Lalibela Cuisine

Doro Wat

Ethiopia's national dish — bone-in chicken slow-braised in deep, dark berbere sauce with a hard-boiled egg that absorbs the spiced fat; the benchmark dish to judge any Ethiopian kitchen by

Kitfo

Ethiopian-style minced beef seasoned with mitmita and niter kibbeh (spiced clarified butter), served raw or lightly warmed — rich, buttery, and deceptively complex

Combination Meat Platter

An assortment of the kitchen's meat wats and tibs arranged on a shared injera — the best way to survey the menu on a first visit

Vegetarian Combination Platter

A generous spread of misir wat, gomen, shiro, and seasonal vegetable dishes on injera — substantial enough to satisfy meat-eaters and a standout even by Ethiopian standards

Misir Wat

Slow-cooked red lentils in berbere — warmly spiced, slightly earthy, and one of the most satisfying things on the table

Tibs

Sautéed lamb or beef with onions, jalapeño, and rosemary — quicker-cooked than the stews, with a pleasant char and textural contrast to the softer wats

Shiro

Ground chickpea and bean flour stew cooked with spiced butter — creamy, mild, and an excellent counterweight to the heat of the berbere dishes

Gomen

Ethiopian-style collard greens cooked with onion and garlic — earthy and slightly bitter, a necessary palate reset between the richer stews

Sambusa

Crispy fried pastry filled with spiced lentils or beef — good as a starter but not essential when the main event is this strong