Jebena Cafe

It is my first time trying Ethiopian food and it was incredible. Huge huge portions so its great for sharing. If you love spicy this is definitely the place to get it. The coffee was high quality as well and the workers are so sweet.

Had my first Ethiopian breakfast! It was really delicious and I got some guidance about how to eat it. Got decaf spiced tea and my daughter who can’t have dairy got an oat milk with honey. And there’s a cozy rocking chair. Such a lovely neighborhood place.

First time having Ethiopian food, and wow am I dying to try some more. Got the vegetable platter that came with injera (sour fermented flatbread) and it was not only plentiful, but also healthy and full of flavor! If I was from this area I’d come to this place every week. Very nice staff as well.

Just slid through and I'm having one of the smoothest lattes ive ever tasted. I'll absolutely be sliding through to check out the rest of the caffeine options but to my fellow coffee heads, this is a really solid choice. It's close to downtown and temescal but far enough from both to find parking pretty easily. Plenty of seating if youre not on the go, very open space inside, and a super chill vibe.

Food is delicious. I got the vegetarian combo {$17.50} (not pictured is a side of injera) and I had enough leftovers for dinner. Honey oat lavender latte {$6.75}is really good too. The employee who served me was very nice. I asked about the spice levels for a dish and she gave me a sample so I could decide if I wanted to order it in full. 🙂 I look forward to coming back.

First experience with Ethiopian foods!! So light, healthy, and fresh, everything tasted homemade and fluffy but also crisp and natural, left a great taste in the mouth and a weightlessly bouncy belly, the tea was exquisitely spiced with exiting exotic flavors, wish more foods had character like this while being friendly to the diet! The pictures are of the Ethiopian breakfast and California croissant, we also had some decadent yet light baklava and sambusa to-go as well! The drinks were an Ethiopian iced tea which was full of life and flavor without being sugary and a hot chai latte which was comfortingly sweet and spicy. It was a quiet cafe-ambience atmosphere with gorgeous lighting and cool location, perfect for brunch! The staff were all so nice and came to check in on us and inspire us with insight in their beautiful culture! We will be coming back 😋

Hidden gem, superb food, great energy and honestly I am glad that Pill Hill finally has a consistently good coffee shop + food to be truly enjoyed once again. As a neighborhood, Pill Hill has been neglected. 🤞🍀👛 Time for change. Say hi to Mekki & Freya for me.

Just had one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a while! This sweet cafe has delicious savory dishes—their ful is one of the most flavorful versions I’ve ever tried, and their lentil sambosas are hearty yet delicate—as well as spiced teas and coffee drinks. They have a large, bright space with plentiful seating, and a lovely bar along the front windows for watching the rain, cozy with a steamed milk and honey. The folks are just the kindest, and everything feels like it was prepared with love!

Jebena Cafe opened in Black Spring Coffee's vacant space. Inside & outside dining available. Modest pics on walls. Soft music in background. Offerings (Ethiopian & American): breakfast, lunch, pastries, hot/cold drinks). Ordering done at counter. Food came in 10ish minutes. Sips: drip covfefe (cup 3.50) Guatemala -smooth, easy sipping, medium roast. Black it was. Bites: Ethiopian Breakfast Combo (18.50) -scrambled eggs lightly seasoned with bits of onion, jalepenos, tomatos..lightly oiled. -wheat toast fresh & crunchy. No jam needed -2 small rollups of injera bread. Added bulk. Fresh! -kinche (cracked oats): looked/tastes ala dry fried rice. -chechebsa (Ethiopian torn flat bread) typical breakfast items tastes like vegan version of meat. -fir-fir: parts of warmed injera bread mixed with spiced clarified butter & spicy berbere sauce. Luckily the latter Ethiopian chili paste wasn't at full strength. Medium spiciness just right to mix with other breakfast items. 4.5 stars: invigorating vegan breakfast option that's healthy.

We came on a sunny and quiet afternoon and were one of four small parties of diners; we'd come for the Ethiopian food but noticed that there were also American brunch dishes on the menu that looked good. Service is warm, welcoming, and friendly, and the space is pretty airy and bright--you don't feel like you're on top of other diners and the bathroom is accessibly large. The injera was terrific and fresh, and the firfir is super; I love jerky-texture beef and this had really flavorful seasoning. We enjoyed the many different portions on the platter and left totally stuffed. A solid option among the Ethiopian spots in the neighborhood!

