Africa: Ethiopian Food in Rome

The first time I ever tried Ethiopian food, I was living in Los Angeles after college.

We drove down to Awash on West Pico and suddenly everything came into focus. I was instantly and completely enamored with the flavors.

When I first moved to Rome, I lived in San Lorenzo, a student-heavy quartiere that lies beyond Termini station.

I circled the neighborhood, gradually broadening my radius until I landed in Repubblica and wandered by Africa.

africa-ethiopian-food-1

It took a bit of convincing, but I brought Jimmy back to Africa (the name of the restaurant) to try Ethiopian food for the first time.

Now, he is the one that requests it.

Only a 5 minute walk from Termini, we visited most recently for a quick dinner before a train to Salerno.

africa-ethiopian-food-rome menu

If this is your first time trying Ethiopian food, order from the principle menu.

I opted for vegetarian (largely lentils and vegetables), while Jimmy usually prefers the kifto – stewed beef.

The food is served on a large platter, and layered on top of injera.

africa-ethiopian-food-roma

Injera is the traditional bread – slightly sour and a tiny bit spongy. It is a flavor that I adore, but might take some getting used to.

Don’t expect utensils – simply rip off a piece of the injera and use it to pick up the food directly.

Africa
Via Gaeta 26
Rome, Italy (Repubblica)

+ 39 06 4941077

Open: Tuesday to Sunday 12 pm to 1 am. Closed Mondays.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.