an effort reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Review outlets and local critics have tracked how chefs keep riffing on the seasoning, and The Infatuation has spotlighted Ruki’s lemon-pepper wings as an example of diasporic flavors colliding with a very Atlanta fixation.
Where to try it
Ruki’s posts hours and contact information on its official site and accepts orders for pickup and delivery through its online ordering platform, according to Ruki’s Kitchen. Delivery listings on Uber Eats also show the restaurant available on third-party apps. Inside Switchman Hall, you can opt for counter service or order ahead for pickup, and the tight menu of tibs, sides and wings is set up for sharing. If you are visiting Ruki’s for the first time, pairing a tibs platter with the Habesha lemon-pepper wings is an easy way to see how Ethiopian spice blends and Southern citrus heat play together.
