Zehabesha Traditional Ethiopian Restaurant

Generous portions, consider sharing a plate unless you are quite hungry. The injera platter and curried goat are really tasty. Yet the highlight for us was the traditional ‘buna’ coffee… arguably the best caffeine hit in town!

Great food, very flavorful curried goat and stew beef kikl. I ate everything including the veggies (I normally don’t like to eat carrots)

We loved this restaurant and the food! One of our favourite places for sure in Yellowknife. Big portions, fair price, high quality food. We got #3 the sampler platter and recommend it to anyone looking to try different dishes who has never had Ethiopian before. The only “bother” was the man sitting at the front lobby was watching a show on his phone without headphones at the highest volume. It definitely negatively affected the atmosphere. A small thing but not exactly the most professional or visitor-friendly thing to do.

A hidden gem of YK. Placed in downtown in an unassuming building, the food was delicious and the service was good. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, if a little simple. It's clear the owners are proud of the restaurant, and they should be - it's well awarded and there's a nice article on the wall about the place. My wife and I got the goat curry with extra njera. That was a large portion for two weary people trudging through the snow all day to share. Enjoy, you won't regret it. I recommend this establishment.

Delicious food and good atmosphere to this place. Really enjoyed the goat curry and my fam enjoyed their food as well (chicken curry, beef special, and a lentil dish). Would recommend it for a good meal. Portion size was large and none of us could finish before getting full.

Went for lunch even though we're not very hungry but wanted to try the food. Wrong move - the food was amazing but the portion size is just too big! I think the portion size works for two moderately hungry people. I ordered the curry chicken and rice platter which comes with a vegetable salad. The food is very flavoursome and irresistible. Warning, if you feel the food is hot don't try the sauce/chutney served with the platter thinking it'll make things cooler - it's HOT!😁 I also tried some stuff from the Mahiberawi Combination that my friend got and instantly regretted that I didn't get it. I'd totally try that with rice!

Still my go-to place in Yellowknife after 6 years! The owners are nice and food is tasty. Cute decors in the restaurant. Convenient location.

We appreciated the prompt service and large portions (perfect for those with healthy appetites). The curry was flavourful, half the plate spicy (especially with the optional green sauce) and the other half mild salad-topped rice, which helped cool down and ‘reset’ between bites. The Mahiberawi combination (with injera base) was an enjoyable sampling of diverse flavours and textures. Overall: would recommend and will be back.

Surprisingly delicious! I loved this quaint and traditional Ethiopian restaurant, definitely an unexpected pleasant surprise to find in the small town of Yellowknife. We went for lunch during the week in January, and two other groups came in whilst we were dining. I recommend the mahiberawi combination with extra injera (the spongey bread the food is served on). This is a platter of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, so you get to taste a little bit of many traditional dishes. There will be plenty of food for two, I only recommend another dish if you have more diners or plan to take leftovers. The traditional Ethiopian coffee 'buna', comes on a cool tray with some fixins. There is a bowl of popcorn that comes with it as well, pretty cool and feels very traditional. If you are in town, I know it may seem odd to stop for Ethiopian food, but you will not be disappointed.

Amazing pasta Waiters are respectful Made me sweat inside‍ Looks really traditional‍ Clothing on sale‼ ?manager? watching boing boing memes

Hands down a favourite in Yellowknife. Delicious fresh options. Always efficient and friendly. Large bright space

Ethiopian food in the middle of North West territory! Who knew it would be so yummy!?! Loved the texture of the injera bread! Bottle the vegetarian combo and the mixed combo was delicious! We also ordered curried chicken with Rice and Goat tibs with rice. I would order the goat with injera bread instead. Otherwise, it was perfect! Plenty of food for 5 people!

