Lalibela

Traditional Ethiopian food at its best! As I entered into the restaurant I was taken into another world, a tiny piece of Africa in Tufnell Park. Inside the décor is amazing with lots of wood artifacts and other African influenced décor. Some of the staff wear headresses and it feels like you are in another world.
We opted for the easy option of the chicken and the lamb sharing platters. You get a lot of food which arrives under a huge cone and some extra injera in a separate bowl. The food was presented well and so tasty, as well as a variety of lamb and chicken there was some salads. It all came to the reasonable cost of £25 each including drinks and service. I will be back for some more.

This is a good authentic Ethiopian restaurant in Tufnell Park (the tube station there is closed till March 2016 btw). We tried a cold aubergine dip to start which I hadn’t come across in Ethiopia, it’s like babaghanoush. It came with fried (crispy) injera (or I think it was injera) which had a very unusual strong taste so, interestingly, the more gently flavoured dip was like the accompaniment rather than the other way around! Worth a try.
For the main course we got the special kitfo (raw), some kind of lamb wot and the vegetable platter for two — this was shared between four people and was sufficient even with me eating about 3 normal portions. The kitfo was a specially large portion. Not the best I’ve had but not bad either. The vegetarian platter was really nice — we got the one with shiro (again not the most decadently rich and flavourful I’ve had, but fine) and I really liked the aubergine/​chickpea dish plus the spinach one. Lamb isn’t my favourite but the sauce was fiery and delicious.
As others have said service is not swift but we weren’t in a hurry so it didn’t matter at all. They are very nice in here and it’s a very pleasant place to get good and unusual food for a reasonable price — food plus 2 beers each (glass of decent Cotes du Rhone for me) came to about £21 each. If you want to try Ethiopian food do come here.

My husband and I ate dinner here Friday night. While a server initially seated us quickly, it took a while for someone to come around and take our order, which should have served as a warning for the tone for the evening. Her English was poorly and I was certain she was going to screw up our really simple order. Thankfully, she didn’t.
I got the grilled injera starter with a smoked aubergine dip and the name was true to form. The dip was delicious and while I liked the crunchy injera it was just too oily. I also got the lentils as a side dish, which turned out to be a generous portion and had a rich flavour that was slightly spicy.
The injera has the typical sour taste which we love but we were both disappointed that it was served cold. My husband liked his lamb dish.
But the service was atrocious. There were long stretches we sat there waiting for our plates to be taken away and to order dessert. The staff moves like it is stuck in molasses. FINALLY, I ordered the honey and milk cake which was nice– not overtly rich and a hearty slice. My
husband LOVED his Ethiopian coffee, like always.
In sum, we won’t return bc the service sucked that bad. We also have had amazing Ethiopian food many times when we lived in Washington, DC and while the food was very good, it was, as someone else wrote just not amazing.

Probably the most delicious meal I’ve had in months. Lalibela’s menu has plenty to choose from for omnivores and vegans (and gluten-​free adherents) alike. I had a little bit of a lot of things and each dish, including the vegetables, was so flavorful, I couldn’t pick a favorite.
The interior decoration is very interesting. Far from the modern minimalism currently trendy, every inch of the interior is adorned with some kind of Ethiopian art, craft, or architectural detailing. And yet the arrangement is so sophisticated, it doesn’t present as cluttered or disorderly. The combination of carpeted floors, hanging fabrics, and woven mats absorbs sound and gives the place a warmer feel. As well, the staff is very friendly. Despite that I’m not any more African than we all are, it has the feel of being home.
I would go out of my way to come back.

I’m so happy I ended up here unexpectedly one night. I’ve been wanting to go for awhile, but it’s hard to find people who like or want to experience Ethiopian food. What poor souls!
The most exciting thing is that you can get REAL teff injera– which is also gluten free. (Teff injera is hard to find since there is a UK ban on teff imports from Ethiopia, and importing from Europe can be expensive– so most use a flour mixture instead)
Because vegan fasts are normal in Orthodox Christianity in Ethiopia, vegan options are even more prevalent than the meat options on the menu.
PROTIP: No matter what your diet, get the mixed platter. You get to try a little bit of everything and it’s so damn delicious, why wouldn’t you? Veggie platter for two (or one, if you’re me) is £20. Mesir Kik (spicy red lentil stew) is probably my favourite, with Alicha kik (spiced yellow lentils) and the standard potato/​carrot mix close seconds.
The service was excellent. The fresh mint tea, delightful. Décor and atmosphere were great. I didn’t see any traditional basket tables, but I find those aren’t very comfortable anyway.
I can’t wait to go back! Anyone want to join me?!