Great atmosphere - spacious, chill, and the people who run the place are kind and warm. Instrumental old school jazz is the soundtrack. I had the tropical smoothie and collard greens with scrambled wgg, avocado and spicy lentils, over injera bread. Freshly prepared and very tasty. Service is simultaneously straight up and friendly.

Cafe has a cozy feel (: big open windows make the place feel bigger than it is. Ample seating and a small couch seating in the back. seems like a good study spot, I spotted several outlets in the store along the windows and walls. Employees are very friendly. Quanta Firfir: this is the only meat-meat option on the menu. The flavor blend is spicy and savory and rich, the soft injera does really well in the saucy spice blend. Also, HUGE portions. Personally I'm not the hugest fan of beef jerky, but the flavors are phenomenal. Would definitely try if you like jerky or a meatier stew. Beso Smoothie: I looooooved. Very nutty and the honey was sweet but not too sweet. Actually paired very well with my rich, spicy, savory, slightly sour Quanta Firfir. I was so full after eating everything but stayed to finish my smoothie

Loved Loved Loved this place! I came in alone for breakfast & coffee and everything was amazing! The woman working helped me decide on what I wanted that morning and nothing disappointed! She walked me through how to eat the breakfast which was so insightful! This breakfast and coffee filled me up! I left nothing untouched lol. I highly recommend this cafe!

I live for their Sambosas and Ful!!! Their coffee and cold brew is always nice and strong. The Sambosas are filled with lentils and are simple but savory and the crust is always cooked so well and never too oily. I will enjoy them with a cold brew in the morning quite often. When I have more time I'll sit down and enjoy the Ful. A bean stew type dish with diced jalapeño, Tomato, herbs, onions. And a loaf of bread!!! So damn good. Again, simple but savory and a bit spicy. Tastes like home cooking!!! I'm looking forward to trying the coffee ceremony someday, it always fills the cafe with a wonderful aroma. Customer service is sincere, If you go a few times you'll see the same faces. And they'll remember you! I'm thankful to have them as a neighbor.

Oh my goodness this coffee is strong. I took a sip of the iced brew and I don't know whether I want to seize the day and conquer my accomplishments or pass out from being so wired (in a good way lol). This is definitely a spot that deserve more recognition and is definitely a hole in a wall that ends up being a diamond in the rough. I tried their chicken pesto sandwich on a ciabatta roll and oh boy was it tasty. Pair that up with a strong cold brew and I'm ready to conquer my duties for the day. Give this place a try when you're in the neighborhood, definitely worth it.

What a treat! I had a couple of hours to kill and needed a space to work. Specifically wanted to support a black biz so I dropped into Jebena Cafe around open. The owner Mekky is so sweet and patient. We discussed a couple of items and landed on avocado toasted with no eggs and a mocha. I set up shop by the window and Mekky brought my food to me. The mocha was the perfect amount of sweet and the avocado toast was delicious! The avocado mash includes red onion, peas, cilantro, radish, and chili flakes. It was delicious! I will definitely be back for Mekky's great service and to try more menu items that caught my eye. Would recommend.

Had the atakilt wat with a chai latte and it was fantastic. The dish tasted fresh and healthy and its vegan. Reminds me of indian dishes. The chai latte was excellent too, good flavors, a bit sweet, and nice and foamy. Would recommend, the vibe and owner seemed great too

Nice, clean and quiet cafe with very fresh food and excellent coffee. Service was quick and friendly. You can sit on a couch and chill, or outside in front at a couple of small tables. The sandwich was so good! The eggs perfectly cooked, a wonderful avocado, toasted croissant. Delicious.

The owner was super helpful. I stopped in not knowing much about ethiopian cuisine and she made fantastic recommendations. The ethiopian breakfast, sambosa, ethiopian tea, beso were amazing!

I placed an order yesterday, within 5 minutes of placing it, it was cancelled. I tried the same the next day, even calling ahead to make sure they are open. They confirmed they are open for several more hours 2 min before I placed the DoorDash order. They did the same and cancelled it. DoorDash has kept $70 of my money and the restaurant has done nothing. Do not order this restaurant for delivery.