First off, Zehabehsa is not what you'd expect in Yellowknife. Ethiopian food in the depths of winter in one of the colder places in Canada is just not what you'd think. But here they are... and in a word they are fantastic. Came here and we were told to sit anywhere. There were quite a few people already in the restaurant, but there were several open tables. Sat down and the menus are already on the table. I decided to go with the Chicken Curry. The Server was quick with the water and to take the order. The food was on the table in short order. The chicken curry was nice and hot, the salad side of the plate was nice and fresh. Upon initially seeing the dish I could see there was dressing on the salad and was worried it would be swimming in dressing.. But I was wrong there. Lightly sprinkled and a very light oil dressing. The Chicken was delish ! The platter was huge as well. I had more than enough to eat, but that didn't stop me from devouring the entire thing ! Overall, I like this place. I was very pleasantly surprised to find Zehabehsa and and really grateful for offering up something very different in a small town. Our server was friendly, but not overly attentive. Regardless the food was wonderful and a nice change of pace. I'll be going back !

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, and I was not disappointed. We ordered one vegetarian and one meat tasting platter, both with injera, and a chicken curry rice. My parents also ordered the coffee, which came with popcorn, and they liked it a lot. Personally I didn't really like the injera (don't come @ me), but I thought that the vegetables and lentils tasted really great, and there were so many different flavours! It was definitely a unique experience. I think that the vegetarian dishes were better than the meat dishes, as the meat was a bit dry. I don't eat meat, but I tried some of the sauces they used for the meat and let's just say that I much prefer the taste of the vegetable/lentil dishes. Plant based ftw! Anyway, prices were on par with every other restaurant in Yellowknife, portions are decent, and I really liked the variety that they offer with the tasting platters. If you come here, I think that the best thing to get would be the vegetarian tasting platter.

My first Ethiopian food. At first I thought the prices were high, but I got a huuuuge amount of meal.

I grew up in a couple of US cities and loved the Ethiopian restaurants there. Alas, when I moved to rural BC Canada I had to accept that dining Ethiopian would be an infrequent experience going forward. Imagine my surprise then, when I found this remote outpost in the chilly city of Yellowknife. Could it possibly compare to its peers in Seattle and Washington DC? It could and it does! I've eaten 2 of my last 3 meals there and plan to return before my trip is over. The sampler plate was first, and a delicious bargain at $20. Two could make a meal from it. The range of entrees was very gratifying. For lunch I had a meat stew--forget the name, it wasn't one I was familiar with--which was served bubbling hot, with a smoulderingly flavoured , but basically medium mild sauce. Also great. The place also offers the signature Ethiopian steak tartare dish, Kitfo, which I thought had been driven to extinction by the food nazis. The menu suggests that it's truly served rare and I intend to find out--they ask for an hours advance notice, which is why I didn't order sooner. If it's the real deal, my hat will be off to Yellowknife! The restaurant itself is fairly sparsely furnished but that just adds

A small, family-owned hole in the wall. We were apprehensive about trying this place but after going back and forth for a while, we decided to move forward. Service: 3/5; Not the best service. Our waiter was not attentive. It was difficult just to get my cup of water refilled; we learned to bring our own bottles of water every time we returned. Food: 5/5 I walked in there thinking I'd regret doing this. We ordered a roasted chicken wrap and a Greek salad and decided to share. One bite into the wrap and I knew I couldn't share, so I ordered my boyfriend his own wrap. There is no description for how delicious this food is!! Let's put it this way. It was SO good we ended up going back every day for the remainder of our stay in Yellowknife (5 days). I would give this restaurant 4 stars, but the food was so darn delicious it made up for their lack of service.

A good place to taste new things. The curry is great but a little bitto much for me. If you would like to order the best seller curry goat, you should come earlier.

Aroma when I walked in was great. I was a bit early for lunch and the restaurant wasn't busy. Ordered the Goat curry and Ethiopian coffee. Food arrived in about 8 - 10 minutes. Wow, it is fantastic. Definitely worth a visit while in town. I love eating foods from different parts of the globe. I don't remember ever trying Ethiopian before. It's definitely been added to my list of favourites based on this restaurant. If you don't eat here, you might deserve a punch in the face. Rate four of five punches if you skip this place and I find you.

Stopped in and was pleasantly surprised with the food I was accustomed to and expected. Was nice to be able to find it this far north!

The food was amazing!! First time I ever tried goat, and I loved it. The service great. Informative friendly staff. I'll definitely eat here again!

