BEN ABEBA, Lalibela - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number

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About

This is a new restaurant which I visited several times on a recent visit to Lalibela. It is an amazing structure and serves excellent food as well as having wonderful loos.

PRICE RANGE

$3.00 – $8.00

CUISINES

African, International, European, Ethiopian

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Late Night

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Table Service

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4.5

1,360 reviews

Excellent

809

Very good

390

Average

115

Poor

34

Terrible

12

kha

Varese60 contributions

Amazing location and good food

Jan 2020 • none

The location and view is quite spectacular and already worth having lunch or dinner there! Try to be there (shortly) before sunset that you can enjoy the view. At least for dinner it is recommended to reserve a table as it can be quite busy and we saw other people that had to leave as no tables were available anymore. As an appetizer every table got bread (really good!) and tomate sauce. As main course we had burger (which was okay / not really special) and Injera with Special Biyeynot (which was excellent). They even serve half portions for (some of) the main dishes which is great - half porition of the injera was more than enough for 1 person. The fruit salad we had for dessert was a little bit disappointing (only banana and guava and quite small). The banana crepe was good. Prices (which have been increased recently as the prices on their website are not updated yet) are very reasonable considering the outstanding location and quality of the food. The staff was very friendly and offered blankets as it is getting a little bit cold when the sun is gone. We would definitely come back to try some of the other dishes!

Written January 7, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

S C

London277 contributions

Unique architecture; good food

Feb 2020 • couples

A magnificent achievement! Extraordinary viewpoint crowned with a building of 'cartoon' architecture, serving Ethiopian and British food. Despite the excellent hygiene training of a Scottish owner, it is recommended that EVERYWHERE in Ethiopia one should avoid all uncooked foods, especially meat and salad. As so often in Ethiopia, the wine is not value for money, even at its low cost. Get up there (15 mins from town by tuk-tuk) well before sunset, in order to fully enjoy a drink, and to book a table, well before sunset. The staff thoughtfully provide blankets to wrap around the shoulders of diners should a cool breeze spring up for a hour after sunset. The local economy and employment have been much helped by the philanthropy behind this creation.

Written February 21, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Oakworthgirl

Keighley658 contributions

Quirky

Mar 2020 • friends

Set high up on a hill top on the outskirts of Lalibela, this restaurant has to be seen to be believed. All curves and slopes, it provides you with the most amazing views of the nearby mountain range. The night we went, it was full of tourists. I don't imagine that it is within the price range of the local Ethiopians, although by European standards the prices were quite cheap. Half owned by a septuagenarian Scottish woman, there are some surprising items on the menu, like bubble and squeak, and 4 different variations of cottage pie. I had savoury rice which was good and cost about $3. There are also sharing plates of vegetables, salad and French fires provided as an added bonus. This restaurant was featured on "Ben Fogle's New Lives in the Wild" (series 10, episode 2).

Written March 11, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mbaas

Halle (Saale)371 contributions

Tasteless Food, Slow Service, Interesting Building

Feb 2020 • none

If you must, go here for the building but not the food, which was decidedly the worst we had in Ethiopia. My beef burger was a weirdly dry-rawish piece of rubbery meat completely devoid of taste. The bun itself was old and dry, turning to powder as soon as I tried to lift it to my mouth. No sauces used or provided. Utterly puzzling why this was considered something one serves to a paying guest. My partner had a shepherd’s pie which was more like a vegetable stew though again without taste. Service was slow, and when the bill failed to arrived we decided to go directly to the person managing the cash register to speed things up. All in all, there’s much better food to be had at a fraction of the price in Lalibela. Try Unique restaurant for instance. But a glass of wine at sunset should be perfectly fine, and the views are indeed stunning.

Written March 9, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JillyPenge

London67 contributions

Extraordinary mad-cap architecture with a real sense of fun - good food too

Feb 2020 • none

The menu was perhaps a little ambitious as various items weren’t available. But we enjoyed the scotch eggs to start with and the tasty mains. The staff coped admirably with quite a downpour which meant they had to hastily relocate everyone under cover. Worth visiting just for the view and to experience the structure, so the food and relaxed ambience was a bonus.

Written March 7, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Organic Ice

Stresa229 contributions

A must to visit

Feb 2020 • none

The restaurant is clearly built for the view and frankly the architecture is already worth the visit. It is wonderfully located on a hill-top and although the valley is not *that* beautiful it does make for some quite spectacular views. More importantly, though, the food is really delicious; the goat ragout in particular was fabulous. It is a bit more expensive than other Ethiopian restaurants we had been to but well worth the extra cost.

