Nefetari’s

Amazing restaurant! I’ve had both lunch and dinner here and both were some of the best food I have ever gotten out. The gluten free and vegetarian options are as abundant as the portion sizes and the desserts are heavenly.

Save room for the hand made cheese cake desserts. Try the Mandella Chardonnay, very good. They readily exchanged my vegan friends dish when she saw how much pasta it contained & not enough vegetables. She was happy with the salad. My Collard greens tasted overly seasoned & salty to me. Lamb dish was good.

Go for the entertainment — poetry, theatre, music and comedy. You will return again and again for the original variety of beverages and fine cuisine of Nefertari’s. #ihearttallahassee #ihearttally #PoemedyFood

In town for homecoming and decided to try this place out for brunch on Sunday. It was absolutely one of the best dining experiences of my life. First of all the place is tastefully decorated with have to see art and the design throughout the place shows that the owners took their time and paid attention to every possible detail. The live music was a nice taste. We had a large party and was seated in one of the side rooms with its special white furniture. Very formal and comfortable. We certainly felt like royalty. But alas we came there to eat so how was the food. Well we had a party of 9 and everyone was satisfied and sharing. There was not a lot of talking going on during the meal as we were each savoring the delicious and well prepared food. There were no complaints at all about any of the dishes. I had the royal omelette with salmon and egg whites and a vegan pancake and I truly savored every last bite. I found the menu to be extensive enough that I want to return and sample a number of other things even though I tend to just do the regular when I go places. As I have dined at places all over the world, I can appreciate a really great restaurant and this is indeed that. Who would have thought one of my favorite places of all time would be in Tallahassee Florida of all places. Do yourself a favor and try it out. I promise you will not be disappointed.

We had the Greek salad and the Naan nachos with jerk chicken and yowza it was good. A shout out for the shrimp and grits, too. A definite is the homemade ginger beer and sorrel. I had a dark and stormy with the homemade ginger brew. To die for. And the staff is simply lovely. We will be back.

Fabulous décor, great service! Our breakfasts were very tasty. The vegan pancakes were very sweet and delicious and our vegan claimed they «hit the spot»! Good coffee too! Staff was friendly & flexible with our orders. There were many interesting lunch and dinner options I would like to try. Definitely will go back.

Nefetari’s is located at 812 South Macomb, Tallahassee FL
Awesome!!! My 2 sons and I had dinner and 2 days later I returned with my husband and another son.
The food is international with lots of vegan and vegetarian dishes plus, you can add chicken, meat or shrimp to any of these meals. They use a variety of spices that are not overpowering and dishes with a «kick» are listed. These folks aim to please and will taylor the food to your taste.
I ate an eggplant dish with squash, zucchini, mushrooms in a well seasoned tomato sauce with a hint of honey. The «Talking Spinach» and «Black Rice» are delicious. The rice has nice texture, slightly chewy like wild rice, and the spinach has sautéed onions and seasoning and is really not like any spinach dish I ever tasted. My husband had the Ethiopian entrée which has a little kick to it and is served on a thin Ethiopian bread that covers the large dinner plate. Another son ordered a Chinese black rice and vegetable dish that he very much enjoyed and another son ordered the salmon and thought it was perfectly seasoned and cooked. Most meals come with 2 sides of your choice.
The Samosa (2 large) appetizer is delicious as is the brown dipping sauce that comes with it. The Hummus was also delicious and did not have tons of oil on top. It was served with crisp toasted triangles of bread or it might have been a thick pita and it was enough for 4 people. The Thai spring rolls (2 but cut into thirds) were also delicious and service with a medium hot dipping sauce.
The décor is really very nice with low lighting and comfortable seating. The 2 nights I was there they had a trio consisting of guitar, African drums, and a singer that also played guitar. The music sounded like African and was clearly background music because having a conversation without having to shout was much appreciated.
There is also a separate room for private parties. There is parking behind the building. The cost is very reasonable.

Delicious!!! Great service, great food! A jewel in Tallahassee!
We were visiting friends who recommended this restaurant. Interesting décor and a creative menu. So glad we went!

First time here. I wish it was closer to home. The food is delicious! The menu is a little different than what I’m used to. Summer, our waitress was very helpful explaining the different foods and heat associated with each one. She is a great waitress, she couldn’t have done any better. I’m not a huge fan of real hot or spicy food. This was no problem they made may order mild. I had Pad Thai, delicious! My husband was also very pleased with his order. For dessert we had cheesecake which is made in house by the owner, delish!!! There was live music, drums, guitars, female vocal. The owners come around making sure that you are happy and they truly care. I’m amazed that there weren’t more people here! This is a wonderful family owned business. They give you attention and care in a way that chain restaurants don’t.
Only one negative– I sent back my mixed drink. It was too strong, or it was just off. I enjoy margaritas, this was the worst. Summer right away got us a new drink.

