Lulu EthioVegan Cuisine

So flavourful, fantastic service with a smile. One of the best meals I’ve had in my life. No wonder they have a 4.9 overall rating. We will be going again while in this vacation. Highly recommend trying it. You won’t be disappointed!!

Great food! Everything is vegan here. The person who owns the place is so sweet and adorable. As a vegan, this place offers such a wonderful niche. I hope it stays here for some time. I've gone here with omnivores as well who love it.

What a find!! Absolutely loved eating here. The owner was warm and friendly. She helped us with the menu as this was our first time eating Ethiopian cuisine. My sister and I are both vegan and gluten-free for health reasons. I felt so comfortable eating here and the food agreed with us perfectly. We are going to tell all our friends and family about this cozy restaurant. It was my choice for a fun birthday meal.

This small, bright space is clean and comfortable. My friend and I were welcomed warmly by the owner, who made recommendations and answered our many questions. We chose the sambusas for an appetizer and the medium veggie sampler to share. Everything was delicious! So flavorful! Very “healthy” portions! Reasonably priced. My friend loves coffee and ordered a cup to follow up lunch. It was made and served by the owner with a special pot and cups and even incense. He educated us about Ethiopian coffee, including that his wife roasts the beans herself in-house and how Starbucks uses 25% Ethiopian beans in their blend. The restaurant was pleasant, the service wonderful, and the food a delight!

I was in Minneapolis last weekend for a conference and came across Lulu EthioVegan and had such a great experience dining there! The owners were incredibly warm and welcoming and the food was bursting with flavor. I had the veggie sampler and I couldn't have been happier with my choice. I would highly recommend this restaurant to others. I can't say enough about how great the owner's were at hosting and the food was delicious.

I left here as happy as can be! The service couldn't have been nicer. The food was delicious. We had some extra to take with us which made it a lovely experience for an out of towner. Thank you! This is my official recommendation to eat here.

We had our morning meal at Lulu's last Saturday. We enjoyed the variety of vegetarian and vegan food, and definitely food quality. Jebena coffee was excellent and very strong. Falafels tasted very good but little bit different from others I had before and I did not have stomach side effects after these ones. I enjoyed injera as well. Usually in the past, from other sources, it wouldn't agree with me much, but this one was perfect. Good quality food! We definitely will visit this place again.

Great restaurant! Genuine Ethiopian food, fantastic service. Owner/cook/server is passionate about providing an outstanding experience. Recommended items, took account of our own dietary restrictions, and explained everything. If I could give TEN stars, I would!!

Coming from DC, I've had my fair share of Ethiopian food--some of the best in the country I dare say. Lulu's holds up to that standard, surprising and delighting tastebuds with little touches that make this menu standout. I only wish that we had more people with us so we could have tried more dishes! If you like mushrooms, the mushroom tibs is not to be missed. It came out sizzling and coated with incredible garlicly pepper flavors that paired so well with the veg sampler (med) which was plenty for 2. The collards, cabbage and red and yellow lentils were all delicious. Loved that they were prepared with well-balanced seasonings without much oil. We wrapped the plate (and the injera was fresh and bouncy, though I felt that we could have used more with the sampler). I'm glad we tried the Selba drink, which tasted like a toasted oat cookie in a glass, yummm. And felt soothing in the belly. Oh, and the sambusas are on point -- be sure to ask for the house hot sauce on the side. I'll return to try other specials and the baklava (they were sadly sold out)! The owners are an adorable family; kiddo served us and the chef came out and asked how we liked the dishes and shared her story with us too (including her time living in DC!). Delicious and family owned, everything made with love and care = a true gem.

