Foreign Flavours Are Redefining Addis Ababa’s Culinary Scene

By Aksah Italo
Published on 12/15/25

Addis Ababa is becoming a city that travels the world without leaving its streets. With a growing tide of foreign residents and the city cementing its role as Africa’s business and diplomatic hub, sleek new hotels are rising along its avenues, bringing international flavours, tastes, and rhythms that are reshaping how the city dines and dreams.

On a sunlit afternoon in Bole last week, the scent of spices lingered thick in the air. Inside one of Addis Ababa’s many foreign restaurants, Patrik Kalibaro, a Nigerian entrepreneur, leans back in his chair with a look of contentment.

“This is my comfort food,” he says, as a steaming plate of spicy chicken and rice lands before him.

For Patrik , who lives in a hotel nearby, eating out isn’t just a convenience, it’s a ritual. The burn of chili and the aroma of cumin have a nostalgic effect on him.

On his first trip to Ethiopia five years ago, foreign food choices were sparse; now, he marvels at the pace and polish of the newcomers. The variety and quality, he says, “have certainly improved.”

“There are more choices now,” he said.

What began as a handful of international eateries scattered across Addis Ababa has blossomed into a culinary constellation. From Indian curries to Italian pasta, Yemeni mandi to Japanese sushi, the city has become a meeting ground of global tastes, a reflection of the country’s changing economic and cultural landscape.

According to official data, there are now 150 licensed foreign-owned restaurants in Addis Ababa, with 109 currently operating. Many have clustered around Bole, the city’s commercial heart.

As the city expands outward and globalization seeps inward, Addis’s corridors of commerce have evolved into corridors of cuisine, where one can walk from Korea to Lebanon, India to Italy, in the span of a few blocks.

Near St. Michael Church, better known as Bole Michael stands a modest yet aromatic Indian restaurant and lodge, its neon sign glowing faintly above a narrow doorway. Open just over a year, it draws about fifty patrons daily, half of them Indian nationals, the rest a mix of Ethiopians, international visitors.

The kitchen is a symphony of sizzling oil and clanging pans. Spices like cardamom, coriander, and turmeric are imported directly from India, while cumin and chicken are sourced locally.

Prices range upto 2000Br. For one whole chicken served on a smoking iron platter, the restaurant’s speciality.

A short drive away, the limestone façade of Dar Muluk Al Yemen rises like a fortress from the quiet alleyways of Bole Rwanda. The gates and walls are carved with ornate Arabian motifs, brass lanterns flicker softly, and the air carries a perfume of roasted chicken, cardamom, and slow-cooked lamb.

The restaurant, which opened six months ago, is the creation of Jemal Abdulkadir, an Ethiopian of Yemeni ancestry. A former shareholder in the long-standing Yemen King Restaurant, he branched out on his own with the help of his son Sahaal Jemal.

“Business has been booming since we opened,” Sahaal says proudly.

Their specialty, Mandi, fragrant rice topped with tender lamb or chicken has become a crowd favorite, alongside Zurbian, shawarma, and roasted meats. A whole roasted sheep, costing nearly 8,000 birr, is often ordered for birthdays or business deals sealed over dinner.

Across town, Le Basilic, an Italian restaurant painted in earthy terracotta tones, stands as another symbol of Addis Ababa’s global turn.

Its owners, Dereje Asnake and Eden Marsa, spent years in Switzerland before returning home to introduce European-style dining to the capital.

“There was untapped demand and a growing expatriate population,” said General Manager Mulushewa Gulilat.

Their gamble paid off. Le Basilic now serves about a hundred diners daily, mostly Italians, French, and an increasing number of Ethiopians curious to taste the real Italian comfort.

But business isn’t without its challenges. Recent policy liberalisations and import restrictions have inflated costs, forcing the restaurant to raise prices. Key ingredients like cheese, tuna, and flour are still imported from Switzerland , where the company has been forced to increase the price.

They also mentioned that the lack of parking around their hotel made many customers choose other hotels to avoid the hassle. They said the construction around the city and some policy bottlenecks made parking very difficult.

“When our customers come,” said Mulushewa, “we want them to feel like they’re in Italy.”

On the other side, the number of Chinese restaurants in Addis Ababa has climbed to more than fifteen, each catering to a growing number of Chinese expatriates.

One of the recent, Sichuan Flavor Restaurant, is tucked between larger rivals in Bole Rwanda.

Inside, the menu features dumplings, customer’s favorite mutton soup, Chinese pancakes, and hair tails, and beef tendon dish, priced between 800 and 2,400 birr.

While some establishments flourish, others are fighting for space in a crowded market. Still, Chinese cuisine’s footprint has expanded from family restaurants to hotel buffets reflecting China’s broader presence.

One of the newest additions to the city’s foody landscape is KAZ Sushi & Japanese Fusion Restaurant, perched near Friendship Park along Wendmanah Street.

Its founders, Biniyam Petros and Tigist Fiseha, a couple who dreamed of creating a space Japanese food infused in the city. The minimalist décor,grey linen, floral arrangements, and a view of the Bantyketu River evokes quiet Tokyo elegance.

Three Kenyan chefs trained in sushi preparation lead the kitchen, teaching ten local cooks to master each delicate slice. Their signature platter, For the Love of Salmon, costs 3,700 birr, while vegetarian options start at 880 birr.

Susan Patricia, an expatriate working for an international organization in Addis Ababa, dines out frequently, often indulging in Asian or Italian fare.

Having visited the city regularly over the past decade, she has witnessed firsthand the remarkable rise of foreign cuisines.

Her culinary preferences range from Italian to Korean, with a natural gravitation toward pasta and noodles, dishes she says are her comfort zones.

“There are many more options now than before,” she said

According to the Addis Ababa Culture & Tourism Bureau, 23 new foreign-owned restaurants opened last fiscal year alone, bringing the total to 100, a number expected to rise. Nearly 2,000 expatriates have work permits in the hospitality sector, part of an effort to transfer skills to local workers.

Officials see this as a form of culinary diplomacy, a way to blend investment, tourism, and cultural exchange.

Tourism revenue has also rebounded, with the Ministry of Culture & Tourism claiming over 1.1 million visitors and four billion dollars in earnings last year. Skeptics question the figures, but few deny the visible transformation of the city’s dining landscape.

Still, the influx of foreign cuisine raises questions about balance. Nutritionists warn that imported cravings could edge out traditional staples like injera, teff porridge, and spiced lentils, the backbone of Ethiopia’s diet.

Some restaurateurs are responding creatively, introducing fusion dishes like injera topped with curried vegetables or pasta tossed in berbere sauce, bridging the divide between local taste and global trends.

“It’s about finding harmony,” said an expert.

As evening falls, neon lights shimmer across Bole’s crowded streets. From the aroma of roasted lamb at Dar Muluk to the sizzling curry of Indian kitchens and the quiet elegance of sushi near Friendship Park, Addis Ababa hums with the sound of a city dining its way into global modernity.