Vegan
Ethiopian, Eritrean

Little Ethiopian cafe serving food that's all-vegan, using herbs and spices imported from Ethiopia. Est. 2018 as Habesha Village. Sep 2021 reported no longer using honey. NOTE: Maybe closed June 2024 - please send updates to HappyCow. Open Mon 11:00-18:00, Tue-Fri 11:00-22:00, Sat 11:00-22:30. Closed Sun.


Venue map for Light of Africa
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25 Reviews

First Review by jollypig

tdm351

Points +16

Vegan
12 Dec 2024

Delicious food

Delicious food and great music. Quick service. Will go back next time I’m in Brixton

RenataBalbino

Points +90

Vegan
17 Oct 2024

Experiência de comida etíope

Ir ao Light of Africa foi uma das experiências mais legais que já tive. A comida etíope vegana é maravilhosa, super bem temperada. O atendimento é muito simpático, o espaço é lindamente decorado e ficamos muito à vontade. Super recomendo!

Updated from previous review on 2024-10-17

Pros: Comida, cardápio base todo vegano, Atendimento, Local aconchegante

Cons: Na nova direção, servem carne quando solicitados

WilliamDrakett

Points +934

Vegan
11 Apr 2024

Amazing!

We love Ethiopian food, so we’re very happy to find this little vegan Ethiopian place in the middle of Brixton Village. We shared the samosas and then the injera platter for two. Delicious food and generous portions, we went away very happy indeed!

Pros: All vegan

Tmoss682

Points +3018

Vegan
12 Jan 2024

More than a Meal

Light of Africa hides in the Brixton Market, selling a food experience outside Western expectations. With above-average service and explosively flavorful food, you might never forget.

We washed our hands at the table. Our hostess, a woman from Eritrea, poured infused water as we washed our hands.
We ordered the Sampler for 1: lentils, pumpkin stew, cabbage, split peas. Pumpkin stew balanced the sizzle of spice and hints of sweetness. The Injera, a spongey wrap used for picking up the food, has a faint acidic taste reminiscent of lemon. This is more than enough food for two people.
The samosas were different from the Indian version. They crunched as if made with a thin phyllo dough, served with an intensely spicy relish.
As we ate the meal, our hostess reemerged with a smoking pan, shaking it about, smoke spilling into the air. We thought it was just a scent being wafted into the air. She came back out with a foreign basin. It was coffee. She explained that she was roasting the Ethiopian coffee beans to make the coffee, showing us the green pre-roasted beans.

I enjoyed myself from start to finish. Everything about the experience exceeded my expectations, and I would return many more times if I were a local.

Pros: Experience, Price, Location

GlennFraser

Points +327

Vegan
03 Dec 2023

Sensational African Cuisine Adventure

Wonderful experience diving into Eritrean cuisine. I’ve tried the other version of teff as a grain in Australia but this was next level. £14 for an enormous share plate that covered deliciously spicy yam, beetroot, pumpkin and lentils delightfully and thoughtfully seasoned.

We were perfectly hosted by the delightful Temesgen who told us stories of his home and whose service was excellent.

Our favourite culinary experience in London.

Pros: Taste, Service , Experience

Cons: We have to leave it behind

EmilNolan

Points +778

Vegan
09 Oct 2023

Amazing Ethiopian food

An amazing authentic Ethiopian dining experience

AliceManchip

Points +1596

Vegan
31 Aug 2023

Tasty, healthy and filling

First time trying Ethiopian food and really enjoyed it. Shared the single platter with my friend and it was plenty. Very filling food

nicirl

01 Sep 2023

ultraviolet.gomez

Points +5445

Vegan
28 Jul 2023

Incredible

Food was absolutely amazing! So full of flavour! Really friendly staff too.

thesunrisedreamers

Points +1432

Vegan
12 Jul 2023

Super tasty Ethiopian food in Brixton market!

We ordered a platter of 2 and it was perfect! The food has so much flavour and the injera is very tasty!

Pros: All vegan!

Aurele_

Points +134

Vegan
22 Sep 2022

Loved this place

A little gem in the buzzing Brixton Market. The food is amazing and seems quite healthy. Staff is super friendly and prices are good for the area! If you’re tall though, you might not be comfy as it’s very low to the ground. Kids love it though!

Pros: All vegan, Tasty, Reasonably priced for big portions

Cons: Not much room (tiny space), Sitting not comfy for tall people

Kittybiscuit

Points +8736

Vegan
24 Aug 2022

Delicious food

This is in the Brixton village, not far from the station and easy to find.

