Dama Restaurant and Pastry

Amazing food! This was my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine. The service was great—our waitress was very attentive and helped us choose dishes based on our preferences. We ended up sharing a meat and vegetable combo, as you can see here. The bread, paired with the hearty meat and vegetables, was very satisfying. We were only able to finish about half of it between the two of us! This is a great restaurant, and I’d most certainly come again.

We had the meat combo with lentils, yellow peas, and cabbage as our veggie options, and it was perfect for sharing between two people. The food is delicious and authentically Ethiopian, and the service was great! Our waitress was attentive and happy to help, especially if you're new to Ethiopian cuisine. The restaurant has a casual vibe, making it a great spot to enjoy a relaxed meal. We were missing Ethiopian food, and Dama definitely hit the spot. After our meal, we stopped by the bakery for a slice of double chocolate cake, but I would pass on it next time. The cake was a bit dry, and the chocolate flavor didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Overall, I highly recommend Dama Restaurant for anyone craving authentic Ethiopian food!

This was near my hotel, so I walked over. I was greeted by a delightful woman. She explained some of the menu items. I decided to try the vegetarian buffet. It was very good. In retrospect, I'd probably try one of the meat entrées, but the buffet was good! I also had the tiramisu and hot tea. The tiramisu was really good!

The waitress was so nice. We ordered the veggie combo for two, chicken Doro wot, and Lamb alicha. The Lamb was probably my favorite, followed closely by the lentils. She even saw our Injera was running low and topped us off with a ton more. It really felt like a laid back, at home vibe, like I was eating at my own home. Will def be back!

This place is a community. Come in the morning and observe local Ethiopians getting together for coffee and meals. What a place! Staff is friendly. Barista serve flavorful coffee using Ethiopian beans and in high volume. When they offer to coat it bombolino in sugar, take it. Prices are affordable as well! Next visit I'll have to try their food. Only had enough time for coffee and sweets today.

First time eating there today, I never had Ethiopian food. It was good. I also had a tiramisu cake. I’m not a big fan of tiramisu, but theirs was delicious. Long story short, just go!

This is an excellent establishment. If you are looking for authentic Ethiopian food this place is the very best. They have found a way to keep the traditional dishes while also having an incredible bakery and coffee shop. My mom and dad (girma&aster) have been bringing me here forever and now my kids go. The best Ethiopian food in the DMV.

Staff is great. Smilingly helped us with our choice. The cake is amazing and generous portions. Even the vegan cake was good. Ordered the vegetarian plates. Greatly satisfied. Can not say enough about the service

I would highly recommend Dama! We shared the vegetarian combo and vegan tibs. Being vegetarian, I hadn't had Tibs before so I was so excited that Dama had vegan Tibs! The Vegan Tibs definitely lived up to my expectations. The flavors were delicious and the veggie combo was also excellent. The ambiance was great and the service was pretty fast! The restaurant wasn't too busy on a Friday night so not sure if you need a reservation. Overall I really enjoyed trying out the food at Dama! I also didn't get a chance to try them, but they have so many vegan alternatives of the typical meat dishes at other Ethiopian restaurants so I definitely want to come back to try out more.

We had cookies and pastries plus a tiramisu-all vegan and super delicious!! Very friendly excellent service reasonable prices.

I seek out Ethiopian food wherever I am, since I don't have much opportunity to eat it near home and it's one of my favorite cuisines! This restaurant did not disappoint. My friend and I split the vegetarian combo and added both the vegan tibs and the vegan doro wat. Everything was delicious, and we were particularly impressed by their vegan protein. I also enjoyed my ginger tea and had a slice of the coffee velvet cake for dessert, and my friend enjoyed her coffee. Our server was very attentive and service was great. If you're in the area, I would highly recommend trying this restaurant.

Absolutely the best Ethiopian! Fresh and flavorful. Friendly service. Very welcoming.

I love coming here for the meat and veggie special. I could eat it every day for a month! The way the parking lot is set up can make it a little difficult to park but if you go during non-peak hours you should have no problem.

This restaurant has been my longtime favorite for years. Whether I'm eating in or taking out the food is consistently fresh, flavorful, and just plain delicious! My favorites are the Asa (fish) dulet and the awaze lamb tibs. The bakery goods are top tier and cannot leave without the Tiramisu! I also love the market side and always leave with some injera and spices for my home. This is a small restaurant with a lot of love inside and I will always patronize whenever I can.

Wow! What a cool spot I'm glad I found. Great latte and had the cookies from the bakery. They are fresh and delicious. Great vibe.

