Totot Traditional Restaurant

Totot Traditional Restaurant takes its name from the Gurage language, and the restaurant translates it roughly as growing and rising through work and diligence. The Gurage people, from the highlands south-west of Addis Ababa, are closely associated with kitfo, and that is the dish Totot is known for. The restaurant opened in the Ethiopian year 2001, and it has become a favourite with both local diners and tourists in the Gerji area of the city, near the Eritrean Embassy.

Kitfo is finely minced lean beef mixed with mitmita, a hot spice blend, and niter kibbeh, spiced clarified butter. It can be ordered raw, as purists prefer, lightly warmed or fully cooked, and it usually comes with ayib, a mild fresh cheese, and gomen, chopped greens. In the Gurage tradition it is often eaten with kocho, a dense flatbread made from the false banana plant, rather than injera. If you are new to it, ask for it lightly cooked. The menu also includes other traditional dishes and a selection of European food for anyone in the group who prefers something familiar.

Drinks are part of the occasion. Totot serves tej, Ethiopia's honey wine, which is usually brought in a round-bottomed flask called a berele, and a traditional coffee ceremony follows the meal. In the evening a house band and traditional dancers perform, so dinner here doubles as a cultural night out in the same way as the city's better-known show restaurants.

Ethiopian Airlines' Selamta magazine recommends Totot for its coffee ceremonies and tej as well as its food, and notes that it is popular with both tourists and residents, which keeps the atmosphere lively on show nights. If you are unsure how to order, ask for a kitfo platter with ayib and gomen to share, and add a vegetable dish for balance.

The restaurant suits adventurous eaters, groups and anyone curious about regional Ethiopian food beyond the standard platters. Book for dinner if you want to see the performance, and allow two to three hours for the meal, music and coffee. Raw meat dishes are traditional but not for everyone; travellers with sensitive stomachs may prefer the cooked versions.

If kitfo becomes a favourite, the Gurage highlands themselves can be visited on community homestay treks organised from Addis Ababa, where the dish is eaten at its source alongside kocho and local coffee.