A Taste of Ethiopia

Never been. Have driven by it though. Love Ethiopian Cuisina & had it in SF @ " MASSAWA " in the '90's. SADLY " The.Owner Passed Away ". Are any of their Meats.Halal.?? Sadly - No.tel. # 2 call them to check anything, or ask Questions.... !!!!! Been researching 4 ' Ethiopian Halal Meat Offerings ' in the East Bay. Love their Combo Plates w/Injera Bread ' !!!! Red Sea Oakland ( have had them via Doordash ). They say ' Chicken & Lamb ' are HALAL, but not the Beef. Asmara Oakl. said : " We don't wanna make any Claims although a lady this morning said they do buy their Meats @ JETHRO Restaurant Supply. Further Research shows that " Jethro " sells both types of Meat + PORK. I suppose I gotta ' Stick with Vegetarian ' , or keep seeking an Ertrean / Ethiopian HALAL Joint !!!! Wait for Monday 5 p.m. opening 2 call them to " INQUIRE ". Sounds Fantastic with Great Reviews & A ' Chef Owner '. Did enjoy reading all the 5 Star Reviews, And ' Yes ' ....It Is A ' Real Boon ' 2 have Ethiopian Eatery in Albany !!! I gather they ' only serve Dinners ' !!!!

So thankful to have an Ethiopian restaurant in our area! We use to have to go all the way to Oakland, but now we can more easily enjoy delicious, reasonably priced Ethiopian food with very generous portions prepared and served by lovely and friendly people. It was our first time trying Shiro Wét, an Ethiopian comfort food made from magical combo of delectable spices and roasted chickpeas and our host ladles it atop the vegetables and lentils, taking the food to a whole other level of deliciousness. Our family of four feasted on that and a vegetable combo, and the two chicken dishes Doro Wét and Doro Tibs and we were quite full and still had yummy leftovers, which our thoughtful host generously added extra injera to in our take out box. A small, clean and nicely decorated interior on an attractive corner of Solano, we well definitely be coming to this neighborhood gem regularly, some of the best Ethiopian we've had in the Bay Area.

Went with my MiL and Aunt-inlaw a few months ago for the first time and absolutely loved it. We got a shared vegetarian plate and the hostess was so nice and friendly, she came over to chat with us any chance she could. After the other guests left she talked with us for 30 minutes or more, showing us around the shared restaurant space (I beleive theirs a total of 3 restaurants that use this space?) And talked about how good the other restaurants were too. Since then I send my partner out to get us food when I'm home from work sick. I absolutely love this place and crave it all the time.

Excellent Ethiopian food and you can also order from the Cajun menu. The injera bread is the best I’ve had and I love all of the vegan options. Very attentive service.

We had a very lovely lunch, with our baby in tow. Food was delicious! Generous portions. We will definitely visit many more times

Had lunch here, amazing food. Chicken tibs and Misir Wet (lentils) Very vegetarian friendly

Excellent little business. The owner was cooking and serving us as well. I think I found my favorite lunch spot

Love this gem on Solano. Wonderful soul-enriching food and super warm hosts.

Ethiopian food done well. Pricey enough for me not to come here often, but the food and serving sizes are good. The staff was nice. Great eatery.

Coming here I wasn't sure what to expect but I was hoping for a unique experience in food. I not only got that unique experience in food, but the lady that I met and her name is Tsege, brought her food to the forefront and media to delight to look at and taste. She was kind hospitable, big smile warm. We were totally charmed by her and when the food arrived, we know where the love came from. It's a unique experience because they use herbs and spices that you don't see at other restaurants. They like to use lots of vegetables and wait until you see the bread. I can't call it bread or crêpe. I just have to say that it was a wonderful way to wrap your food up and consume it. You really should come in. Try the food and let your eyes appreciate what you see. She had a young man that was working there too, and he was very helpful and made the customers feel Welcome

Went by a 2nd time with the rest of my family and everyone loved it. Four thumbs up!

Fresh quality food made with love. A culture shared with pride and an overall neighborhood treasure that's worth a drive to come experience! Highly recommend the sampler platter your first time!

The food and service were amazing! I highly recommend creating an Instagram page so I can tag you. Thank you so much again! My daughter and I absolutely loved the food and will definitely be back soon.

Just had dinner here tonight and absolutely loved it! We had the vegetarian combo and lamb tibs, soooo good. And the chef and business owner, Tsegue (apologies if I misspelled your name), was so lovely! Can't wait to come back Pro tip: ask for a side of awaze. It's a delicious berbere-based Ethiopian sauce that is mildly spicy and adds another wonderful flavor to the tasty dishes

fresh and flavorful, REAL food that soothes the soul. you will not feel like shit or full after you eat here but more energized because this food is really medicine. its only right to get a veggie and meat dish. i got down and dirty with the injera loading that shit up with the atikilt, doro tibs and the buticha & azifa salad, it was like a party in my mouth that i did not want to end. Lastly, they served me some of their in-house wine (forgot what it was called). it was a delight and paired excellent with my food, i left here low key drunk ahhhhahaha i will be back!!!!! thank you for serving the community.

