Ovo
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Take-out
African
Ethiopian
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Ethiopian cuisine. Offers some vegetarian selection all of which are supposed to vegan suitable. Try the vegetarian exclusive (enough for 2-3 people). Open Mon-Thu 11:00am-9:00pm, Fri 11:00am-10:00pm, Sat 12:00pm-10:00pm, Sun 12:00pm-9:00pm.
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Last update on 21 Oct 2020 by Guest
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27 Reviews
First Review by PH0ENIX
EliGrey57
Points +854
Great Flavors - Edit
The locals all recommended I try this place and I can see why. Lots of vegan options and great taste.
Read moreMy one nitpick was my food came out too quickly. As in 3 minutes. Was it sitting in the back? I would have gladly waited. Then again i came if long after the lunch rush and too early for dinner. So maybe that's on me.
Overall not disappointed.
Guest
merismo
Points +217
Vegan friendly and authentic - Edit
Update: I went in during their vegan buffet special. It is pricy at 25 dollars per plate but there were lots of really delicious and unique options. I’m bumping up my review to four stars.
Read moreOld review:
The place is cute and the multiple vegan options are clearly marked on the menu. I followed suit and went with the vegan platter recommended by the other reviewers. It was good, but I wasn’t blown away. I would be willing to go again but it isn’t at the top of my list. I dunno, maybe Ethiopian food just isn’t for me.
Updated from previous review on 2024-06-04
Guest
NealDuncan
Points +584
Fantastic - Edit
No complaints. We got a sampler. Standard Ethiopian fair w above average quality. Nice cozy setting.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-05-14
Guest
AlixAmu
Points +889
Tasty! - Edit
Definitely recommend trying this spot. Not super oily and healthier than fast food. Natural grocers also sells their sides & wraps for on the go.
Read morePros: Many vegan options
Cons: Uses canola oil
Guest
ForAnimalsJapan
Points +5242
A special experience - Edit
The vegan platter was delicious and VERY filling. Friendly service, great vibes. We bought coffee to take home that I’m looking forward to trying.
Read moreGuest
jodirobin
Points +182
Great vegan options - Edit
Loved the vegan platter at Cafe Lalibela which consisted of seven different dishes complete with injeera and salad. It was a huge amount of food for 2 people. Highly recommend for anyone looking for clean, healthy, tasty vegan food.
Read moreGuest
tessysdb
Points +270
Happy with our choice - Edit
There is a designated vegan section on the menu. We shared the vegan deluxe and it was more than enough food for 2 people. Friendly, speedy service on a busy night. One of our favorite places so far in Phoenix area.
Read moreGuest
aubreyj27
Points +2016
tons of options and great food! - Edit
i enjoyed the vegan deluxe, where i was able to sample 7 different vegan dishes which all varied in flavor and texture! i really do love being able to get so much variety out of one meal, and the portion size is generous for the price.
Read morei’d say the service was above average for the business of the restaurant, and i would recommend coming here for ethiopian in the area
Pros: vegan sampler platter, good portions
Guest
DuaneWalker
Points +16
Yummy - Edit
I love Ethiopian food, and this place did not disappoint.
Read morePros: Great food
Guest
arakly31
Points +24
This place has a great variety of vegan options. - Edit
They have a vegan platter and a deluxe vegan platter
Read moreGuest
courtney.explore
Points +126
Incredible! - Edit
If you haven’t had Ethiopian- you need to! I go with multiple people and get the Vegan Deluxe Platter and it’s incredible!
Read morePros: Friendly service
Cons: Must go with many people
Guest
chardog
Points +66
Belly so happy - Edit
Tonight I had the Vegan Deluxe tray and I am so satisfied and happy I can’t even explain. It was such a hearty meal. It was my second time here and I will be back!
Read moreGuest
leahk
Points +333
Amazing - Edit
Fantastic, wholesome, filling, delicious, and reasonably priced. I really enjoyed this meal. There is a column of labeled vegan selections on the menu. Tossign tea was good for something different as well.
Read morePros: Big portions, Wholesome food
Guest
H2OAddict
Points +686
Colorful and flavorful - Edit
This was a suggestion for date night of my husband’s. We have decided to start looking outside our comfort zone at home and he found this awesome gem. There is an entire section of the menu dedicated to vegan food and an entire vegan variety plate. It’s nice to be able to order without modifying or having to explain our dietary restrictions.
Read moreThe food was flavorful, well spiced, and all visually interesting and different. We tend to enjoy eating a wide variety of foods with varying colors. This totally fit the bill! I would recommend if you’re looking for an interesting experience in Tempe! The place was pretty packed with regulars, so you know it’s good!
Pros: Dedicated vegan menu, Great flavors, Fast service
Guest
MathiasP
Points +34
Amazing Ethiopian Food - Edit
Wish I could give it five stars. They have a whole vegan section to choose from. And, they have gluten free Injera as an option. It’s hard to find an Ethiopian restaurant with authentic injera because most restaurants mix in wheat with the teff flour. They offer Injera with 100% teff flour, therefore making it gluten free. I ordered the vegetable combo, and was very satisfied.
