Gojo Ethiopian Cafe and Restaurant

"The sky-blue exterior has long been a beacon of hope for those seeking to get their fix of injera and vegetable platters. This Ethiopian restaurant was one of the first in Nashville, introducing people to the beautiful world of awaze tibs and doro wat. Bring some friends to share the vegetable platters and know the drink policy here is BYOB. The whole operation is perfect for a relatively affordable and filling meal." - anas saba

"Head to Thompson Lane for some of the best Ethiopian fare in Tennessee, perfect for sharing with a few friends. At Hana Gebretensae’s homey go-to, Gojo, dive into zesty doro wat or prime beef tibs with plenty of injera for scooping it all up. The restaurant also supplies plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes like kik aletcha, a hearty split pea soup. Cap off the meal with Gojo’s traditional Ethiopian coffee service. —JGJ" - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Ellen Fort

"The setup at Gojo might seem simple. The Ethiopian food, however, is anything but. It's located in a singular concrete bunker with two main dining rooms, each filled with African pottery and art. And it's where you want to be with a group of friends that just want to relax and keep it really low-key with some belly-warming tibs and wets. You can approach your meal here several ways, but the move is to bring some people to split the vegetarian combo platter. Then, add the tender yebeg alicha and richly spiced doro wet as your proteins. You’ll eat them all from a big plate lined with injera—and Gojo’s version has a pleasantly tangy bite from the vinegar with a nice sponginess that’s perfect for sopping up the sauces. There are a variety of wets and tibs to choose from—the lamb and chickpea are particularly killer—and the drink policy here is BYOB, making the whole operation perfect for a relatively affordable and filling meal. photo credit: Kelli Dirks Food Rundown photo credit: Kelli Dirks Yebeg Tibs This is one of the best dishes at Gojo. Hunks of tender lamb come with rosemary, onion, and jalapeño. There’s a welcome mild and subtle kick to this one that nudges the palate awake. Shiro Wet On the vegetable side, the ground and seasoned chickpeas in the shiro wet make for a creamy filling for the injera. It’s great on its own or layered as a base for chunks of chicken or lamb. Doro Wet This is your chicken order here. Two drumsticks are marinated in lemon juice, which helps to break down the meat into fall-off-the-bone morsels. The drumsticks are then sauteed with spiced butter, garlic, ginger, and onions and served with a hard-boiled egg because they make everything better. photo credit: Kelli Dirks Injera The injera at Gojo is porous and springy but holds the sauces so well. And it’s got a nice tang from the sourdough. photo credit: Kelli Dirks Ethiopian Coffee Patience pays when it comes to Ethiopian coffee. There’s a beautiful ceremony involved in its preparation, and you’ll smell the roasting, grinding, and brewing long before a colorful wicker basket with a clay carafe hits the table. It’s a satisfying way to cap off your meal." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

"Head to Thompson Lane for some of the best Ethiopian fare in Tennessee, wonderful for sharing. At Hana Gebretensae’s homey go-to, Gojo, dive into zesty doro wat or prime beef tibs with plenty of injera for scooping it all up. The restaurant also supplies plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes like kik aletcha, a hearty split pea soup." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Eater Staff

"This Ethiopian standout on Nolensville Pike boasts a vegetarian menu with traditional dishes (all of which may be spelled in various ways) like shiro wet (ground, seasoned chickpeas with onion and garlic), ful (lightly crushed fava beans with raw onion, tomato, and jalapeno), and tikle gomen (cabbage sauteed with garlic, ginger, and turmeric). Go ahead and order Gojo’s vegetarian combo to try all of these and more atop a base of tangy, spongy injera bread." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Eater Staff