If you're seeking a culinary adventure that will leave you speechless, look no further than Dama. From the moment I stepped through the door, I knew I was in for a treat. The ambiance was warm and inviting with a lovely aroma of incense. Every dish was a masterpiece, a symphony of flavors that danced on my palate. We ordered the awaze tibs and the vegetable combo. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the food at Dama brought tears to my eyes. It was that good. It was the kind of experience that makes you grateful to be alive.

I love this place. Parking can be tight, but worth it. Get the awaze tibs and veggie platter. Haven't tried the desserts, but everything looks delicious. Will always be a neighborhood favorite spot!

This is a family fav! Its our go-to place for authentic Ethiopian food (restaurant part). absolutely love the wide selection of veggie options - we usually get the veggie combo and vegan tibs. tho i recommend ordering ahead of time bc they get lots of business and it can be along wait sometimes. the pastry/cafe next door is great too- they have lots of began options that actually taste good considering they are vegan we cant wait to visit Dama again!

Whenever I'm in the DMV I make sure to stop by Dama. I really like the vibe of the restaurant/coffee shop. It's super casual and has authentic Ethiopian food. Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, or meat eater Dama has something for you. It also has a wide variety of pastries to choose from. The staff can recommend what sells best.

What a treat. Food was authentic, delicious. Takeout on a Friday night didn't take more than 20 minutes. Also easy to navigate from an allergies perspective: no nuts in the food and eggs are only used in the chicken. We ordered the veggie combo, kitfo, and awaze tibs for three which left us enough for leftovers!

From the sweet servers who were so kind to our toddler, to the promo and polite service, to the delicious meal, to the desserts to-go! Every step of the evening was bliss and magical. After a long day of sightseeing we ran back to our hotel room and then walked over to this little place, which is not so little of you count the bakery, the store and the dining room! We had the vegetarian combo and the beef tibs as suggested by many on YELP and we were thrilled to eat to our hearts content! One bite after the next, and the perfect setting for our toddler to join in on the meal! We will keep this place on our list when we return to DC in the future! Thanks to the sweet servers for treating us newbies like family and for dotting on our sweet baby!

My first time getting Ethiopian food and I was not disappointed. Really good food and very hospitable. Would 100% come back and telling friends to try this.

I did myself a huge disservice by not coming to this restaurant sooner. I had tried to go in the past.. but it was always busy...too busy for me to even get a parking space. I guess that should have been a sign for me to keep trying!! Clearly I was missing out. Anywho, I ordered the Awaze tibs (my fav) and veggie combo to go, and it was some of the best Ethiopian I've had in Arlington! Everything was seasoned well, and the tibs weren't in a pool of oil like you may get at some other restaurants, but they weren't dry either. They were just right! The Veggie combo comes with Gomen (collard greens), Atakilt wot (cabbage, carrots, potato), Misir wot (red lentils), Kik alicha (yellow split peas), Shiro (ground split peas), and a green salad. I highly recommend ordering a meat dish and the veggie combo so that you can get a little taste of everything.. especially if you're a first timer! I didn't try any of their pastries or coffee this time around, but I'll definitely be back!

my husband and I have been going to Dama since the beginning, but nothing worth more than taking my kids back to Dama and seeing the owners treat us as if we are part of their family! it was nice to go back and see you them all!! Thank you for your hospitality!!!

Delicious food and wonderful service. Enjoyed the vegetarian platter and multiple vegan desserts. The fruit Bavarian cake was amazing. Will definitely be back.

I'll confess, I haven't yet become a fan of Ethiopian food. I'll say that on me because I know so many who love it including my wife. Dama is especially friendly to vegans and vegetarians which is awesome! They even have meat analogues for options which I've never seen in ethiopian before. My favorite was the Vegan Tibis- chunks of seitan in s delicious tomato sauce! Big winner! The other one I liked was Yatikilt Wot- as the recipe says "a delicious blend of cabbage, potatoes, carrots and onion". They also have a great selection of vegan baked goods- cake and cookies! Fluffy and light frosting! Moist cake! Very good, worth a trip.

Dama is my favorite Ethiopian spot in Arlington. I've never had a bad meal here--in fact, every meal has been great. This is a perfect place for vegans and vegetarians to get a hearty, flavorful meal that isn't just a menu afterthought. You won't miss meat or dairy if you get the vegetable platter. There are also good meat selections if that's what you're looking for. A vegetarian sampler and 1-2 meat dishes will be more than enough for two people. Low contact pickup was very easy. They also have a nice, covered outdoor seating area if that's what you're looking for. The parking lot is small and tight so pickup might be the way to go, though. Tip generously!