2 stars for the decoration. The shrimp and grits were good however the waffles were too sweet on their own. Things were forgotten from our order and very overpriced

Having just moved to Tallahassee from Chicago, I’ve been yearning for a restaurant that serves authentic, worldly cuisine. I am so grateful to have found Nefetari’s! The ambiance and atmosphere is warm, eclectic, and vibrant. The food is phenomenally fresh and flavorful. It’s also vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-​free! Live music plays an Afrocentric beat and promotes a relaxing vibe. It’s a hidden gem designed to decompress.
The owners are dynamic, eccentric, and charming. Separately, husband and wife took the time to engage with my table and share their story. With a background in clinical psychology, the owners seem to hold a unique understanding on how to create a cozy atmosphere that celebrates diversity and brings the community together through food, music, and art. I appreciate how they value giving the customer a royal experience. I can honestly say that I have never had an experience like the one I had tonight at any other establishment. I will certainly return to join the weekly events they host (check out their website!), the bi-​annual murder mystery dinner, and to one day dine at the glamorous center table fit for royals! If you’re looking for an ethnic plunge in the heart of Tallahassee, Nefetari’s is the place to go!

Often overlooked this place, until I finally tried it a couple weeks ago. My reaction? THIS IS A CROWN JEWEL IN TALLAHASSEE CUISINE. Are you doubting coming here? Take a chance, and enjoy some of the best crafted food in town — a bit spicy, but everything is made fresh.

As a whole, I think Nefetari’s is a great place for not just vegan/​vegetarians but for others as well! The name originally intrigued me and when I saw the reviews and the many vegan options on the menu I had to try it out.
The outside looks a little sketchy and incompatible with the inside of the restaurant since its really nicely decorated and quite fancy. Our server was very friendly and accommodating after I told him I was vegan. We came for brunch so I ordered a potato bowl with scrambled tofu, veggies, and toast. My mum ordered a cheese omelette with veggies, salmon, and toast. Both our dishes were so delicious (albeit a little oily) and I liked how the portion sizes aren’t huge at all. We didn’t feel bloated after eating, which is usually what happens after Sunday brunches. I would definitely come again to try the dinner menu since I saw tons of delicious vegan entrees!

My 15 person group and I walked into Nefetari’s 40 minutes before closing this past weekend after an annual African dance conference concert (we’re from Dallas). We were the only table patrons at the time but the staff was very gracious and didn’t turn us away despite there being 15 of us so close to closing.
I ended up ordering an appetizer (samosas) and the black fried rice entrée called Forbidden Fried Rice. There were 2 samosas for $ 7.5. It was a bit much for such a small portion but OMG they were on point. I wanted at least 2 more but didn’t feel like parting with an arm to afford it. The Forbidden Fried rice was absolutely delicious as well. The pineapple-​habanero sauce that coated the black rice and veggies was the star of the dish and married well with the other spices and cilantro. The chicken was borderline dry however. I tasted someone else’s pistachio cheesecake (so good!) and lamb nachos. The naan nachos were delicious but didn’t come with enough toppings. Without the toppings, you’re hard pressed to finish eating the dry naan and the person who ordered it left quite a few naan chips on the plate after running out of toppings. Most of my dinner partners ordered the pasta dishes and the portion sizes were great and it looked delicious. I sat beside two others who ordered the lamb coconut curry and they were deeply disappointed in their portion sizes for the price ($ 22). They weren’t crazy about the taste either. It looked like they got a side of lamb curry instead of an entrée of lamb curry. Neither on in my party were crazy about the vegan mac-​n-​cheese. The sorrel wasn’t that great either. Overall, the offerings were varied and flavorful and there are plenty of vegan options.
The décor is borderline gaudy but very eclectic and cool at the same time. It’s just a lot going on, but does fit the ambiance of the restaurant. Bathrooms are clean as well. Looks like they do live music on some nights as they have a stage and instruments set up.
I believe it was the owner that served our party (great service). We had what I believe was a new waitress as well (only caucasian server that night) and she was nervous and inattentive at times. Despite that, the service we received from the owner was excellent. What was strange was her repeating the «all-​natural» «no-​GMO» «in-​house ingredients» spiel for nearly everyone that ordered or had a question about the menu. Okay, we get it. You take great care in serving food made from local ingredients lol!
I would definitely recommend this place to anyone traveling through or living in Tallahassee.

