Abyssinia

Just passed by Abyssinia and noticed the building is up for lease. I feel like a close friend just died (just slightly dramatic) this was such a great place, what a lose! I really hope they open another location elsewhere. RIP Abyssinia you will be missed: teardrop:

This place is permanently closed!
And I feel terrible because I used to love it. The food and the atmosphere in there… It was simply like getting into another dimension, in no country.
Thank you guys for having had this restaurant. I had a good time there.

As perfect as it gets. One of the best ethiopian restaurant.

Abyssinia was my first foray into Ethiopian cuisine, and it won’t be my last!
Service: One of the owners served us! He provided several recommendations for the newbies at the table and was gracious throughout the evening. However, the restaurant was full, and he was stretched very thin, which led to sporadic service overall — half of our table was served about 15 minutes behind the other half, and we had to walk inside to request menus (after being seated) as well as refills.
Ambience: We were seated outside on one of the last warm evenings of the season, and it was really nice to catch up with my friends, caught between the glow of the restaurant and the muted bustle of Wickenden St. The restaurant is small and charmingly appointed, and the overall vibe is relaxed and comfortable.
Food/​Flavor: Some of the best food I’ve eaten in a while! I sampled the lamb sambussa, which was crispy, hot, and mildly spiced, along with a side of mesir wot, which was so delicious! My entrée was Ye’Sega Alcha with gluten-​free injera, and I wasn’t disappointed. The meat was tender, the vegetables cooked to perfection, and the injera had that trademark airy sourness (tastes more appealing than it sounds, I promise!). I thought it was very cool that Abyssinia offered a GF option, which is not something I normally take advantage of, but nice to know!
Excellently cuisine, thoughtfully prepared and reasonably priced, in a charming location with helpful (if sparse) staff. I’ll be back!

So hard for me to review this place. The food is very very good if you have an adventurous palate. I’ve ordered take out several times and been extremely satisfied. The vegetarian options are plentiful and delicious and if you get the combination platters you get to try a little bit of everything. My favorites include the beets, yellow split peas, and cabbage dishes. The injera bread is a standout as well.
I have to take a star away for service, though. My friend and I waited a very long time for our meal, while another party who were seated after us and ordered the exact same combination received their meal before us. Likely a mix up and mistakes happen, but what really bothered me was that after we got our meal and were finishing up, we were told by the hostess that they needed the table for another reservation and basically asked to hurry up. We still had a glass of wine to finish and it felt very rushed and unwelcome. Not intentionally rude or with a bad attitude, just not very attentive service.

So happy that this place keeps getting better overtime I visit. The menu keeps growing and that flavors keeps expanding. I’m a fan of BYOB and with it’s location so close to a liquor store it makes for an easy night. The spicy complimentary popcorn is so good, I want to take some home! The meat combo is a must and the lamb is delicious. Their injera is perfectly sour, this is something I really appreciated.
the décor has improved over the years too, it’s now adorned with Ethiopian artwork and it’s a nice place for a small table, I wouldn’t suggest a large party of 8 dinning here. The staff is great and more than happy to answer questions.
There are plenty of reviews describing Ethiopian food, I didn’t want to do that, this is coming from someone who loves Ethiopian, and Abyssinia is a gem.

Went here to celebrate my friends birthday. Read several positive Unilocal reviews so was excited to try something new. We brought a bottle of wine and made our way in. Small place — only 5 tables from what I could tell. We were seated immediately and the waiter was very friendly — water was brought out, one of the glasses was dirty and he forgot to bring another glass out until I asked for it again.
We ordered the veggie combo for one and the meat (chicken and beef, can’t remember the name of the beef) combo for one, figured we could just share. When the food came out — the plates looked identical except the meat platter had a small scoop of chicken and a small scoop of beef. I was expecting an actual meat plate not veggies with a side of meat. The only things I sorta liked was the green beans, beets and the hard boiled egg (sad, I know). I wasn’t too keen on the sour bread. A little funny tasting and I didn’t like the texture.
My friend felt the same way. Maybe it was an off night, I’m not sure. It was def worth a shot but I wouldn’t come back. When I got home, it didn’t sit well in my belly either — same with my gf.

Cute little restaurant. Very accommodating staff. Food was cooked fresh and delicious.

We are vegetarian and love all of Abyssinia’s veggie platter options. The portions are very generous and are great for eating in or taking out. Whatever they do with their legumes is amazing. Highly recommended if your looking for great food in PVD!

Update: The new ownership discontinued the gluten free all-​teff injera. Upon inquiring why, we got an explanation of how «people in Africa don’t have these problems» and therefore gluten free injera is not authentic and therefore they would not be serving it…
I respect that if they are not going to do GF right (because they largely think it’s a load of crap and not a real thing, from our conversation), they opt not to do it at all.
The food is still delicious… if you can eat it.
But now my husband with Celiac’s disease can’t, so we can’t go back.
I’m pretty bummed about this.

The food was really good and reasonably priced, friendly and attentive staff make you feel welcome. Would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Sambusas were delicious, very authentic environment. Service was good. The vegetarian combo was very filling and you got to try different things. Also the dota won was delicious but watch out for bones.