What a quaint little restaurant and cafe! Our small lattes were huge and perfectly crafted. The vegetarian combo lunch was delicious, filling, and healthy! We enjoyed the Ethiopian food while experiencing coffee roasting tradition for another customer. The lady was very kind and helpful. We enjoyed our meal and will be back!

The food was good, and while service could have been better, that's not the half of the issue A visit to the bathroom after eating made me feel queasy. The first thing visible on the left was a urinal splattered with dark brown stains , a piece of paper was taped on the wall with the information " pisser broken". The cleanliness level of the bathroom speaks volumes about an eating establishment. Can't return.

Such a sweet little dining experience! I came recently with a friend on a quiet weekday morning for Ethiopian breakfast and a shake. The folks working were friendly and helpful, and the food was excellent. I had fuls medames and it came with a huge portion of warm crusty bread (with a little extra mitmita on the side!). Jebena is right on Telegraph Ave with nice light and ambiance, but there are also good sound insulating panels inside so it's not too noisy with doors/windows open.

What do you do when it's a weekend morning and you want brunch but you know better than to try the usual suspects??? You come to this delightful secret brunch spot for delicious Ethiopian breakfast! Enjoy coffee and tea while you wait. And yes, they have gluten free injera!

Wonderful nourishing Ethiopian Food. I have not actually had a sit down meal yet. But the carry out I ordered was wonderful. Great authentic flavor. Good price.Keeps me coming back.

Incredibly cozy place! The first thing to hit you when you walk in is the incredible smell of fresh spices, somehow making you warm and comfortable and very very hungry. The woman at the counter was so sweet and recommended us some items we hadn't had before, the sambosa and spiced tea. Absolutely delicious combo as promised. The Ethiopian breakfast plate was what caught my eye, but the ful was probably my favorite. Warm and spicy and comfortable like an Ethiopian chili, it was a warm hug on a cold day.

Hit or miss. They are often out of menu items when I go in person, even if I go early. Tried ordering online and they cancelled my whole order while the driver was waiting, with no explanation. The food is really good. Injera could be more sour, but otherwise very fresh and light. Just don't expect them to have what you want.

Last Sunday I visited Jabena Cafe. It was nice and open floor plan. I order lentil sambosa and drip coffee with cream. OMG, the drip coffee was amazing. Normally coffee is just coffee, but I can say humbly say this is the third time that I had coffee that I walked away saying it was amazing. Once in SF, FL, and now Oakland. Thank you Jebena for a great cup of coffee.

We love jebena cafe!! Really amazing coffee and great Ethiopian breakfast/lunch options. Our favorites are the fata and ful but everything we have had here is amazing. Also their cappuccinos are, actually the best. They are family owned and really amazing people, we love seeing them every weekend

Tasty, neat presentation and great customer service! We had the quanta fitfit and ful, both delicious... quanta fitfit was really yummy. Good spot for a brunch... lit and airy space.

I wanted to gatekeep this cafe but i had show this black women-owned establishment some love! I love working from here when i'm not working from home/office. The Wifi is great and the coffee is amazing I'll definitely be back!

Quanta frfr and ice vanilla latte, it was delicious,thank you Will be back with my friends soon

Delicious food, large portions, nice person at the counter. Free refills on Ethiopian iced tea.

Had a great breakfast and amazing cappuccino. Can't wait to visit for lunch. Luckily it's just around the corner from where I live. Try it out.

Very cute cafe I service was great and the food was delicious the vibes were great there was a lot of different foods to pick from loved it

MAN, OMG! This is our NEW order-from/hangout place. NOT ONLY is the owner VERY FRIENDLY, KIND & HELPFUL but the FOOD is EXCELLENT (KUDOS to the Kitchen Chef whom customers often NEGLECT/FORGET about congratulating/commending in PERSON!). VERY VERY EXCELLENT (TOP NOTCH!) tuna sandwich! This place KNOWS what they're doing!!! And, NOT too many places know HOW to make a GREAT-TASTING tuna salad! Many either put TOO much mayonnaise or make it TOO dry. Places also tend sometimes to use brand/suppliers of tuna which tastes TOO FISHY!!! However, NOT SO AT ALL here, at Jebena Cafe! Their (female) cook makes a REAL "BOMB" (THE Bomb!) of a tuna sandwiches we've tasted in a LONG time (&, TRUST us! We've tasted tuna sandwiches in MANY-a-PLACES before!). This place makes one of the BEST ! NOT too salty; NOT too creamy; BOT too dry! JUST well-balanced good-fish taste with very FRESH & CRUNCHY lettuce & JUST RIGHT, well-toasted slices of bread!!! This sandwich ALWAYS gets even a HIGHER-MARKUP/"upgrade" when you ADD their SLICED HARD-BOILED egg to it!!! Their avocado toast is ALSO WONDERFUL-highly recommended (we always order BOTH the TUNA but ALSO, the AVOCADO toast & combine them, eating one half of each then, are left with the 2 other halves to go/for later (except that one must remember that avocado tends to darken if/when not eaten fresh)!!! Finally, their MOCHA & LATTE are great!!!

