Zenebech Restaurant

15 Essential Ethiopian Restaurants Around D.C.

"This celebrated, decades-old Shaw institution relocated to Adams Morgan in 2017, but fire damage caused an extensive delay in opening. Thankfully, Zenebech reopened in August 2018 with its best-selling lamb tibs, curry goat, and marinated ground beef known as kitfo. Call in takeout orders." - Eater Staff, John Besche

"Little Ethiopia Food Tour The largest Ethiopian community outside of Ethiopia is located along U and 9th streets NW, in the historic 19th-century U Street and Shaw neighborhood—and it counts many of the greater D.C. area's 45 Ethiopian restaurants. Among them is a low-key, hole-in-the-wall called Zenebech (named for the family that owns it) where we feasted on "doro wat," a spiced chicken and egg stew regarded as the Ethiopian national dish. Oh and by the way, forget the utensils, we ate the Ethiopian way with the right hand on this tour and food is served family style! One way to experience this restaurant is through the Little Ethiopia Tour available through DC Metro Food Tours."

The Best Ethiopian Restaurants in Washington, D.C.

"Silver Spring may be ground zero for Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants, but this family-owned Adams Morgan spot easily gives any other place a run for their money—it’s that good. In a region where occupation, civil war, famine, and political turmoil have dominated the narrative, this kitchen's exquisite cuisine reflects the many nuances of this deeply fascinating nation. While many cultures break bread together, few do it as well as the Ethiopians, where silky-smooth injera is torn apart to scoop up the shared stew, like awaze tibs. Its tender lamb cubes, in a brick-red berbere sauce, are then slowly simmered to perfection, crowned with perfectly seasoned greens, spicy lentils and potatoes for a dish that rarely receives the credit—or fanfare—it is due." - Aaron Hutcherson

Classic Restaurants in Washington, D.C. - AFAR

"D.C. is home to the largest Ethiopian community outside of Africa, and Zenebech sits at the center of it all. The family-owned business launched in 1993 as an injera (a type of sourdough flatbread) bakery, serving restaurants and markets across the Washington metro area, but it slowly expanded to takeout orders and eventually opened as a full-service restaurant in 2017. Today, you can join homesick Ethiopians at the Adam’s Morgan spot for authentic dishes like beef sambusas (fried pastries), kifto (minced beef marinated in spices, butter, and herbs), and awaze tibs (tender lamb in spicy sauce), as well as the signature injera. Watch the diners around you, then do as they do and use the injera as a utensil to scoop up delicious servings of yellow split peas, collard greens, chickpea stew, and more." - Natalie Beauregard

MICHELIN Guide Washington, D.C. 2020 Bib Gourmands

"Family-owned Zenebech in Adams Morgan, run by Zenebech Dessue and Gebrehanna Demissie, dishes here include fried sabusa pastries stuffed with lentils, ground black peppers, onions and garlic; curry goat stew with onions, garlic and Ethiopian herbs; and chickpeas simmered in berbere with beef." - Abbe Baker