Lovely Ethiopian owner, quiet ambiance (perfect for our four family members to talk), hot spiced tea, and plentiful mouthwatering flavors. We highly recommend Taste for lunch or dinner. You can relax and chat without feeling pressured to wrap it up. Highly recommend.

Delicious Ethiopian meal at this intimate and humble family eatery with deep history in Albany. We ordered the vegetarian combo with Lamb and Chicken Tibs. Injeera was freshly prepared and replenished . The meal came with a house salad. Mr C, originally opened as a barbershop and fried chicken / breakfast place next door. Now he and his wife prepare Ethiopian dinner while their daughter Lizzy also offers Cajun favorites. Everything was super delicious and , feels like being invited to a friends house for dinner. We went on a Friday night.

A very sweet experience. We were served by very warm and friendly owner/chef. The food was interesting, excellent and delicious. we plan to return regularly.

The quiet and intimate atmosphere is great. The food and service is excellent. The Ethiopian wine is delicious. And they fill ur glass all the way up like they should

I grew up eating homemade Ethiopian meals, and am always excited to try a local restaurant, so my partner and I were super excited to see A Taste of Ethiopia on Solano Avenue today, and made a plan to go for dinner tonight. We were so delighted with every aspect of our experience. First, the food was impeccable and delicious. We had the hummus plate, vegetarian plate, as well as the lamb tibs, and couldn't stop eating with each delicious bite of injera. Tsegue hosted, cooked, and couldn't have made us feel more at home in the cozy and quiet spot. Since the space is shared, make sure you check hours before you go! We cannot wait to go back and eat plenty more! Highly recommend.

The food is amazing, the restaurant is cute and cozy, the host / cook is delightful. We will be back!

This was a wonderful experience. The owner is lovely, the food was delicious, and the setting is very sweet and cozy. My friend and I both thoroughly enjoyed it and I had that yummy feeling of traveling to a fun destination. (Please note they are indeed open Thursday and Friday evenings even though that's not shown here.)

I don't know why my first review didn't go through, but I'm gonna try it again. I love Ethiopian food and I like the flavors here. For me, the easiest place to park is on Masonic Avenue, right around the corner. Maybe I can get my son to go with me to eat here tomorrow. Get the Buticha and Azifa salad, on mixed greens. Sooo good!

Salad was amazing. I love the choice to use salad things that withstand being soaked in yummy dressing for a while. I loved the Buticha and Azifa. Refreshing and generous portions. Nice people.

After a walk with friends along the Ohlone Greenway, A Taste of Ethiopia was the perfect place for a lunch break. My favorite was the salad which was colorful, tasty and generous. I also enjoyed the crispy lentil filled sambusas. The surroundings are beautiful and peaceful, the staff is friendly and efficient. We had a good time!

I wish I could provide a rating for this restaurant but unfortunately, regardless of their posted days/hours of business, they were not open. I tried to go to lunch here on a Wednesday at 12:30 pm (their posted hours are Mon-Wed, 11:00-2:00 pm). One of the doors was propped open but nobody was in the dining room or answered to our greeting. Another significant issue was a total lack of signage. I would like to give this place a try but I believe the owner/operator needs to make some improvements on signage and either update or honor their posted hours of operations.

Lovely food, created and served by a friendly Ethiopian chef. Lots of choices include delicately spiced chicken and veggies - served on a bed of Ethiopian spongy crepe. Enjoy a delicious evening out in this cozy restaurant on Solano Avenue in Albany

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. Flavorful, comforting and fresh. Service was excellent as well. We got the sambusa appetizer and doro (chicken) tibs, and loved every bite of them. The sambusa's dipping sauce is *chef's kiss* so we ended up using it with our doro tibs for even more flavor. Will definitely be coming back to try more dishes.

Hands down delicious will be coming back! Thank you for the recommendations & great customer service!

The food was amazing! The service was spectacular!!! I can't wait to Go back! Thank you for all the love and care you Put into your service and meals.

Anyone who wants to eat here, please call before heading over. I don't live close to any Ethiopian restaurant, so I was excited to try this place. I ordered pickup on DoorDash around 11:45am, paid and everything. Drove 25min one way during my lunch break. Restaurant was closed and empty. Please don't leave your DoorDash ordering open if no one can fulfill those orders. I spent my lunch hour driving for nothing.