Entire family is vegetarian but me and this is the best option in town to satisfy all of our pallets. Sharon is great hostess and the vibe is always fabulous. If you like spicy food this is the place for you, if not this is still the place to be!
The themed mystery nights have been great to’ finally something different to do in Tally, can’t say enough about this place! Come on by if your in town you will not regret it

My friends and I went to Tallahassee for the day and this was the last place we visited. What a wonderful way to end the day.
Service/​Atmosphere: We walked in and were seated right away. The service was excellent. Our waitress, the owner’s daughter, was new, but she was very approachable and accommodating. The owner was very friendly and came to check on us several times.
Food: They start off with complimentary bread basket and sample shots of ginger and hibiscus juice. I had the Ethiopian stew which is typically eaten with the hands so they bring a warm hand towel to clean up. This was my first time eating Ethiopian stew and I really really like it. The portion was huge so I had enough for lunch the next day. Dessert time was the best, though. I’m from the Caribbean so when I saw plantain cheesecake on the menu I HAD to get it. I was not disappointed. It tasted like banana foster but not as sweet, which made it perfect.
Price: The price was good for the service, atmosphere and serving size. I will definitely return to this place.

A gem in Tallahassee. Don’t miss it. Great food. Something for everyone without a doubt no matter what you’re hungry for.

I think it is always good to start with the positives. With that being said, the service was great. Everyone (seriously, 5 people) asked us how we were doing/​how was everything… I only wish I could have given a more candid answer. The nachos were the best thing we ordered. The samosa were definitely overpriced ($ 7 for 2, and nothing that you couldn’t find at Whole Foods). The ‘Ethiopian Stew’ was the poorest imitation of Ethiopian food that I have ever had in my life. The ‘injera’ was very thick and reminded me of an ‘Egg McMuffin’ from McDonalds. The sides that came with the stew were not sides at all, they were on the injera and an awful addition to it, I must add. $ 18 for leftovers that I will give to my dog… I hope she eats it.
I lived in Kenya for 2 years and during that time I traveled to Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania. If you have ever traveled to an African country, or maybe you’ve had authentic African cuisine in the U. S, you will be highly disappointed with the food and prices at this restaurant. I was so disappointed, as many of the reviews and pictures of the food were fabulous and there was so much hype surrounding this place. I have since realized that many of these reviews were from months to a year ago. We were told that the international chefs have left the restaurant. It all makes sense now.

Nefertari’s is a one-​of-​a-​kind eating experience in Tallahassee. They are plagued by the ugly building and awkward location that seems to be a problem in our city, but do not let this deter you! Once you find a parking spot (either street side or down the one-​way to the left of the building out behind the restaurant) and get over the plain tan building with a single sign you will be pleased that you took a step inside.
The interior design has an elegant entryway and waiting room that has you wondering how the heck they let the outside of the building look so plain. I’m not sure if there is supposed to be a cultural theme, but you definitely feel as though you are in a place of both comfort and grandeur (a feat that can only be pulled off by someone impressive, I’m sure).
Our waitress, Jess, was phenomenal: very engaging, attentive, and beyond helpful. The menu, although comprehensive, was also rather confusing if you weren’t familiar with the different types of cuisines. Nefertari’s offers Ethiopian, Greek, Chinese, Thai, Italian, and Caribbean delights. Naturally this can be a little overwhelming, but we were navigated through these options with care and patience.
Some examples of what can be sampled at Nefertari’s (as chosen by the people I dined with this week) are: Ethiopian stew (that is traditionally eaten with your hands — so they provide you a warm, clean towel before your meal), Fettuccine Alfredo with a Jerk Chicken, Greek Red Snapper, Pea soup, and an assortment of sides that included vegan macaroni and cheese (HOLY GOODNESS DELICIOUS), basmati rice, Forbidden rice, assorted vegetables, and garlic toast.
Everything was fresh, house made, and absolutely delicious. This is the best food I’ve had in Tallahassee, hands down. The chef even came out to our table to talk to us about the different choices we’d made: a class A experience.
Another element that separates Nefertari’s for me is the live entertainment. We were there a little early to avoid the dinner rush, but at 7:30 live local musicians got on stage and played guitar while we finished up. Overall a wonderful experience and I would definitely suggest that everyone get a taste of Nefertari’s before they leave.

Exceptional service from server and other staff. Our table was visited by several staff, very friendly and nice, including those whom I presume to be the chefs (one who talked up their vegan brunch menu for us and the other who wanted to check on a dish that had been made vegan), manager, and a couple different servers.
Food was very good, complementary bread basket hit the spot as we were starving. We got the Ethiopian Stew Platter with Chicken and sides of White Basmati Rice and Potato Trio as well as the Honey Eggplant (minus the honey) with Black Beans and Potato Trio. Both were excellent.
No specials, full bar with TV in the corner, and there was live music (not overpowering so you can still talk). Wait was a little long (food is made to order) but overall a great date restaurant.