Habesha Ethiopian - Newcastle

It's been a long time since we've had an Ethiopian meal, and Habesha didn't disappoint.Four of us shared Vegetable and Beef Sambusas (similar to samosas), and then tried four different mains:-Doro Wot (chicken)Siga Wot (beef)Miser Wot (red lentils)Gomen be duba (kale & pumpkin)(Plenty of options to keep our one vegetarian happy!)All served with Injera (flatbread).The kale and pumpkin was excellent, and we did order extra bread!Staff were efficient (checking what time our movie started to ensure we had enough time to eat!), and very friendly and welcoming, explaining how to eat (and provide soap, towels, silver jug and bowl to wash your hands at the table before eating), and just add to the overall experience.It's a small place, nicely fitted out, only issue is tables aren't big enough to accomodate all the dishes!Excellent food, nice wine list - no wonder it's a busy place! We'll be back!

Great impressions from when I first walked in the door . A really cozy feel and a lovely warm welcome . Was shown to my table and was a little bit worried about the menu as I hadn't really eating this type of food before , I listened to our extremely friendly waitress and went for the red lentil dish as a main and we shared the soup the samosas for entree . Every meal was stunning so full of flavour and was enjoyed immensely. Amazing value for money with a bottle of wine , entree and main for under a 100 dollars . So amazing value ,Stunning food and really friendly knowledgeable service . I will defiantly be returning !!

My wife and I visited the Habesha with friends for dinner.I must be honest here, that I wouldn't have picked an Ethiopian restraint and really didn't know what to expect.Luckily our friends had been a few times and we let them pick all the nights meals.The staff were friendly and it was a surprise when the waitress came around with the wash basin and a warm pitcher of water. We all washed our hands and I realized then and there that there was not cutlery on the table.The food was very nice as we all tucked in with our hands and the bread which was more like a crape. The food was similar to Indian if you like spice. My wife and I love spice, so we were very happy.The food was very filling and quiet reasonably prices, the only negatives being the size of the restraint and the staff hurrying us up for the next sitting. This was very disappointing as we haven't see these friends for quiet a while.

We went there on a Friday night so we can only get a one hour seating so that went really quick so hopefully they could give you at least two hour seatings. Habesha is a great way for everyone to experience Ethiopian culture and food. They have enough seating inside and outside but bad weather permits outdoor table use. The staff were friendly and helpful giving us food suggestions and time reminders. I found it had to eat with just my hands but it was a good experience to understand how other people do. There was lots of food and reasonable place so it was a great night!. Thankyou

We visited Habesha on a special double date night (kid free) in May 2017. This was our first Ethiopian dining experience and safe to say it won't be our last. We enjoyed our meal immensely and found the cosy atmosphere perfect to catch up with friends over a bottle wine. FOOD: 8.5/10Habesha's menu is limited, which really forces you to go outside your comfort zone. We were here for an experience, so we listened to our waitress and gave 2 of the vegetarian dishes a go - something we all very rarely do in restaurants. I found the vego 'Red Lentils' dish to be an absolute taste explosion, with a undercurrent of fire that lit my taste-buds up, forcing me wash it all down with a swig of ice chilled wine. It was delicious, so much so that I'm going to give lentils a crack at home. The Beetroot & Potato dish was different and colourful, not packing the taste punch of the Lentils, but still really hitting the spot. Finally, we had the 'Yesega Tibs' Beef dish as a main. This dish was perfectly cooked. The beef was succulent and the sauce really went well with the rice and Ethiopian bread. I wanted the beef to a stronger spice kick to it, considering it was supposed to contain jalapeno chillies, but it was pretty mild on the heat front.VENUE/ATMOSPHERE: 9.5/10We absolutely adored the little venue and cosy space. They can only fit a handful of tables inside, which creates a personal and intimate atmosphere, as if you're dining at a friend's house. The few tables meant that it wasn't too loud, providing us with the perfect setting in which to converse at a normal level with friends. The walls were decorated tastefully with Ethiopian cultural pieces, like hats and photos, most of which you could purchase. I was really looking forward to the 'eating with hands' experience that I'd heard people rave about and it certainly didn't disappoint. We had our hands washed with soap and warm water right at the table and were served this unique thin crepe-style cold bread that you tear off and use to 'pinch' at your food, shoveling it into your mouth like a hunger-crazed madman. I had a smile on my face from start to finish! Trying it out is worth the trip alone. I had to take 0.5 points off for not having an on-site toilet and forcing people to walk outside and down a lane if they want to go.SERVICE: 10/10We couldn't fault the service. Our smiling and bubbly waitress seated us promptly, recited the menu off by heart and rattled off some recommendations after realising it was our first time at Habesha. All of her recommendations were bang on! Another waitress came out and washed our hands at the table, being very careful and taking her time to get it right. Finally, our wine was served quickly and came just before our meal - the timing of which is often hard to get right - they nailed it!VALUE: 10/10I went into Habesha expecting it to break the bank. I was paying for the meal for the 4 of us and was expecting to be stung with a bill between $150-$200. Surprisingly, 1 appetiser, 3 mains, 4 serves of rice + 1 extra bread serving and a bottle of white wine ($30 something) all cost around $107. In the end, it worked out to be a little over $26.50 each and we were stuffed to the brim. You can pay that for a fancy pub meal these days, so that's ridiculous value.OVERALL: 9.5/10Habesha represents one of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time. The food was unique, tasty and fun to eat. I can't wait to go back.