Yod Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant

Yod Abyssinia is the restaurant most first-time visitors to Addis Ababa are taken to on their first evening, and for good reason. It is one of the city's best-known cultural restaurants, combining a long Ethiopian menu with a nightly programme of traditional music and dance. Its main branch in Bole Medhaniyalem is about five minutes from Bole International Airport, so it also works well for travellers on a short stopover or a late departure.

The kitchen prepares more than 40 Ethiopian dishes, with both fasting and non-fasting options. Fasting food, eaten by Orthodox Christians on Wednesdays, Fridays and during long fasts such as Lent, is entirely plant-based, so vegans and vegetarians are well catered for with lentil, chickpea, vegetable and greens dishes. Meat eaters can explore stews and grilled dishes. Everything is served traditionally on injera, the spongy sourdough flatbread made from teff, which you tear and use to scoop up the food with your right hand. A traditional coffee ceremony, with beans roasted and brewed in front of guests, rounds off the meal.

The show is the main attraction. Musicians on traditional instruments accompany singers and dancers who perform the songs and dances of many of Ethiopia's ethnic groups, giving a quick tour of the country's regional traditions in a single evening. The restaurant has entertained diplomats and visiting leaders, including the Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. The atmosphere suits families, large groups, business dinners and celebrations.

Go in the evening for the full performance, and book ahead if you are in a group or visiting at a weekend or during holidays, when the room fills with Ethiopian families as well as visitors. Arriving early gives you time to order and settle in before the performance. Portions are generous and designed for sharing, so order a combination platter for the table rather than individual mains. The restaurant has two branches in Addis Ababa and opens every day of the week.

Its location makes Yod Abyssinia easy to reach from the hotels around the airport, including Ethiopian Skylight, which is a short walk from the terminal. Within the same evening you can return to your hotel quickly, which is useful before an early flight.