Clicky

Amsale Cafe

Amsale Cafe Amsale Cafe is a recently opened Ethiopian restaurant located on Walnut Street in West Philadelphia. The restaurant offers an array of traditional Ethiopian dishes that are prepared to perfection by their skilled chefs. Amsale Cafe's excellent service and hospitable owners make every dining experience unforgettable. Contact the restaurant and visit their website for official information.

Recent social media posts

Named by the Philadelphia Inquirer as one of Philadelphia's 76 Essential Restaurants!
10/16/2024

Named by the Philadelphia Inquirer as one of Philadelphia's 76 Essential Restaurants!

The 76 restaurants that are defining Philly’s dining scene right now.

Craig Laban calls Amsale Cafe one of Philadelphia's best Ethiopian restaurants! He really likes the kitfo!
07/13/2024

Craig Laban calls Amsale Cafe one of Philadelphia's best Ethiopian restaurants! He really likes the kitfo!

Amsale in West Philly presents traditional Ethiopian dishes with nuance, depth and a homespun touch.

See Channel 6's feature about Amsale Cafe
07/13/2024

See Channel 6's feature about Amsale Cafe

The holiday season is here, and if you need a respite from all that shopping, a couple in West Philly runs an Ethiopian restaurant that will whisk you away with its flavorful food.

Check out the great reviews Amsale Cafe gets on Google Maps!"We’ve tried all the Ethiopian food in this area and this is...
07/13/2024

Check out the great reviews Amsale Cafe gets on Google Maps!

"We’ve tried all the Ethiopian food in this area and this is the one that keeps us coming back. The food is sooooo good."

"The best Ethiopian food in the greater Philadelphia area."

"I’ve been to dozens of Ethiopian restaurants and I have to say this one is my favorite. Owner operator couple is super sweet. Best food ever!"

"Incredible authentic Ethiopian food! Great service! I’ll be bringing my friends here for sure."

★★★★★ · Ethiopian restaurant

This is my (facebook.com/rothdan) review of Amsale Cafe which was originally posted to Google Maps. Because I created th...
11/25/2022

This is my (facebook.com/rothdan) review of Amsale Cafe which was originally posted to Google Maps. Because I created this page, I can't enter it as a normal review.

------

Five stars - but I wish I could give 10!

First, let me just give praise to the owners of the restaurant. We had reservations for Thanksgiving Day. We came to the restaurant to discover that they had decided to close for the day, but because we had reservations, they opened the restaurant and served just our party of four! If they had called us a few days prior and told us, "You are the only reservation for the day, so we would like to have the day off and spend it with our family" we would have gladly said, "Go ahead!" It shows great character and integrity on behalf of the couple who own Amsale Cafe that they chose to honor the reservation. For that alone, I wish I could give them extra stars!

The service was pleasant and joyful. We couldn't have asked for better service - attentive but not pushy. Just the perfect balance.

But let's get to the main feature - the food. Let's put it simply this way - I now have a new favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Philadelphia. This is, hands down, the best Ethiopian food I have had in the city. We started with the Ethiopian tea. For those who have not had it before, it is a mild black tea that is spiced. It was perfect! Both refreshing and flavorful.

We chose to eat off a common platter, but note that was our choice. For those who prefer otherwise, they will serve individual plates.

We shared Doro Qey Wat, Yebeg Awaze Tibs, Yetibs Fitfit, and the Regular Veggie Combo (7 Items). I'll start by saying this was quite possibly the best injera I've ever had. The level of fermented tanginess was perfect! All four of us agreed that every one of the 7 vegetables from the Veggie Combo tasted great. They were every bit as tasty as the meat dishes - and this is coming from an omnivore with strong carnivorous leaning.

All of the dishes were perfectly spiced - both in the sense of being flavorful and in having an appropriate level of heat. The dishes that were suppose to be spicy hot were unmistakably so, but not to a level where it distracted in any way from the wonderful blend of flavors in the various dishes.

This was the best Doro Wat I have ever had. I'm not exactly a food critic who can pull out specific flavors, but the sauce was a perfectly tasty blend of spices and the chicken was tender and had an actual chicken taste to it unlike so much bland chicken that's out there these days. It's the next day and my wife is still raving about how good the hard-boiled egg in the sauce was.

The Yetibs Fitfit was exactly what you would hope for - tasty, tender bits of beef in a wonderful sauce with just the perfect ratio of beef, injera, and sauce. The Yebeg Awaze Tibs was also some of the best flavor I've ever had. If I had anything to say was not 100% with the meal, it was that the lamb was just a little bit chewier than I like it - although, to be frank, no more so than at probably 2/3rds of the other Ethiopian restaurants I've eaten at.

So, there you have it - outstanding people, outstanding service, and outstanding food. And did I mention the prices? Excellent! The four of us had dinner and drinks (non-alcoholic, but they welcome BYOB) for $86 including tax. You can bet we tipped generously on top of that.

As I said above, this is our new favorite Ethiopian restaurant in Philadelphia and we look forward to returning soon. I highly recommend Amsale Cafe!

(The photo is from when we are well into the meal.)

Service
Dine in

Meal type
Dinner

Price per person
$20–30

Vegetarian options
I'm an omnivore, but I found the vegetarian options just as tasty as the rest of the food.

Kid-friendliness
The owners were extremely welcoming, and I'm sure they would be gracious to anyone who came with children. However, I didn't see any special accommodations for children. It is up to you to decide how well your child would like the food and the leisurely pace.

Parking
We had no trouble with on-street parking nearby on Thanksgiving Day.

11/25/2022

This is an unofficial page created by a customer/fan. Please contact the restaurant and check their website for official info.

Address

4817 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
19139

To get to the restaurant on Walnut Street in Philadelphia, you can take the following public transport options:
- Take the Market-Frankford Line (Blue Line) to 40th Street Station, then walk east on Walnut Street for about 10 minutes.
- Take the Route 21 bus towards Penn's Landing to 42nd and Walnut Streets, then walk west on Walnut Street for about 5 minutes.

If you are driving and need to park, there are several parking garages nearby:
- The Science Center Parking Garage at 3601 Market St is a 10-minute walk from the restaurant.
- The Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel Parking Garage at 3549 Chestnut St is also a 10-minute walk away.
- The Penn Museum Parking Garage at 3260 South St is a bit farther but still within walking distance, about a 15-minute walk.

Opening Hours

11am - 9pm

Telephone

+12153974420

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Amsale Cafe posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Amsale Cafe:

Shortcuts

Share

Category

What people say

Ethiopian restaurants are known for their unique and flavorful cuisine, and Amsale Cafe on Walnut Street in Philadelphia is no exception. This new restaurant has quickly gained a reputation for serving incredible food, providing excellent service, and being run by friendly and welcoming owners.

One of the standout dishes at Amsale Cafe is their injera, a traditional Ethiopian flatbread that serves as the base for many of their dishes. It's soft, spongy texture perfectly complements the bold flavors of the various stews and sauces that are served alongside it. The vegetarian options are particularly noteworthy, with dishes like shiro wot (a spicy chickpea stew) and gomen (collard greens cooked with onions and garlic) being standouts.

In addition to the delicious food, Amsale Cafe also offers great service. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable about the menu, making recommendations based on individual tastes and preferences. And the owners themselves are often present in the restaurant, greeting customers with warm smiles and making sure everyone feels welcome.

Overall, Amsale Cafe is a must-visit spot for anyone looking to experience authentic Ethiopian cuisine in Philadelphia. With its delicious food, excellent service, and friendly atmosphere, it's easy to see why this restaurant has quickly become a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

Claim ownership or report listing