If you're looking for an Ethiopian restaurant in the area, this is definitely the place to go! We had a delicious meal here that left us having to roll out of the door from how full we were. While everything we got was delicious, my personal favorite was the Awaze Tibs. A little tangy and full of flavor! The staff was very friendly and helpful as we tried to figure out what to order. Until next time, I'll be dreaming of more of those tibs.

What a find! Delicious, authentic Ethiopian food served hot and flavorful. The atmosphere is nothing to write home about, but warm, welcoming, attentive service, and a large, diverse menu of appetizing choices, each dish exceeding expectations, made for a great and inexpensive dinner out with friends!

This was my first experience with Ethiopian and we were not disappointed. The food and service was amazing. It was full of locals, so you know it is good! We will be back.

Of all the area Ethiopian restaurants I've tried, this may have been the most Ethiopian of them. Between all the employees and customers in the three interlocking businesses (restaurant, store, cafe), I think I was the only non-Amharic speaker there. The limited parking outside was about half taxi-cabs (kids, this is what they had before Uber). The cuisine is typical of what you'd get at any such restaurant, with the unusual extra step of offering fake meat versions of some of their dishes to expand the vegetarian portfolio beyond the usual, and their desserts. I did not try either of those things, though their cakes sound awfully good. A veggie combo yielded most of the things I like: lentils, split peas, and cabbage; I also do like when a little fresh salad is included between the various sautees and stews. The ginger and chili powder flavors came through, and plenty of injera both under the stews and on the side made it easy to eat. The ginger tea I ordered arrived as very hot ginger water with a Lipton tea bag; an interesting way of going about things, but a spicy and tasty one in the end. There was also some sort of buffet situation going on, but I was directly offered the main menu, and ordering something vegetarian seemed wise. It wasn't the nicest building, and parking is a bit of a hassle, but I'd be happy to return, particularly to shop at their little store or indulge in a dessert.

Enmeshed with a bakery and coffee shop the Dama Restaurant serves a up a delicious bit of ethnic grit. It's the Ethiopian equivalent of Panera Bread. Their customer service is a delight. Late on a Monday night, I walked in to find groups of old men sitting around talking. The barista was counting her drawer so asked if it was too late to see the menu. She pointed me to the door leading to the bakery. Through it was another woman at the counter and I asked the same thing. She pointed me to the door of the restaurant and invited me to have a seat. Recognizing it was my first time she explained the menus to me quite patiently as I was slightly confused. Much of the menu described food I have never heard of some of it was in another language. I asked about the vegetarian options and what is spicy and she guided me to the Vegetarian Combo. I only waited five or so minutes for my food. I learned how to dip the injera flat bread instead of using utensils. My to-go plate was filled by the varieties of the vegetarian combo: Misir Wot, Kirk Alicha, Yatakilt Wot, Gomez Wot and Shiro Wot. Some of the plate was like a garden salad, some of it savory, some sweet and some spicy. I'm not an expert yet and there's no way I can tell you which each of those are but it was a well rounded meal, until next time.

Love Dama so much. Their vegan/tsom food is perfection. I don't care too much for shiro but there's makes me want it everyday. They have many vegan desserts, too!

Came here and enjoyed the food. It was an ah-mazing place. The people were so kind. We asked what they recommended and it was delicious. I defiantly would offer this for anybody looking for affordable and super yummy Ethiopian food.

No frills local Ethiopian coffee place. Old school deserts and teas. Very niche crowd with an attached restaurant. The ginger tea was interesting powder form. Baklava was good but on the heavy side. The restaurant next door seemed popping so will have to come back to try the food. They have a giant sports screen for games though. Coffee menu was limited but fine in a pinch for a cappuccino. The cakes didn't seem particularly fresh or appetizing. Ventured out for Ethiopian coffee though and wasn't too disappointed

I have tried several Ethiopian restaurants in the DMV and this one has the best food so far. Sometimes with Ethiopian restaurants all the food tends to have the same taste but the cook does a great job. Every dish has a unique flavorful taste. Additionally, the meat was cooked to a tender level. The only reason that I did not give it all the stars is because I think that they should work on the ambiance of the place. I looks a bit plain and old and a bit unattractive to customers who want to dine in, instead of doing carry out

Dama Pastry and Restaurant is a true gem in Arlington's Foxcroft Heights neighborhood. A short walk from the Air Force Memorial, this family-owned Ethiopian restaurant is a market and bakery too. It opened in 1980 and quickly became a staple for Arlington's Ethiopian community. They sell all the usual suspects as well as Ethiopian coffee. However, they also sell large cakes, gluten-free cookies and fresh bombolonis, a frosting less, less-sweet doughnut. For under $3, it was the best fried doughnut I've had ever.