Read moreGuest
the_mindfulwanderers
Points +578
Incredible Ethiopian Cuisine - Edit
My husband and I stopped here for lunch while in the Tempe area. We were greeted with a smile and seated right away. We decided to order the Exclusive Vegan platter (made for 3-4 people) thinking we would have enough for leftovers... well, it was SO good we ended up eating the entire platter (hehe) if we re ever in the Tempe area again, we would absolutely dine here again! It was the best Ethiopian restaurant we’ve ever dined at to date.😄
Read morePros: Incredible flavor, Fresh , Fast and friendly service
Guest
ashleynt646
Points +283
Vegan Options - Edit
This restaurant has a nice selection of vegan options and you get a huge portion for the price. The meal comes served on a large helping of injera and also comes with a side of injera. You can order 2-3 different dishes to try or pick one of their combos. I really enjoyed the spices and flavors in their dishes and the injera is pretty good too. The only thing I didn’t like was how much oil the dishes had in them. When I finished my meal the injera that the dishes were served on was soggy and had soaked up a lot of oil. Other than that it was a good experience.
Read morePros: Several vegan options, Not too expensive , Large portions
Cons: Slightly oily dishes
Guest
corinal
Points +1714
Nice selection - Edit
Great selection of vegan items. My partner and I shared the Vegan Deluxe for 2, which came with tasters of all of their vegan dishes on top of injera (a huge sourdough pancake) with a side of injera as well. Some of the tasters were good (misir wat, salad), others we didn’t really care for (azifah, gomen). The injera was really filling, more so than the dishes, and added an odd taste. The flavors weren’t that complex.
Read morePros: Great selection of vegan options, Friendly staff, Nice atmosphere for groups
Cons: Flavors not very complex
Guest
Becky-AZ
Points +44
Love! - Edit
Amazing food! What else is there to say? Wish I was closer to my house.
Read morePros: Many vegan options, Always delicious
Cons: Water tastes gross
Guest
pbaldwinwb
Points +16
wonderful - Edit
My first experience at an Ethiopian restaurant and the food was fantastic.
Read moreGuest
Nagemireille
Points +98
yummy!! I'm so glad we went! - Edit
This place is a great find. More than half of the menu is suitable for vegans, the food is super tasty, and the employees are very nice and helpful. I recommend the yellow split pea (:
Read morePros: very tasty food, nice employees, great vegan options
Guest
Tigra220
Points +10712
Delicious Ethiopian Cuisine - Edit
We've eaten here many times and they never disappoint. The food is always hot, fresh, and bursting with that infamous spiced-up flavor. I always get the veggie combo, which includes a string bean dish, cabbage & potato dish, collard greens, and spicy red lentils (my absolute favorite!), all for about $13. I usually have lefttovers, when I'm not being greedy. If you'd just like to try 1 thing, a veggie dish goes for about $5 individually.
Read moreIf you have a group of veg*n diners, try the Veg Exclusive. It covers samplings of all their veggie dishes for about $36 (split it with friends and ease your pockets); there's no way 1 person could (or should) eat the exclusive by themselves. At least not in one sitting. It's a LOT of food.
The owner is very nice. Always greets everyone with a smiling face.
It's in a strip mall, so there is no issue with parking.
Nice place for family dining, date night, or grabbing a bite with friends.
Pros: Delicious, authentic Ethiopian food, Friendly service, Inexpensive & large portions
Guest
RachelRummel
Points +34
This is why Ethiopian food rocks. - Edit
As long as you enjoy flavor, you'll enjoy Lalibela's. We ordered the vegetarian platter, which comfortably fed four of us (and allowed for some mindless stew-stained injera noshing afterward). Favorites included the Misir Wat (spicy red lentil stew), Shiro Wat (a garlic-y, onion-y pea mash stew), and Yekik Alicha (yellow split peas with onions and tumeric).
Read moreOf course, scooting injera from stew to stew, scooping up everything at once also seemed to be a pretty successful maneuver, even though it mixed the individual stew flavors. Everyone else really liked when I did that (not really). Do I regret it? No.
I do have one regret though, which I shall reconcile upon my next visit, and that is that I did not leave Lalibela wearing a cloak made entirely from injera. But hey, that's why there's next time.
Pros: Flavorful, Fun & Communal, Has Something for Everyone
Cons: Tad Pricey, Easy to Overdo it
Guest
koolestgrrlukno
Points +90
awesome Ethiopian food! - Edit
this place was delicious! great flavors, not greasy, and huge portions! i definitely recommend this restaurant. I'll be going back!
Read morePros: excellent food, huge portions
Cons: somewhat slow service
Guest
Mimi710
Points +640
Okay, but Bile Nile is better - Edit
I ate here in March. I found the food here to be greasy and not as tasty as the food at Blue Nile. Considering the fact that Blue Nile is just up the street you really should go there instead if you are in Phoenix and looking for vegan ethopian food. Our server were nice though they forgot/never brought me the coffee I ordered. Then again we were a table of 13.
Read morePros: vegan options
Cons: not as good as Blue Nile, food seemed greasy
Guest
suecag
Points +249
Great Ethiopian Veg - Edit
I am not a huge fan of Ethiopian fare but we shared the Vegetarian Exclusive and it was super yummy. I will definitely return.
Read moreGuest
PH0ENIX
Points +53
Good Ethiopian food - Edit
I really liked Cafe Lalibela. It's clean, and service was great. The food was delicious. Definitely a place where you can take anyone. A good alternative to Tina's Ethiopian in Chandler.
Read morePros: Clean, Good service, Tasty food
Guest
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