Things people ask before they come
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday, 5:30pm to 10pm.
- Halal
- All the meat we cook is halal.
- Vegan
- About half the menu is vegan.
- Gluten-free
- Every dish can be. Gluten-free injera with a day's notice when you book, or rice instead.
- BYO
- Wine welcome, $10 corkage a bottle.
- Kids
- Children are welcome, and we have four high chairs.
Is it for me?
- I have never eaten Ethiopian food. Where do I start?
- Do we have to eat with our hands?
- How spicy is the food?
- Is the food halal?
- Is there vegan and vegetarian food?
- Is the food gluten-free?
- What if someone has an allergy?
- Is the restaurant child-friendly?
- Why are the dish names different from other Ethiopian restaurants?
What will it cost, and what do we order?
Booking and getting here
Is it for me?
I have never eaten Ethiopian food. Where do I start?
With the chef's platter. It is what most first-timers order, and what we would order for you. A bit of everything comes on one round of injera, so you find your favourites without having to know the names. Under the names it is lentils, chickpeas and vegetables, with lamb, chicken and fish on the mixed platter.
Eat with your hands or a fork, and ask us anything. See the platters or book a table.
Do we have to eat with our hands?
Only if you want to. There is always cutlery; just ask.
To try it, clean your hands at the sanitiser by the door or in the bathroom, then tear a piece of injera about the size of your palm from the warm rolls at the side of the platter. Lay it over whatever looks best and pinch it up with your fingertips, so the bread wraps the food and takes the sauce with it, and the next piece cleans your fingers as you go. A bit of shiro with a spoon of zighini on top is how we eat it.
The habit came from the highlands, where people were on the move and nobody carried cutlery, so the bread became the spoon. How to eat with injera.
How spicy is the food?
Some of it. Dishes made with berbere or fresh chilli say so on the menu. Tell us how much heat you like and we will steer you.
Is the food halal?
Yes, all the meat we cook is halal. We do not hold a certificate. See the menu.
Is there vegan and vegetarian food?
Yes. About half the menu is vegan, including the veg platter, every entrée and the whole vegetarian section. Our vegan ghee is made in-house from olive oil and spices, nothing except the desserts contains dairy, and the vegetarian dishes are cooked apart from the meat and never touch it.
Is the food gluten-free?
Yes, with a day's notice. Every dish can be made gluten-free, and if you tell us when you book we will have gluten-free injera ready for you, a lovely one made from teff and maize, $3 extra. Our everyday injera has some wheat in it and is kept apart from the main kitchen, so on a night without notice ask for steamed rice instead, a free swap. If you are coeliac, say so when you book and the kitchen will take the precautions that make it safe.
What if someone has an allergy?
Tell us when you book or order and we will steer you to the dishes that suit. There is not a single nut in the building, nothing except the desserts contains dairy, the vegetarian dishes never touch the meat, our everyday injera has some wheat in it and is kept apart from the rest of the kitchen, and onion, garlic, ginger and berbere run through most of the tsebhi.
Is the restaurant child-friendly?
Yes, and eating with their hands from a shared platter is a hit with most of them. A child's share of your platter is $16. Ask us which dishes suit younger ones, and there is always plain rice. We have four high chairs. Mention the ages when you book and we will find you a table with room.
Why are the dish names different from other Ethiopian restaurants?
Our menu uses the Tigrinya names, the language of Massawa and Asmara, where most places use Amharic, so doro wat is our dorho zighini. The glossary has both.
What will it cost, and what do we order?
How much does dinner cost?
Most people spend $25 to $40 a head on food. The chef's platter is $34 (mixed) or $30 (veg) for one person, $62 or $52 for two, $94 or $82 for three, and $124 or $108 for four. Entrées are $9 to $13.
Can I bring my own wine?
Yes, BYO wine is welcome, with $10 corkage a bottle. We are also fully licensed, with Ethiopian lagers, wine by the glass or carafe and spirits on the drinks list.
Can we see the kitchen?
Yes. Ask whoever is looking after your table and, when there is a moment between platters, we will show you the pots and the berbere. It is a hot, busy kitchen, so this one is for the grown-ups.
Do you do takeaway or delivery?
Yes. Call (03) 9376 8754 to order for pick-up, or get delivery through Uber Eats or DoorDash, both linked from the takeaway menu.
Booking and getting here
When is The Abyssinian open?
We are open Monday to Saturday, 5:30pm to 10pm, for dinner only, and closed on Sundays. Book a table.
Do I need to book?
On Friday and Saturday nights, and for six or more, yes. The room is small and gets busy. Walk-ins are welcome whenever there is a table free. Booking online takes about a minute and confirms straight away.
Do you take large groups and functions?
Yes. The long table seats up to twenty and the whole room about fifty, and shared platters suit a crowd. Groups of up to ten can book online; for more, email us the date and numbers. We also cater platters for events elsewhere.
Can you cater for mixed dietary needs at an event?
Yes. All our meat is halal, about half the menu is vegan, there is not a single nut in the building, nothing except the desserts contains dairy, and anyone avoiding gluten can have gluten-free injera with a day's notice. Tell us how many of each when you book or order catering and we will build the platters around them.
How do I get there and where can I park?
We are at 277 Racecourse Road, Kensington, and tram 57 stops near the door. Kensington and Newmarket stations are each about a ten-minute walk. There is free parking in the streets nearby, usually a short walk away.
Can we split the bill?
Yes, happily. Tell us when you ask for the bill and we will split it by person or by share.
Can we bring the dog?
Yes, at the seven tables outside, which are heated and covered against the rain. Mention the dog when you book and we will keep an outside table for you.
Is there step-free access?
Not quite. There is one low step at the entrance and we will help you over it. The bathroom is at the back down a narrow corridor, which can be hard with a wheelchair or a walker. More on access.
Can I take photos or film at the restaurant?
Yes, photograph your dinner as much as you like. If you make videos or write about food and want to film properly, email us and we will find you a good table on a good night.