Great food and hospitality! Hours are sporadic, but the home cooked efforts by the owner and chef are impeccable. Quantity and quality are excellent and the prices are fair. Definitely worth taking friends and family.

The food here is excellent, delicious and fresh. The owner Tsege is very kind and generous with the portions. We love being able to dine outside as well! Would encourage people to refrain from reviewing without having dined here - they have been working on their hours and are available as posted, just pop in when the door is open and let them know what you'd like :) Thank you Tsege for your friendliness and wonderful food!

Excellent Ethiopian food and you can also order from the Cajun menu. The injera bread is the best I've had and I love all of the vegan options. Very attentive service.

New place, cozy and casual. Ordered the vegetarian combo. Excellent injera, lentils, greens and green beans. Asked owner for some hot sauce and she brought some freshly made berbere sauce. They will add a meat side of your choice for extra, just have to ask. Great to have an Ethiopian place here on Solano.

Excellent experience, food super, service very attentive . Quiet on a midweek evening.

Tried this place last night because it shares the space with a Cajun restaurant I like. The food was tasty and the owner was so very friendly and helpful. I planned to take a photo of the menu but got distracted. We had an appetizer - triangle shaped samosa (might not be correct name) with a dip- and a main course - veggie sampler platter (not what it's called on menu). They were both seasoned well. I couldn't really taste the dip when eaten with the samosa but when I ate it with injera it was quite nice. The veggie platter was enough for the both of us. It came with 4 items and a salad - all served on an injera lined plate (came with extra injera - you may ask for more). There was a mild lentil dish, a spicier red split pea (I think) dish, cooked greens (reminded me of mustard greens), and a green bean/carrot dish. My partner said the red split pea dish was too spicy for her but she mixed it with the lentils to tame the heat. I would have preferred more spice but we were both happy. They also serve meat dishes. I might try them the next time I visit. I enjoyed the food and will be back. The only down side is that the restaurant is right next to the elevated BART tracks. The trains can be distracting at first.

Delicious new Ethiopian restaurant on Solano Ave. The chef /owner is very warm, welcoming, and gracious. My friend and I had the combination vegetarian platter. It was very tasty, beautifully presented and fresh. We ate heartily but still had leftovers. Prices are reasonable. Vegetarian friendly with meat choices as well. We will come back again to try other menu items. It's great to have an Ethiopian restaurant in the neighborhood. Restaurant is open limited days, as the space is shared with a Cajun restaurant.

Great spot that's as good as the Ethiopian restaurants in Oakland. I got the veggie sample platter for my wife and I and we were stuffed. Platter had a good variety and injera was delicious. They just opened so service was a little slow but definitely worth the wait. The chef came out to greet us and she was the sweetest woman. Can't wait to come back to this great addition to solano ave

Looking for fresh, delicious, healthy plant based food ? A Taste of Ethiopia has wonderful colorful dishes (including some with meat ) prepared with an array of tasty spices. If you are new to Ethiopian food, the gracious and friendly staff can help you pick items to fit your level of spice preference. The portions are generous and the location is perfect for a post meal stroll along Solano Avenue.

I'm so happy we can eat at A Taste of Ethiopia again! It was one of our favorite places when it was on San Pablo in El Cerrito, just north of the Del Norte BART station. We happened to drive by and saw the sign at this location in Albany last week. The friendly owner recognized us from a few years ago. The food was as delicious as ever. We got the vegetarian platter with the mushroom tibs added on. The injera is gluten-free and excellent. For now they are only open for lunch and dinner Mon to Wed, but the owner said they are expecting to expand their dinner hours to other nights soon.

My daughter just came home from this restaurant with an box filled with food and my whole family dove into it until we were totally satiated. The portions were amazing and my daughter let me know that the owner of the business was super kind and helpful throughout the meal. I have been here before and forgotten to leave a rating. So, I wanted to follow up this time and let people know they have to come out and visit this wonderful spot. It is comfortable, welcoming, and the owners are so kind. Total great to taste their food again :)

Sweet little place, very friendly owner, and well-made food in a great location. The dishes could be a little more highly seasoned.

Fresh, delicious Ethiopian food that feels like it was made with love. The owner is cheerful, friendly, and very happy to see people enjoying her food. The injera is 100% tef, so it is not only more flavorful than part-wheat injera, it is gluten free. A great location, too.

I'm so excited they've reopened A Taste of Ethiopia on Solano! We loved them when they were located up in El Cerrito a few years ago and were so disappointed when they closed up shop. The food was delicious, fresh and gorgeous. We got the veggie combo and the mushroom tibs and devoured it all.

Absolutely fantastic! Plenty and everyone so friendly! of food Chicken stew delicious, garden salad fresh Give it a try you'll love it and the soft bread!

Food very good... service and hospitality is amazing... I was there once, but plan to return....to try their speciality