Written February 27, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Magellan24

162 contributions

Good meal at unique place

Feb 2020 • none

Several people recommended this restaurant since we were tired of hotel food. So glad we did! the building is very architecturally intriguing, somewhat futuristric, we had no idea when we went there of what to expect. It is located on top of a small peak right outside the main area of town, we walked to it prior to night 10 minutes at most; however, we advise to take a tuk tuk back 30 birr /person back at night since it rather dark and hard to see. At lot of tourists come here by looking around. They gave shoulder shawls to the customers since it was windy the night we went. The food was good and the view was unbelieveable. We would highly recommend this place.

Written February 24, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Connie C

Hong Kong37 contributions

What an amazing structure!

Jan 2020 • none

We were there in mid-January for an evening meal. To be honest, the food was boring, and it took 90 minutes to be served a pasta dish and a shepherd's pie. Maybe a drink at this place to enjoy the sunset and go elsewhere for dinner.

Written January 27, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

frankj614

Columbus18 contributions

Great view. Wish the food matched up.

Feb 2020 • none

A fantastic view. We sat up high, watching the sun go down. The waitress brought us shawls, as the evening breeze kicked up the side of the 8500' mountain. My wife had pasta bolognese. I was "meated" out, so ordered pasta with just a red sauce. My wife said her dish was "okay." I wish mine were. The sauce probably came out of a can, what you would use to make a meat loaf. I scraped us much of it as I could to the side and ate the noodles. But, oh, the view...!

Written March 8, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

johannis2015

Rotterdam5 contributions

Unique in Lalibela

Jan 2020 • none

This restaurant with unique architecture and gorgeous location is situated just outside Lalibela centre. One can dine or lunch outside on mini-verandahs, with Lammergeyers and white-necked ravens circling around . The Bin Abeba shape is inspired of the predominant Mount Abuna Yoseph ( about 4000 meter at the top). The management is jointly Ethiopian-British ; the kitchen has both traditional Ethiopian dishes and western food. Higly Recommended!

Written February 29, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sadegh

117 contributions

Best restaurant with a spectacular view

Dec 2019 • friends

Very good restaurant with a fantastic view over the mountain. You can relax and enjoy your dinner with sunset view after spending a day on the church or hiking tour. I really enjoy their food, specially their juice (guava, avocado and papaya), I highly recommend this restaurant.

Written January 6, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SueKot

London436 contributions

A Meal with a View

Jan 2020 • couples

Unusual architecture combines with impressive views over the mountains. Definitely a place to observe the sunset. Owned and overseen by Susan, a Scottish lady, service was excellent. Certain dishes may be traced to the owner, namely Shepherd’s Pie and bubble and squeak. We had the former (actually it is cottage pie as it is made with beef) one “original” and one being a so-called Ethiopian version with the addition of shiro. The latter was mildly spicy/hot. Both were presented in pots which disguised large portions. The soup was good. Overall all was tasty. Credit cards are accepted.

Written January 25, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dc8

Boston102 contributions

Definitely a must visit!

Feb 2020 • none

one of the most unique dining experiences I've ever had. The views from this place are absolutely incredible. It was so nice to get to chat with the owner who was very friendly and provided a lot information about the restaurant. Given the remoteness of Lalibela and the restuarant, the menu is limited which is good for a non foodie like me. Lots of variety in the dishes though. But I'll admit I don't even remember what I ate I was spending so much time just looking around.

Written February 28, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Black Lion

Addis Ababa524 contributions

Nice View...but that’s it

May 2021 • family

I was very eager to visit Ben Abeba based on the reviews and pictures I had seen prior to my trip. However, upon arrival, I wasn’t particularly impressed. We chose a bad time to arrive first of all. There were one or two wedding parties crowding up the place; plus, the weather was cool. So outdoor seating wasn’t my first choice. But before looking for a place to sit, we went to the top and checked out the awesome view. The sky was cloudy, so we didn’t really see a sunset. The surroundings were beautiful nonetheless. After the view, we looked for a place to sit down. Given the weather, we opted for inside seating. The seating area, like most of the place, looked worn and uninviting. We shared the room with a wedding party whose host was polite enough to ask us if we would be ok with them playing loud music. We didn’t mind, given the reason for the celebration. Our plan was to order soft drinks and hot tea only, but I couldn’t help but give the shepherds pie a chance. I ordered two. The taste was bland. There was no salt whatsoever although the ingredients had potential. Nothing to write home about. So, aside from a nice view, an interesting bathroom, and a kind server, I wasn’t overly impressed with my visit. But, I’d still go again for the view.

Written May 16, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

traveldoc147

London176 contributions

Excellent location, below average food

Jan 2020 • none

The views are excellent. We went their for drinks and dinner at the time of sunset. We did not have reservations but were accommodated by the manager so thank you! The food on the other hand was nothing special. The menu was small, not many options and the quality was below average. Even the beyaynetu was flavourless. Beyaynetu that every road side eatery can do a good job with! So go for the view, not the food.

Written January 20, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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