Owners are incredibly kind and make great food. Highly recommend the Ethiopian breakfast.

Best chai latte I've ever had in my life. I had a California breakfast sandwich too. Everything was very fresh, and very tasty. Too bad I don't live here. I'd be a regular!

Great tea and lovely atmosphere. I love bringing people here. Great sambussa too. You won't regret it.

Excellent new lunch spot! I have gotten the chicken pesto twice and it and has an excellent flavor. The side greens had a pleasant lemon salad dressing. The staff were friendly and very kind to me when I lost my credit card. The ambiance is spacious and comfortable. Will definitely be back.

Very cute cozy cafe. Went here with my partner walking home after looking at new places to live. Immediate good service, but even better drinks. I ordered an Ethiopian iced tea and an espresso. The espresso was complex and perfectly pulled and the iced tea was unsweetened, spicy, and refreshing. My partners iced coffee was dark, flavorful without being burnt. Definitely want to come back!

Stop by to check this place out. The coffee is good and also it's a very nice atmosphere to sip your coffee. The food was great and the service was as well. I had the Ethiopian breakfast and it was quite tasty!

This is a great little cafe with a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere, excellent service and food to die for. I had a turkey sandwich with baklava and cappuccino today and everything was perfect. The sandwich was on a warm baguette with melted cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. The best turkey sandwich I've ever had and I've had a few. The large cappuccino was the perfect blend of espresso and steamed milk and the baklava came with a drizzle of honey, a dusting of cinnamon and a few scattered coffee beans. Beautiful to behold and delicious to taste. I'll be back often to try more items on their menu of American and Ethiopian dishes.

Friendly and welcoming. Good food and my Chai Latte was excellent. A welcome addition to the neighborhood.

I love this place! They're right around the corner from my house and their lattes and pastries are so good. If I had the time, I'd get coffee here everyday.

Everything from the setup, customer service to the food. Everything is perfect! I recommend their Ethiopian breakfast combo with amazing cappuccino.

This is a great new cafe with a relaxing atmosphere, good food/drinks, and Ethiopian culture.

I looooveee this place! It's the perfect neighbourhood cafe. Incredible service and delicious food and drinks. Personal fav is their sandwiches!

Delicious food. What a fantastic breakfast feast. We shared the Ethiopian Breakfast and a piece of baklava. One of us had a soy latte and I had the Ethiopian Spice Tea. All wonderful. We sat outside which we also appreciate.

Lovely place, great coffee and tea, definitely ask to add Ethiopian spice to your hot drinks, so good!!!!

The quanta fir fir was delicious: the meat was seasoned and the fir fir had the good sauce. The sampler breakfast was also flavored well. Very kind staff and friendly atmosphere - people were there catching up and families came in after church. One group got the coffee ceremony and it smelled...the best...

Jebena had really good service, really good iced chai, and really good avocado toast.

The coffee is good, the vibes are exellent. The location is nice. I am trying the food menu and have been pleased with everything.

Great place to Relax. Aha, the sambusa, tasty! The coffee in the big short fat cup, delicious. The view by the big windows, just loved it. I'm telling You, the service alone is so welcoming, Jebena Cafe is the place to be.

Great coffee, tea, smoothies and Ethiopian breakfast. Service was fast and friendly.

Wonderful place. The coffee is good and the staff are friendly. I just had the Ethiopian salad which was very good.

This is such a warm and comfortable space, the owners are incredibly welcoming and kind, and the food and coffee cannot be beat! You have to try the sambosas (lentils + herbs) and the ful. Definitely the best new cafe I've been to in a long time. Neighborhood gem!