On a warm October Saturday morning, we met up with a friend for breakfast. She has food restrictions so we chose Lulu's Ethio Vegan Cuisine on Franklin and 1st Ave. I was apprehensive as this was only my second time trying Ethiopian food but it turned out to be a good choice. We didn't know they serve breakfast as their website didn't list a breakfast menu and we assumed we were going to order breakfast from the lunch/dinner menu so it was a delightfully delectable surprise! We asked Owner/Chef TG about it and she said it got missed but would be updated soon along with other changes they still have to do to the website. Located on Franklin, you turn into the alley then park in the back which is where we entered the restaurant. They also have a front entrance but there is no street parking on Franklin. As you open the restaurant doors, you're greeted warmly by the sun and the bright and lively colors of the decor while being embraced by the seductive smells of coffee and warm spices. There were palm fronds on the tables. We noticed there is more seating in a covered patio adjacent to the alley but the fall weather was not conducive to outside eating. Lulu's is coming up on its one-year anniversary in November. It's a family establishment, not a chain, so the chef's own family is involved throughout the week. Some days you'll be waited on by the chef's husband, children, or herself. We were served by the children who were very friendly and worked hard at their job but had trouble answering our questions about ingredients in the dishes and cultural traditions for the items we ordered. They referred us to Chef TG who was most helpful and knowledgeable. We ordered Ginger Tea, Spiced Tea, and Jebena Coffee to start. The Ginger Tea is made with fresh ginger yet it's not overpowering with its spiciness and the Spiced Tea had a warming effect from the blends of spices. My wife said she tasted subtle notes of cardamom, anise, and cinnamon but thinks there are more spices in it. Jebena Coffee is traditional Ethiopian coffee and Chef TG says she roasts the beans daily in the kitchen. It is presented in a ceramic carafe on an elevated platter accompanied by smokey incense and your cup. The faint smell of incense adds to the experience and taste of the coffee which looked thick and dark so I worried I would be over-caffeinated for the day, but it didn't happen. It tasted smooth and delicate with a light coffee aroma. It was an exciting and unique coffee experience for this Midwest dad who is a lifelong coffee drinker! Chef TG's skillful use of spices and herbs maximized the flavors and umami of her dishes which are also low in sodium. We discovered we didn't miss the salt at all because our meals were so well balanced with spices. For breakfast we ordered Ful, the Breakfast Combo, and Chechebsa. Our friend had the Ful which was creamy (from the fava beans) and slightly tart (from the tomatoes) which paired well with the pita and mini baguette. The side coconut yogurt cuts some of the creamy flavor in the Ful but it's a tasty palate cleanser on its own. Chef TG said this dish is traditionally eaten with bread but she offers pita as well because Americans are more familiar with this pairing. My wife had the Breakfast Combo (Firfir, Chechebsa, & Kinche) and enjoyed the range of flavors from the smokey sourness of the injera bread in the Firfir to the chewy bites in the Chechebsa. The Kinche was light and buttery which made for a nice palate cleanser with the other two dishes. She was so taken by the berbere, which is a spiced hot pepper powder, used in the Firfir that she asked for it alone so she can taste it to get the full smokey, savory umami of the chili confection. It's mildly spicey but all the flavors work well with each other. My wife took the small berbere sample home and made the most delicious simple tomato sandwich with it. Chef TG said she will offer it for retail purchase in the near future so look for it if you enjoy hot peppers! I had the Chechebsa which was also included in the Breakfast Combo my wife selected. The pieces of flatbread were chewy and well seasoned and not overly salty. My wife really enjoyed it and wished it had a little bit more sauce as it seems the bread soaked it all up. Given my MN upbringing, I am still teaching my taste buds to understand spices so my favorite dish was the Ful which I thought had flavors reminiscent of Pork and Beans, but while it did appear to have beans as an ingredient there was obviously no pork. I ordered Ful to go. In all, the flavors of the Ethiopian dishes were savory, delicate, and not overpowering. We liked the fact that there wasn't too much salt and oil in the recipes. Also, as a meat-eater I personally at no point missed meat and I came away from this meal full and very satisfied. We'll be back to try the lunch/dinner menu and we highly recommend this place!

do not smoke in your car in lulu's parking lot the service team banged on my car window before i came in interrupting me and my wife's smoke break. when i told the owner there was a bug in my water, he thought i was lying, and he said that he archived my license plate data so that if i came back and smoked in my car he would call the police. i told him, "call them" the behavior of lulu's service was not appropriate for my family's habits so we left

Food was amazing! Can't wait to go back. We were hungry and it was perfect. Great favors!

