May 2, 2026
Made for the metro.
5 picks

Ethiopian in the Twin Cities

The Twin Cities has had a substantial East African community for decades, and the Ethiopian dining scene is one of the metro’s genuine assets. Most of the best spots cluster on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul and along Lake Street in Minneapolis. Eat with your hands, share everything, leave full.

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★
Snelling Avenue, St. PaulJames Beard America’s ClassicEditor’s pick

Fasika Ethiopian Restaurant

A James Beard America’s Classic and one of the most-loved restaurants in St. Paul. Family-run, generous, and the kind of place where the doro wat alone has built a thirty-year following. Order a meat-and-vegetable combination platter, share with the table.

Snelling Avenue, St. Paul$$
02
St. PaulFamily-run, broad menu

Demera Ethiopian Restaurant

A St. Paul family restaurant that takes its time, with a broad menu that reaches across regional Ethiopian cooking. The injera is made fresh daily and the kitfo is the order if you want to go beyond doro wat.

St. Paul$$
03
St. PaulModern Ethiopian

Bole Ethiopian

A St. Paul Ethiopian restaurant doing both the traditional menu and a few modernized dishes that bring the food to a slightly broader audience. The vegetarian platter is an especially good introduction.

St. Paul$$
04
Lake Street, MinneapolisCounter-service Ethiopian

Selam Ethiopian Kitchen

A Lake Street counter-service Ethiopian spot that makes the cuisine quick-and-casual without losing what matters. The tibs are excellent and the lunch combos are one of the better deals on the corridor.

Lake Street, Minneapolis$
05
St. PaulFamily restaurant

Habesha Ethiopian

A St. Paul family restaurant doing reliable Ethiopian without much fanfare. The shiro is the order on a cold night, and the staff treats first-timers with the patience to walk you through the menu.

St. Paul$$