EXCELLENT Ethiopian food and GREAT vegan options include their veggie combo, lentil samosa, homemade mock meat dishes & vegan cakes!!!! It's a community gathering spot and makes me happy to see people enjoying the company of those they know. They've been around 23 years.

Delicious Ethiopian food. Eat here. I usually get the veggie combo. I've had cake and baklava from the bakery and they were good.

Large portions and great value for money. The food was delicious too. The two of us ordered two vegetable combos but wish we had shared one. Glad to have another combo plate for later tho haha The entrance of the restaurant/bakery is a lil confusing so ask for help. Parking is also difficult

Love the fact that they have a vegan buffet. And I adore Ethiopian food. So I was excited to try this place, but tldr; the and food and service (oh, that service...) leave a lot to be desired. Perhaps it is only the buffet food, but everything was salty and oily af. I could barely even eat most of the food, but didn't want to complain. One of the vegan beef dishes that was pretty good, though a bit salty, was stone cold because the fire had gone out. And the rest of the dishes looked as though they needed to be stirred. I feel far less vital leaving there than I did before I stepped in. Now for the service...oh, boy. No one welcomed me in. No one took my order. One of the servers asked me, "What do you want?" and said I could sit down anywhere. It took forever to get a menu. No one asked if I wanted a drink. Eventually, I simply started plating my food because I had things to do and couldn't wait around for them to speak to me. The servers kept passing my table, seemingly going to anyone and everyone who was not me. They never once asked how I was doing, I had to loudly flag them down a few times. I finally asked for the check and they took a long time to pick it up. The young gentleman didn't bring my change, so I asked for it and the woman brought the wrong change. More time waiting for that to be corrected. The servers seemed kind of nice in a way, but simply were not accommodating to me at all. It pains me to say this about an African restaurant that has a variety of veggie options, but I will not be returning.

This is my family's favorite Ethiopian restaurant! We come often and especially during lent since they have an amazing special. Everything is delicious! I definitely recommend getting a meat platter and the veggie combo. You won't be disappointed. Like I said, we come during lent a lot and tried out their cakes as well. Wow! Sooo good. I could survive being vegan if I lived at Dama :)

I cannot believe I didn't go here for every cake need I've had in the last 6 years. I've passed this place so many times and just didn't know the treasures it had inside. This wonderful business has a fresh variety of delicious cakes that they will box up in no time with a special message of your choosing on it. I went in this past Saturday afternoon and was greeting immediately and then helped shortly after. The people are so kind and attentive. The cake itself was fantastic with an airy inside with a lovely white and dark chocolate shell on the outside. Definitely go here.

This was a fabulous find! As vegetarians we were thrilled to find this place! They not only have the usual vegetarian Ethiopian dishes, but also some "fake meat" dishes that were excellent. We ordered the vegetarian combo and the Veggie Tibs(fake beef). Delicious! We asked for injera made from Ethiopian Teff(supposed to be much healthier) and they brought some freshly made. Yum! The baklava and white/dark chocolate cake were excellent as well. We will certainly return!

Its been awhile since i ate here but the food is fantastic!!! when im in the area its the only place i go to for authentic Ethiopian food. the beef tibs are my favorite to order, the meat is so tender and full of flavor. The service is kind and quick. Parking is short spaces, but its worth the trouble.

Dama is delicious and my favorite authentic ethiopian resto! The food is very flavorful, lots of different flavors. The pricepoint is also awesome. The food is well made and always delicious. Don't forget to check out their bakery, right next to the restaurant. They offer a lot of vegan choices and pasties. And they are delicious! The service is also great, and very friendly! This is definitely my go to restaurant whenever I am craving Ethiopian food!

We had an all vegan meal and it was delish. Followed up with cake and cookies to take home. So tasty and the prices are extremely reasonable. Dama, I would pay more for your cake.

Thoroughly enjoyed their vegan pastries! The distinguished gentleman who took my payment was very pleasant. I'll definitely be back!