Lalibela is potentially the best Ethiopian restaurant in London, by my research.
Amazing food, brilliant coffee, staff with a great attitude, and a lovely space. The upstairs is fantastic and has low tables and seating which make it a great place to take a group.
The food is always incredibly fresh, the injera just incredible, and the prices are excellent for the amount you get. It’s not the kind of place to turn up for a quick snack — this is a proper grazing place. But you’ll want to graze here.

Been going here for years and its still good. We went straight to mains, the injeera was spot on, the curries full of flavour. Mine was chickpea and aubergine in a thick tomato sauce (number 22). Ok it was full of oil but didn’t really care, it tasted so good!
A nice surprise was the baklava. It was served slightly warm and was fluffier than the usual dense ones. Delicious.
Found the service friendly and pretty quick.

SO MUCH FOOD. When I asked the waiter about dessert, he gave me a funny look and said, «Ethiopian food is usually so filling we typically don’t have dessert afterward.» Listen to the wise man.
Veggie dishes: Absolutely loved the Tofu and Spinach dish and Green Spinach dish, Lentils were alright.
Meat dishes: Minchetabesh (beef with boiled egg), Special Sizzling Lamb Tibs, Doro (Chicken) Tibs with Avocado, all were amazing.
The service is very slow, but if you have lots of time, definitely come here and make sure you save some room for the coffee at the end. This is probably the best Ethiopian I’ve ever had.

Maybe Ethiopian food is going upscale, but this perfectly decent place struck me as a bit pricey given the quality of the food, the setting, and the location. There are some nice low tables upstairs and we managed to snag a small table near the windows overlooking the street, which was great for people watching. Service was friendly and unhurried but perfectly acceptable wait times on a quiet Tuesday night.
We ordered a fried fish salad appetiser (nice) and the vegetarian/​lentil share plate for two. I’m a fan of sour injera so I didn’t mind that, and the food was not bad, but perhaps not quite as rich and complex as other Ethiopian places I’ve eaten at. The spicy lentils and the spinach dish were tasty, but the other three vegetables lacked a certain «wow» factor I’ve found with Ethiopian places before. Cocktails were pricey too — we paid 11 pounds for a large but average-​tasting mojito … next time we’ll get a few beers for that price.
Overall, a nice neighbourhood spot, but the search for my go-​to Ethiopian place in London continues.

The service was spot on. The staff was nice, friendly and accommodating. The portions were hefty– more than enough to satiate 3 hungry adults. The food… sadly, was on the side of bland. We ordered several of the chicken dishes that turned out to be little more than a light tomato sauce with chicken. If you like boiled veg.(cabbage, carrots & potato) this is the place to get them from! The flat vinegary bread was good but was the most flavourful item of the meal.
The service was spot on, the food was well cooked and well presented but it could really benefit from some of the spices that this cuisine is known for.

In dubio pro reo, right? — Well, that’s why I am giving Lalibela four stars and not three… because I am in doubt about it!
I had wanted to try out this place for a long time, so the other night, I finally came here with a small bunch of friends. When we arrived, we were among the first people, but soon the restaurant filled up and by the time we left, there was a healthy huzzle & buzzle… We had a really nice table by the window, overlooking Tufnell Park High Street and in fact, during our meal we observed a few obscure incidences, like for a example a driver having difficulty parking and then honking at the delivery guy, who’d ill-​parked his moped.
I recommend coming here with a group as you then can try out as many of their dishes — I’d say a group size of 4 – 6 people is ideal and family style eating is a must! In fact, the way the dishes are most commonly served is this: a large platter is laid out with injera (the typical Ethiopian sponge-​cake like bread) and then when the dishes arrive, they are generously and colourfully spread out on the bread (see picture). Over time, the juices of the dishes get soaked up by the bread and in the end make for a really tasty finishing: the dishes I enjoyed most were the spicy beef and the spinach. I wasn’t so much a fan of the aubergine & chickpea dish, as the aubergine was not cooked through (could be a one-​time error though.)
So, why am I in doubt? — My biggest pet-​peeve of all, service, wasn’t quite met. I mean, our waitress was really nice, but she could’ve been a little bit more outgoing and enthusiastic. After all, most people have not had Ethiopian food before, and so they’re curious about it and want to know more about what is good and what they can expect… this information wasn’t shared with us and had to be «painfully» extracted from our waitress…