This was an amazing find. Delicious gluten free vegan options. The staff is warm and welcoming.

Lulu's has an unassuming store front on Franklin. Simply decorated, the quality of the food is evident the moment you step inside-smells so good and tastes even better. Ethiopian restaurants are typically a safe bet for vegans and vegetarians, but as a vegan restaurant Lulu's offers dishes you likely won't find elsewhere. PLUS your gluten free friends can order gluten-free injera. I tried the veggie sampler and selected Miser Wot (lentils with bebera sauce - my go-to dish at Ethiopian restaurants) , Gomen (sauteed collared greens), Fasolia (string beans and carrots) and Aitkin Wot (cabbage, carrots, potato in a curry sauce) . Everything was yummy - I eat Ethiopian food with some frequency and this was some of the best I've had in the Twin Cities. A lot of times Fasolia and Aitkin can be bland - not at Lola's. The right amount of spice and flavor. My companion ordered Mushroom tibs - heaping plate with rosemary. It was excellent. She also ordered the gluten free injera - which is barely distingushiable from gluten kind. It's a family restaurant, so the youngest son took our order, the daughter - LuLu, stopped by to explain a few dishes, and the mom, who's also the Chef also dropped by our table. They were all super sweet and attentive! I highly, highly recommend this place whether you're vegan or not. Such good food!!

If you want to take a culinary journey to a location outside your comfort zone Lulu's is a special treat. You know the place is good when you can't tell the difference between vegan and non vegan food. Lulu's Ethio Cuisine does a fantastic job at showcase vegan Ethiopian food in its full spectrum of flavors, and I am thoroughly impressed by the food quality here. This is only the 2nd time in my life that I've had Ethiopian food, so I'm no expert by any means in those matters, but textures, flavors, and taste are universal. And man, did it hit all the marks. The 4 piece sambusas were delicious. Crunchy exterior with "meaty" interior, which is flavored so well that I mistook it for meat but it's not! 5/5 would always recommend this option. The Ethiopian Spiced tea comes in a lovelt teapot, and the tea is light and not overwhelming. It's has a lovely scent as well, which is immediately noticeable when it was brought out, in a good way. 5/5 would recommend. The 4 veggie sampler is what I ordered simply because I could not figure out what I wanted for myself. The 4 veggies come on a soft pita and unlike European or Asian foods, you eat with your hands! They provide pitas for you to "scoop" the food into your mouths but this is the way to do it! Honestly, it's a different style of eating that I don't think I do very often, but it's fun and enjoyable if you're new and open minded. So the 4 veggies that I got were the Miser Wot, the Gomen, the Fasolia, and the Atkilt Wot. All were fantastic and deceptively filling, but I think the best one was the Miser Wot for being rich and filling. Personally it's not that spicy and I think most people can handle it, but here's what I would rank each dish: Miser Wot: 5/5 delicious, would recommend. Gomen: 4/5 Pretty good, nice filler for the other foods Fasolia: 4/5 Pretty good too, probably the best string beans I've had in awhile. Atkilt Wot: 4.5/5 Hardy, creamy, flavorful. I think Miser Wot edges it out though, still good. Overall, fantastic vegan place for both vegans and non vegan (the food is unironically good and different than your usual spots). 5/5 would recommend:)

The place is nice and seems like the owners are trying to make it welcoming. They greeted us and made sure we were happy with our meal. The food was fresh. We missed some spice and we would have liked it to have more flavor. I love everything mushroom so I ordered mushroom tibs but it came pretty bland without any spices. Same applies to atkilt wot. The only flavoring option was a very spicy hot sauce. Maybe we should have gone with samplers to experience more flavors. The sambosas were the best thing we tried today.