First time having Ethiopian food tonight and we LOVED it! What an amazing experience from the very beginning to the end. After clearly being first time diners here, the waitress so kindly walked us through the menu and advised us the vegetable combination along with beef tender dish. Oh my stars, folks. The beef was moist, tender, soaked in the aroma of the sautéed onions, with a plethora of side dips, a section of crunchness with a punch of heat from the jalapeño mixed salad, and to top it off with some collared greens along with a potato side that melts in your mouth like butter. My boyfriend and I absolutely devoured this. Service was superior, we came in at the peak of dinner time and the place shortly filled up after we arrived. Overall, this place speaks authenticity, from the food, to the atmosphere, to the one stop restaurant-shop-pastry store trio. You hit multiple birds with one stone I love it! And you know it's that GOOD when you have a jammed packed cozy parking lot with many native Ethiopians in house. Also absolutely enjoyed walking through the mini shop exploring the ingredients they used with our meals, and taking home a pastry to enjoy for later on the night! The pastry shop itself was a cherry on top of the whole experience tonight. Everything was made from scratch and in house, from the savory sambusa pastry to a wide array of decadent sweet pastries! The specific pastries do not have a menu, the very warm and kind lady running the shop came around the counter and generously walked us through EVERY pastry including pointing us towards her favorite ones. We ultimately went with the coffee velvet cake! I felt like I stopped by a neighborhood friends home who made fresh baked goods for the whole street. This place is a gem friends.

Dama Restaurant was highly recommended by a coworker of mine, who was Ethiopian. I have always wanted to try Ethiopian food, so I finally asked her for a recommendation. I don't have any other experience to compare the food to, but overall, I really enjoy my time here. The place is quite big, which included a cafe/bakery, grocery store, and restaurant, which made it a little confusing at first. However, the waitress quickly came out and guided us to the right entrance of the restaurant. There are a few parking spaces outside of the place and plenty on the street right next to it. My girlfriend and I decided to order the Veggie Combo and Lamb Awaze Tibs, both were also recommended by my coworker. The portion was big and it came with 2 side dishes of Injera for each of us. Veggie Combo - 5 dishes with a salad. It tasted clean, healthy, and very filling. Lamb Awaze Tibs - cubed lamb with onion. The meat was tender and yummy. I also really like the spicy flavor of this dish. The waitress was considerate when asking us if we wanted to cut down on the spice, which we politely rejected because we both love spicy food. Everything was warm and delicious! The portion was big so we ended up couldn't finish it all. The service was pretty fast. I'd like to go back and try their dessert/pastry, since we didn't have enough time to try it.

With a dizzying number of generic Ethiopian food options in the DMV, Dama's menu is imaginative and their selections are wide. Foremost, Dama is a pastry shop. The space is divided in three; pastry shop, market, and formal dining area. I highly recommend sitting in the pastry shop- all patrons can dine where they please. Pastry shop: they make Ethiopian cakes! Well technically, Italian influenced Ethiopian cakes. I saw them taking out orders of cake boxes to patrons cars so I know you can order in advance. I only had an assortment of cookies and tea. But these cookies were darn good, not dry and not over-sweet like American cookies. Food: they have Vegan options. The menu in-itself shows that managements love Ethiopian food. They didn't slap together a "veggie combo" and "tibs" & call it a day like so many Ethiopian restaurants. I had the vegan tibs & it was delightful but it didn't taste like tibs. Luckily it didn't taste like tofu either lol Parking is free but don't bring your expedition.

LOVE LOVE LOVE! My first experience having ethiopian food and I loved it! I got the vegetable platter with lamb and I would so recommend. It was fun to eat with your hands and it was so flavorful without being so heavy. It was a nice assortment of different veggies and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. There is also a cafe connected to the restaurant that has great cake slices. I will definitely be returning here and am so glad to have been introduced to ethiopian cuisine!

Wonderful Ethiopian food and a friendly staff. Despite the distance from our house, it is worth traveling for.

It was our first time trying Ethiopian. We sampled several dishes and they were all great, especially the sweet cabbage dish. We enjoyed sitting outside on the covered patio. To polish off our meal, we picked out slices of cake to take home from the bakery.

Easily one of the top two Ethiopian restaurants I've been to in the DC area. Had kitfo and lamb tibs. Both were fantastic- kitfo was amazing for me and lamb for my girlfriend. Has a market and cafe right next door, picked up a six pack of habesha and pastries on the way out!

I read about this place on Yelp while looking for Ethiopian food. Chose this restaurant above the other options because of their expansive vegan menu. I've had a good amount of Ethiopian food, but have only seen this variety of dishes here. We had the Vegan Kitfo, Vegan Tibs, and Vegan Doro Watt. Everything was hot, fragrant and delicious. It was definitely worth the short trip from DC. I highly recommend it.

Authentic Ethiopian food!! Loved everything! Ordered shiro, misir wot, doro wot. They had buffet too. There unique way of serving food on the injera is perfect as in the end it becomes soaked with flavors to devour in the end.