For six people, we ordered two mains (kitfo, a ground beef dish that can be served rare although we asked for it well done, and chicken and spinach wat, which was tender and delicious) and two combination platters. The two combination platters resulted in mild lamb wat, spicy lamb wat, spicy ground beef, fried potatoes, white cabbage, greens, mild lentils, spicy lentils, lentils with raw tomatoes and peppers and an okra dish. Everything tasted fresh and like it was cooked with care — I couldn’t stop eating, even when the only thing left was the injera that was soaked through by the sauces from the dishes.

Lalibela: 4 stars if it wasn’t for the extremely sour injera. I LOVE me some injera, but this tasted like it was somewhat drenched in lemon juice if you will.
The dishes themselves were tasty, I got the lentils with spicy meat sauce while my friends got an aubergine-​pumpkin dish and the lamb tibs (a fave). The flavors were there, and the service was lovely. I would recommend this place for lunch, although it’s only open for dinner (that was a stupid recommendation, G).
Ethiopian of choice: Zigni House — Essex Road in Islington.

I’m always looking for an excuse to drag people along to Lalibela with me so I can feast on delicious spiced vegetable dishes surrounded by exotic furnishings. It’s a lovely, lovely place and though it is worth calling ahead to book a table, if you turn up early in the service you’ll probably be fine.
The upstairs section is the nicest, decked out with low tables and chairs (mind your knees!). There’s always a festive, happy atmosphere with everyone sharing dishes and eating with their hands — my favourite! The injera (Ethiopian flatbread) doesn’t taste of much on its own but is the perfect accompaniment to all the little dishes of this and that on the menu. There were lots of vegetarian options when I last went and a tip for the veggies: don’t be afraid to tell your meat loving friends to get their own injera or you might not like what you end up eating!
Lalibela is definitely in my top 5 London dinner destinations and is a great place for a romantic meal, a party or just a casual night out with friends. The after dinner coffee is out of this world — pure rocket fuel with delicious spices.

My flatmate is absolutely obsessed with Ethiopian food, I suspect because the lack of cutlery appeals to her primal side. As most of this food requires the use of hands it’s not for the precious but give it a try and I’m sure you’ll find a lot going for this place.
Firstly the service is very good, which is great as some of the menu needs explaining though now i seem to settle for the chicken doro and spinach which is excellent. Simply grab your wrap and pick up what you’d like to eat. Go with friends and you get a real communal feeling as you all sample each others food.
A really good but different dining experience which I’d thoroughly recommend.

Really gorgeous Ethiopian restaurant — one of my favorite places to eat in north London. Beautifully decorated, not too expensive and good for an introduction to this type of cuisine. Food is served onto a large shared piece of injera (pancake bread), making for a fun and interesting dining experience.

Lallibella is amazing. Going there with a group of friends is an event not just dinner. Downstairs is a tiny bar, a few tables and the washrooms but most of the seating is upstairs. Try get a table upstairs if you can. I found it is always quite busy in here, the atmosphere is amazing and so is the décor.
You sit on cusions on the floor and eat with your hands. The sour dough ‘pancakes’ you eat the food with is addictive. The food really is amazing and must be tried. You’ll want to wash your tube hands before you eat though — no cutlery needed here.
You finish your scrumptous meal off with a thimble full of freshly ground sweet ethiopian coffee which returns the swagger to your hips.

I have been here once, and it was very pleasant. It is very nicely layed out, 2 floors, lots of tables, and seating, and there is a reasonable choice of food on the menu. All of it is quite spicy though, so only go here if you like your spices, and food with a kick to it. They serve most meals with a doey bread to which you eat the food with. There are candles and it feels very intimate. They serve fresh coffee, and bring you the ground beans, which smells amazing. I think this would be a lovely place to take a date, or a current partner. It is romantic, and different.