2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant

2000 Habesha is one of the classic cultural restaurants of Addis Ababa, a favourite with both tourists and local diners, according to Ethiopian Airlines' Selamta magazine. It is in Bole, the district closest to the airport and the city's main hotels, and combines a traditional Ethiopian menu with an evening show of music and dance.

Diners sit around mesob, the hand-woven basket tables of Ethiopian tradition, and eat from shared platters laid on injera. This communal style is the heart of the experience: everyone eats from the same plate, tearing pieces of injera with the right hand, and offering a bite to a companion, known as gursha, is a gesture of friendship. Order a mixed platter so you can try several stews, including both meat dishes and the plant-based fasting dishes that suit vegetarians.

The show begins at around 20:00 and is the reason to go for dinner rather than lunch. A troupe of musicians and dancers in traditional dress performs songs and dances from across Ethiopia's regions, including eskista, the shoulder dance that visitors most associate with Ethiopia. It is entertaining for all ages and gives visitors a quick sense of the variety of cultures within the country.

The restaurant suits groups, families and anyone on a first visit to Ethiopia. Published listings give daily opening from 10:00 to 23:00, but the evening is when it comes alive, so book a table for about 19:30 to settle in before the performance. Weekends and public holidays are busy, so reserve ahead. Expect a lively, loud room rather than a quiet dinner.

Drinks follow the traditional theme. Selamta, the Ethiopian Airlines magazine, includes 2000 Habesha, which it places in the Sabit Building in Bole, in its guide to where to drink tej, the honey wine served in round-bottomed glass flasks. It is sweet and can be stronger than it tastes, so pace yourself. Before the meal, staff commonly bring water for guests to wash their hands, since everything is eaten by hand.

From Bole hotels it is a short taxi or ride-hailing trip. If you have more than one evening in Addis Ababa, compare it with Yod Abyssinia, nearby in Bole, which offers a similar format, or spend a night at Fendika for a more intimate azmari music experience.