This place is great for groups. Especially friends you haven’t seen in a while and want to spend a good deal of time catching up with. You can all bond over the shared experience of wiping your hands on the nice rolls of steaming towels while you wait for your food to arrive (which happens to take quite some time, in my experience.) Large groups are usually seated upstairs in the quiet, zen environment perfectly conducive to juicy gossip, uninhibited cackling, etc.
As for the food, it is perfectly suited to indecisive groups. I would recommend getting a veggie combo platter and meat combo platter — this serves 4 – 5 people and comes with extra injera, which I believe is unlimited. The injera itself is slightly tangy and has a nice bouncy yet delicate texture, and matches the flavorful, slow stewed lentils, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, beets, and meats. My favorite thing is actually the pile of red mush — I think it’s lentils (wish I knew what it was called… pathetic huh?) The potatoes and carrots are also super yummy — I might prefer the veggie combo slightly over the meat one, even though the meat one gives you all the same things as the veggie plus some meat (I just like the veggies better, and you get smaller portions of these with the meat option)
Only complaints — injera is a potent trigger of trypophobia, and some find it a bit too sour (you gotta eat it soaked in the sauce!). Also some people don’t enjoy eating with their hands. (they clearly don’t get it — food tastes better when you use your fingers.) Still, forks can be provided upon request. All in all a neighborhood gem that shouldn’t be missed!

Some of the most flavorful and unique foods in Providence. Have had Ethiopian many times before and this place is definitely solid. The price is extremely reasonable and they give a ton of food. The food is so colorful and nicely served on the traditional bread. The restaurant could use an update as the atmosphere is charming and cosy but definitely old and dusty.

If you’ve never been to Abyssinia, you are missing out. Get over there! The food is luscious, the atmosphere comfortable and the staff attentive. They greet you with a bowl of kettle popcorn and a warm washcloth to wipe your hands. What could be more welcoming?
I’ve tried 4 different dishes and have not been disappointed yet. My favorite might be the Key Wot, marinated beef served on Ethiopian flatbread with a side of salad and pickled vegetables, but the Doro Wot (the chicken version) was also phenomenal.
And, as an added bonus, they have gluten free bread! That is a rare find at any restaurant.

This is one of my favorite places! I am so thrilled with all the delicious vegetarian options :)
Honestly, i love all of the vegetarian meals! Must try! If you new try the combination meal, you get to try a little of everything and figure out your favorite
btw– the pricing can’t be beat!

I am a fan of Ethiopian food and was glad to find a decent (if not only place in Providence) that offered comparable and affordable injera soaked with all the trimmings and meat that you wish to stock up on. I strongly recommend this place for adventurous who don’t mind getting your fingers (hopefully note toes) dripping with amazing sauces and well seasoned meats while trying to scoop up. For those of you who like a little more refinement, I’d recommend the standard utensil set, but you will miss out on feeding your significant other with a handful of food, and having it be the norm, not the exception.
My date and I ordered the meat combination and got lamb and chicken. The lamb cubes were decent, although very hard to fish out, and not sure if it was worth the extra $ 5. The chicken was also decent, but I tried my friend’s beef dish and think that was probably better instead. The fried injera appetizer was ok, but worked very well with the spicy yogurt sauce.
The 1-​star penalty was for the delay in getting our food; it felt like we were waiting for the animals to grow until they were of age to be served on our table. The staff were friendly, but I think the wait time could have been more expedited. Also, don’t forget this place is BYOB and they do NOT have alcoholic beverages.
Food: 4 stars
Price: 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Ambiance: 3 stars

I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. The staff is very nice, but the food is just awful. Mostly because of the bread.
if you don’t like spicy food, don’t come here. Basically all the food is spicy. The «bread» has no flavor and just tastes like a sponge.

Well, that was interesting. First time at here and first time, to my knowledge, eating Ethiopian food. I ordered the meat sample platter with a friend. Some things were delicious, others… well, not so much. Now that I have an idea what is tasty, I’m going to head back for further experience.
I wasn’t crazy about many of the vegetable dishes. Good service — attentive and understated. Pleasant surroundings.

cute little place, intimate setup (inside a house), very romantic. but seating is limited and parking is street only (unless there’s a lot in the back that we didn’t see); lucky we arrived early.
waiter was polite and professional; never rushed us out even though people started to gather in the cramped waiting area.
food-​wise; it was decent, but not especially memorable. having been to Addis Red Sea (@Boston) where no utensils are served, having knives and forks here (i remember not dirtying my hands) is just a little too…“civilized”.
the place is great for a date, if you can sit through the wait. but it’s a bit pricey for a food outing w/​friends. oh, and it’s BYOB. (probably why my group overstayed our welcome. sorry! hope our tip was enough to make up for it.)

Nunca pensé que Etiopía tuviera tan buena cocina y aun mucho menos que me fuera a gustar tanto.
Si buscáis un restaurante fuera de lo tradicional en donde pudieras darle gusto al paladar sin romper el bolsillo, pues no lo dudéis más y atreveos a probar este rinconcito de África en Providencia.
Y si os apetece aun más la aventura os sugiero que probéis el plato de la carne cruda. ¡Es delicioso!