There were a few tables outside. We ordered the platter for two. I liked it all but the okra and spinach were my favourites.

Really tasty and nice service

Nyneke

Points +54

Vegan
03 Jun 2022

Tasty food, cosy and friendly

We went here for lunch, ordered a platter for two. The food had a lot of flavour and the lady serving it was very friendly.

Personally I find eating at cofee table height tables a little awkward but not so much so to deduct stars.

Pros: Tasty, Friendly

Cons: Low tables

Nathan

Points +2089

Vegan
11 Sep 2021

Small little place, nice service, food has room for improvement.

Tried their platter for 1. The flavours were ok. Much of it had room for flavour improvement with the exception of the yellow split pea - that was yummy. Also, the platter for 1 only comes with 4 sauces as suppose to 6 or 8 which you see in many of the pictures online… which is the platter for 2. Nonetheless, if you’re eating solo, I would rather of had more sauce options on the plate with less of each rather than only 4 options with more of each.

Updated from previous review on 2021-09-11

AzureKaede

Points +125

Vegan
11 Sep 2020

Healthy and something different

Really enjoyed my experience here. First time having Ethiopean food. Next time I want to try the platter 🙂

Pros: Healthy, Nice lady

moonlighthirani

Points +34

Vegan
13 Feb 2020

Authentic and Healthy vegan Ethiopian food.

Lovely cute restaurant/cafe. Open long hours. The Injera and Shiro are my absolute favourite ✨

Pros: Adequate options , Good portions , Traditional

tina_p

Points +457

Vegan
03 Feb 2020

Great little find

A tiny, welcoming place serving very satisfying vegan ethiopian dishes

Pros: Atmosphere

Cons: A bit tight, Cash only

Andypandyhungry

Points +27

Vegan
19 Jan 2020

Ethiopian deliciousness

We found this gem late one Sunday eve. Tasty authentic Ethiopian goodness!

Pros: Friendly staff

Cons: A little bit too cold (blankets helped!)

acarolina.amorim

Points +295

Vegan
07 Jan 2020

Tasty food

The food is amazing, the staff is very friendly and the place is super cosy. Not many seats but never had an issue with getting a table.

Less than 5 minutes from Brixton station it’s a great Ethiopian place.

Pros: All vegan , Amazing food

V3gan

Points +281

Vegan
02 Sep 2019

Fantastic little place

Would recommend the platter- all the stews and the injera were really good.

Pros: The food is really good! Very friendly too.

Cons: The seating is limited and not very comfortable., A little pricey.

Sarahhhhhhhh

Points +42

Vegan
06 Jul 2019

Amazing- love this place, we keep going back.

This place is a must, the Vegan sharing platter is scrumptious !

Pros: Amazing vegan food

Flogs

Points +725

Vegan
09 May 2019

Beautiful food on a rainy day

We had the sharing tray with a range of stews which were delicious, really glad we visited here on our trip to London

Gabor

Points +128

Vegan
14 Apr 2019

Lovely Ethiopian in the heart of Brixton Village

Great Ethiopian in Brixton Village, a tad more expensive than other similar places, but worth a visit if you are down there and looking for some vegan grub.

Updated from previous review on 2019-04-14

Pros: lovely presentation , lovely staff, great food

Cons: bit pricy, cash only

kenvegan

Points +13128

Vegan
08 Nov 2018

Excellent Vegan Plate!

I had a wonderful vegan combination plate at this small, cozy restaurant. The women running the place are so kind and helpful, and their veggie plate is among the best I have had globally.

The samosas are also very tasty, and I ordered a chai tea which came with sugar to sweeten to taste.

I shall return.

Raw Morka

Points +355

Vegan
15 Jun 2018

Best Ethiopian food in London

I'm in love with Ethiopian food and tried it in few different places in London but this one is the best of all. More pricey than other places but worth every penny. Injera (fermented teff flour pancake) is more than 0,5-meter diameter and tastes like heaven. The place is really cute, in the heart of Brixton Village Market, full of colours, smells and music. Lovely owners.

jollypig

Points +3070

Vegan
02 Jun 2018

Vegan Ethiopian in Brixton

I've had Ethiopian/Eritrean food a few times now and really liked it. The injera base is filling (they import it from Ethiopia) and the food was all tasty. It's in Brixton market and it's good to sit there watching the market in action.

The owner was friendly and there's plenty of choice (all vegan) on the menu.

Definitely worth a visit.

Pros: Tasty food, Good value, Friendly staff




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