4.5/5 We stopped here with friends after finding this place on Happy Cow. I think this is my first time having Ethiopian food, I liked it! We got the largest sampler so we could try all the mains. I'm not a big spice person so I was glad that the sampler has many items that weren't spicy. It was great to try so much on the menu! I got the spiced tea which was lighter than I was expecting. Baklava was tasty! Fitfit's were good (we tried two, one of them was Lulu House), very unique. Sambusa's were tasty Extremely friendly staff, I would go back again to try more on the menu! Space inside is small but cute.

Dinner was awesome. We had a delicious vegan dinner sampler and immensely enjoyed ourselves. We found everything was absolutely delicious. TG is an awesome chef. Don't miss your opportunity for authentic and delicious Ethiopian food.

Had a long layover in Minni & wanted to get some hearty authentic food. Lulu's satisfied every food craving I had. So many delicious flavors. I love Ethiopian food!! & the family (owners) were so kind to us. Intimate space but full of love! We came in right before it was about to close and they accommodated us. Try the veggie sampler family style it is so worth it. Highly recommend!!

What a great place! Just enjoyed a delicious lunch at Lulu's. Sambusas and veggie combo made for a perfect meal to share. Friendly service, relaxed atmosphere.

This is a fantastic new place here in Whittier! Easy walking distance from the MIA and Hennepin County Museum, too. People are often spooked when they see the food is outside of Europe, Eastern Asia, India, or Latin America - doubly so when they see it's vegan. It's time to dispel those fears because the food I had is bright and fulfilling. I had the Miser Wot, which had a nice kick - they call it spicy, but I think most could handle it - and an overall really well balanced mix of spices. It is earthy and complex and most closely reminds me of Morrocan, Spanish, Persian, and Indian cuisine if you wanted a comparison. I am not vegan or even vegetarian, but I did not miss the meat or dairy at all. If you like tea, the Ethiopian specialty they offer is fantastic! I'll definitely be back!

Visiting this week from California and have to say Lulu's has amazing Vegan dishes and the staff/chef were wonderful. A must if you are in the downtown area and are in the mood for good quality vegan dishes.

What a hidden gem in plain sight! The food is a generous portion of pure deliciousness. Healthy and fresh, too. Service was excellent and friendly. Next time I come back to Minneapolis, I know where I will get my first meal.

Delicious! The dishes are really well made and flavorful, and they give you plenty of injera with the sample platter. The menu has a good variety of different dishes, all vegan of course, and baklava for desert. I think there is probably something here for everyone! The interior of the restaurant is clean, bright, and intimate but not cramped. The place smells wonderfully of spices and cooking food. The person who took my order was very friendly and professional. I ordered to-go, and my food came out quickly, hot, and and without any trouble at all. I'm not an expert, but the prices all seemed reasonable for the portions of food you receive. There is a drink cooler with sodas and water, and there are traditional drinks that I'm excited to try! I'll definitely be coming back, and you should check it out yourself!

This place is amazing! I am so full! I would eat here ever single day and I'm not even Vegan! The service was above and beyond exquisite, Lulu came out and made suggestions for the menu for my next visit(which will hopefully be soon). Her daughter also made sure I was well taken care of and I could feel the love they had for each other in the air! The place is brand new and clean, they even had such creative decorations all around! Definitely a must experience for anyone especially vegans looking for alternative options in a great location. 100/10!

Great vegan food in general, and in my opinion great Ethiopian food! The vibe was very chill and the owners were really nice and accommodating. Highly recommend!

Great family restaurant with friendly servers, a good atmosphere and even better food, can't go wrong with the veggie sampler

It was our first time eating Ethiopian food and it was delish! We ordered the large family sampler and were delighted by the variety. Very friendly and helpful staff and clean restaurant. A new favorite!

Fantastic food and amazing service. This is the best, freshest Ethiopian food in town. The staff are friendly and personable.

Definitely try out Lulu's. Delicious food, nice presentation, & super kind people serving us! The chef even came out to meet us. Will be back!