Mesob Cafe

I can't give this restaurant a fair review because we haven't eaten there...yet. My son and I drove there from quite a distance away on a Wednesday for lunch, but the restaurant was closed. I've never been able to reach them by phone and messages via social media have gone unanswered.Does anyone know what might be going on? My son and I would very much like to taste their food.

Best Ethiopian food I have had in the area! The injera, meat and salad was so delicious. Service will be slow if busy but well worth the wait!

When I lived in Montreal, I had Ethiopian food often, and coincidentally, the restaurant I used to frequent was similarly named Mesob D'or. I haven't had Ethiopian food since leaving home, and I've had my eye on Mesob Cafe since moving back to the area. When we were stationed here the first time, Mesob Cafe had just opened, but I never had the chance to try it before moving away. Well, today was that day!- Parking -Center lot.- Vibe - Mesob Cafe is tucked away in a small strip in the same center as the Food Lion, diagonally across the way from it on South Parliament Drive. It's a small and quaint restaurant with minimal decoration. Portraits and native artwork adorn the walls and a few tables for dining in. My dining companion and I were the only diners in the restaurant during our visit. The owner was by herself, so she took our order at the counter, but brought our food to the table and checked on us often.- TLC - The owner was a soft spoken woman, and very nice and kind. She told us that the original owner of the restaurant had had it for 2-ish years before she took over.- Noms - Ye fesig beyaynatu (mahberawi) - this is a combination of chicken mesob special tibs (#2 on the menu) and beef siga wot (#1 on the menu). You also get a choice of 2 vegetables, we opted for kik alecha (yellow split peas) and cabbage & carrots. We wanted to err on the side of caution and ordered this platter to share to start and decided to order more if needed. This decision paid off, because this is a sizeable platter with quite a bit of food for the two of us. I mean, you can't beat the price for the portions, especially in these times! I am used to Ethiopian food being served on a very large platter, but she has modified this to her food being served on an oversized dinner plate, cut the injera in half and placed all the food on it and rolled the other half into mini rolls. The beef had a slight kick and super flavorful. The chicken was great too and the veggies were both mild and great to balance the spice! The injera was cooked perfectly and perfect texture to pick up all the food! We also got the Ethiopian coffee and the Ethiopian shai tea. The coffee is strong, but smooth. Comes in a traditional coffee pot and served with a small tea cup. The shai tea had some spices in it and also served plain. Note, they don't traditionally drink their coffee or tea with any dairy and they don't seem to have any dairy in the restaurant at all. I know, because I asked! hahaI asked why she didn't serve it the traditional way as I noticed the traditional mini-tables in the form of a short table basket, that is at the front of the service counter. She said that most customers don't like to share their food, so she has adapted to serving it in this way. This is quite unfortunate, as Ethiopian cuisine is communal and really takes away from the whole experience! I remember eating the traditional way my first time and it was so intriguing and memorable! Oh well, on a positive note, she said that if she has extra staff, she can move tables around so that she can serve it with the traditional style, so just ask! If she can, she will do so.So happy that we have an Ethiopian restaurant as an option in the area and really the best value I have seen in awhile. For all the food we got and a speciality coffee and tea, it was around $30! You really can't beat that! I've bought a latte recently for almost $10, can you relate?!Enjoy, Friends and never stop exploring!

If you haven't tried Ethiopian, then you must! Be prepared to eat with your hands! The food is so flavorful and savory. Pairing the delicious meats with the injera is so delicious. The injera is spongy, which absorbs the sauces of the meat creating a beautiful explosion of flavor in your mouth. The veggies also paired well with the meats, giving a more subtle flavor. The plating is also very pretty, with all the different colors placed on top of injera. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.This is an awesome local business owned by a family. It gives homey vibes. There are not a lot of Ethiopian places in the area, so I truly appreciate them being here serving such good food! The service was fast, and everyone was very kind.I most definitely recommend this place!!

I love this place! Outside doesn't look appealing, however it is aesthetically appealing & welcoming once you're in. You seat yourself & the food doesn't miss! Well I'm pescatarian and I've only had the vegetarian items which are all full of flavor! So if you eat meat I'm sure it's matching in quality. Don't forget the tea! Their Shai tea is top tier!

Amazing. Truly a traditional ethiopian restaurant. Hard to see due to the shops and all but this hidden gem is definitely worth scouring for. Injera is always amazing and their spicy level is the right amount. Expect no utensils and the stares if you do ask for one lmao, yall gotta eat with your hands and thats the beauty of it.

First time to eat Ethiopian food and it did not disappoint. The platter was family style where you eat with your hands and pickup your food with Injera: A fluffy tortilla-pancake-crepe like texture. It was unexpectedly good despite the color and looks.The platter was HUGE and very filling. My favorite is the Injera and the tenderloin beef. The best part of course is the Ethiopian coffee: Bunna - Siga Wot: Chunks of Beef tenderloin cooked in Ethiopian butter, onions and red pepper sauce.- Mesob Special Tibs: Beef or lamb cubed, sautéed with onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, and rosemary.- Shrimp With sautéed onions, tomato, spinach, garlic, and Ethiopian butter. - Injera Veggies:- Mesir Wot: Spicy lentil stew with berbere and garlic.- Kik Alicha: Yellow split peas with garlic, and onions.- Cabbage and Carrots.- House Salad- Bunna: Ethiopian - Lemon cake

I'm so sad this is the closest Ethiopian spot to the 757! I love Ethiopian food! I got the veggie platter with greens, lentles, and cabbage. It's authentic and delicious! It's very low-key and not meant for large parties. Get your food to-go and enjoy it at home. SO GOOD!

Best Ethiopian food in town! We were fortunate our neighbors, who are from Ethiopia, recommended this restaurant to us. It's not much to look at but the food is excellent. We've eaten there twice this month already and highly recommend it!

My husband and I have eaten at the Mesob several times and love the food and intimate setting. We're vegetarian and love the multiple menu options that have each been delicious. I highly recommend this place!