Kaffa Crossing

This cheery space looks and feels mostly like an all-purpose coffee shop — with an emphasis on fair-trade arabica beans and African crafts — and that’s about all owner Yonas Kebede initially aspired to when he and his family opened the place in 2004. Now it’s a traditional Ethiopian restaurant, too, serving shiro wot stew, tender grilled chicken ("doro") and cubed leg of lamb ("yebeg") and more. Says Craig LaBan: “Tasting the kitfo raw is the ultimate barometer for the level of an Ethiopian kitchen — where the true quality of its meat and the chef's mastery in spicing are put on naked display. And Kaffa's kitfo was an adventure eater's delight.” Kaffa Crossing is also one of the few local Ethiopian restaurants that reliably offers the option of freshly made, gluten-free, 100% teff flour injera.