The Ethiopian food was surprisingly so good! I had the vegetarian one, which I cannot pronounce (haha!) starts with a Y. Anyway, I was surprised how much injera they gave me and wrapped it all with the actual dish inside. There was so much delicious and incredible flavour, pretty much all the best spices. I love this place and hope to maybe come back before I leave Yellowknife!

I spent a month in Ethiopia earlier this year and I am easily able to tell you that the food here is easily compared with the meals I ate in Addis Ababa.... thanks folks. I'll enjoy eating there again I'm sure.

This was the first time I have ever tried Ethiopian food and I quite enjoyed it. I had the sampler plate and I enjoyed all of the dishes that it came with. The samples were all served on a traditional crepe that you use to pick up your food and eat with. I also tried the traditional coffee and enjoyed that. The owner served us and he was very pleasant and ensured that I was eating correctly, with my hands.

Huge portions, tasty food. We had chicken curry and goat zehabesha tibs. Both were flavorful and fresh. (for goat especially, you can tell it's goat but the flavor isn't so strong so people who haven't tried goat meat before could eat it without problem.) Ethiopian tea was also delicious and perfect for a quick warm-up.

Believe the hype! This place rocks. Get the combo plate, of course.

Probably one of the best restaurants in Yellowknife. Good food, good value for your food, quicker service than most other restaurants, nothing fancy and no BS. The guy on the counter is always ready to answer any questions you'd have about the food choices and the spice level of the dishes. The food itself is delicious. Yellowknife has a huge North African population and the cuisine was hidden to me until I tried their food. The prices are a little high for the dishes but I'd rather spend $20 on a good (huge) plate of food at this spot than $20+tips at BPs down the road or BK. Atleast you get the value and taste for the money you spend at this spot. If you want to try something new while in Yellowknife, this is the place to go.

The goat was amazing !!!!!!!! My first time here, fast serving and welcoming staff. The atmosphere is good, everyone is happy! This is the best place I've been so far in Yellowknife and I'll be back!!!!

A group of 9 of us showed up an hour before closing. We were desperate for food, and heard great things about this place from a few locals. We could tell the owner was somewhat hesitant upon our arrival... And I don't blame him. After a few compliments, we schmoozed our way to getting a table. Within 45 minutes, we had our orders placed, and our food served. And the locals were right. This place is a gem. Great dishes all around. I would highly recommend this place to anyone stopping through!

Ok....this is pretty good Ethiopian food. It's quite expensive and they don't always have all the menu items. But the food hits the spot - the spicing is right and there's a good variety. The atmosphere is simple and pleasant and the staff is polite and direct. Consider that the closest town with more than 1,000 people is 10-hour drive due south and this is Yellowknife - you feel truly blessed to have this enjoyable cuisine in this remote setting. It's an easy 5 stars.

Great Ethiopian food!!! Would recommend to anyone wanting to try something out of the ordinary.

Delicious food, we had a great meal here. Everything was so good. It was the first time I have eaten at an Ethiopian restaurant. The meals were beautifully prepared - the meals all needed such a lot of prep time, you could tell but the outcome was stunning. The green hot sauce does pack a punch, beware, but also added a lovely fresh overtone.

Zehabehsa is a must visit when in Yellowknife. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere calm and the staff friendly. Grateful to be able to get my goat meat fix!

Ethiopian food is new to me. The flavor is pretty interesting - the curry is very different from Indian curry. The portion here is very big.

Good Ethiopian food near the Arctic. I would never have imagined we would find this in NWT or that it would be good. I have had a bit better in DC and LA but this was very good. A tip to Asian Indian travelers, this is the closest you are going to get to Indian in Yellowknife. Give it a try. However do not be fooled by the pictures, the portions are large. We ordered too much food as a result.

Delicious traditional Ethiopian curries! The fantastic smell hits you as soon as you walk in the door. It was our first time with this cuisine and we will definitely try it again soon. Big portions as well: we stuffed ourselves and still didn't manage to conquer it all.

One of the best meals I've had in Yellowknife. The portion size was generous and the food was flavorful. Service was quick and friendly. Highly recommended!