There are a number of cuisines types that are probably more obviously missing in Pattaya now (notably Indonesian and Malaysian) but this topic is about Ethiopian.

I'm curious about the interest and possible demand for a decently priced, reasonably good/authentic Ethiopian restaurant here.

I know that many urban Americans are familiar with Ethiopian food, but I'm not sure about Europeans and other nationalities.

It's my impression that it;'s a kind of food that once tried, the majority will like it enough to want it again.

It's knee jerk thinking that you need a significant national customer base to support any kind of specifically national restaurant. I think that is often true but not necessarily always true.

No, I have no plans to open an Ethiopian restaurant. So even if this poll shows massive interest, it would need to be someone else to take action on that. (Dream on, I know).

To add, based on Bangkok, it's been proven that it IS possible to do good Ethiopian food in Thailand, so that's not the problem.

I always prefer the vegetarian mixed platter.

OK, it couldn't be this good in Thailand, but here's some from Bangkok's own world famous food freak Mark Wiens touring Addis:

Great food, there is a good restaurant on Soi 3 in Bkk

I had the Ethiopian slop tray once where you eat the little blobs of curries with the fluffy bread which is makes up the tray itself.

I guess it's good enough but it was the definition of 3rd world slop cuisine and you ate it with your hands. Maybe fun once or twice but I don't think it would last long without actual Ethiopian customers. 🤷

Ethiopian food is amazingly good. I used to eat at the old Blue Nile in Berkeley whenever I was over there. I don't get to Pattaya very often, but if there was a good Ethiopian restaurant there I would definitely check it out!

Again, the incontinent, butt sniffing Soi dog has nothing to say on the topic, but RainMan is twitching in his usual autistic manner to remind us all that he is here. He knows nothing of this subject, but he cannot leave it alone.

He must make even North African food solely about him reacting to it negatively. Even though he has never eaten it.

There’s an Ethiopian restaurant near a bum run grad hospital that I’ve eaten in a dozen times. I agree with Northland Ryan, it is all basically similarly tasting glop, soaked up with a spongy brown wonder bread type bread. What makes a great Ethiopian restaurant is whether or not they make their own Berber spice.

Back in the states, Washington DC is renowned for having a whole street of Ethiopian restaurants. They shine best in the seafood department getting a Mediterranean flavor with a lot of olives and preserved lemon like Moroccan food.

If I live near Ethiopian food, I would have it about every other week. Since I lived at the Chidi mansion at the bottom of Soi 11, I had it a dozen times in a month. Not much variance between the dishes, so get the mixed plate.

Mark Weins does have a hard to take presentation manner, but it is memorable, and he does give you the food facts and describe how things taste very vividly

We went to Ginger house in Chiang Mai after watching one of his videos, and the mixed northern appetizer plate was like a college course on the subject. You cannot go wrong going to any place that he recommends.

We also went to the Khao Soi place he recommends since we had a car, and it was definitely a cut above Mai Sai Khao Soy behind the Maya Mall.

16 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Great food, there is a good restaurant on Soi 3 in Bkk

I think you are talking about the place I went to a dozen times. The Taye Restaurant.

I’ve eaten in a dozen Ethiopian restaurants around the world, mostly in Washington DC, New York, and Paris.

This is in the top three such restaurants I have tried, including a five star one in Paris.

They definitely grind their own spices, which you can also buy. It’s a modestly pretty room to eat in as well with the beautiful Ethiopian art on the walls.

I had three Tinder dates there, obviously with white women. No double way does a Thai woman want to go out for Ethiopian food on the first date, or maybe even the millionth date.

5 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

I think you are talking about the place I went to a dozen times. The Taye Restaurant.

I’ve eaten in a dozen Ethiopian restaurants around the world, mostly in Washington DC, New York, and Paris.

This is in the top three such restaurants I have tried, including a five star one in Paris.

They definitely grind their own spices, which you can also buy. It’s a modestly pretty room to eat in as well with the beautiful Ethiopian art on the walls.

I had three Tinder dates there, obviously with white women. No double way does a Thai woman want to go out for Ethiopian food on the first date, or maybe even the millionth date.

Yeah I think thats it, fabulous food and great service. There is a good one in Phnom phen on st 136? near the Wat too

I lived in Ethiopia back in early 2000, teaching as part of the English Language Fellowship program through the US state department. Ethiopia food is delicious and can also vary greatly depending on the region of Ethiopia and also by the variations of berber seasoning. It it important to have fresh made injera bread from good Teff. I also love the Ethiopian tradition of folding bits of food around a square of injera and feeding those you love by hand. Thank you to those who mentioned some good places to enjoy Ethiopian food in Thailand.

As much as I loved eating Ethiopian food while living there, I will mention that I have never had food poisoning as many times in my life in all the places I have lived. Although I lived in the southern part of the country, so not a lot of refrigeration and I lacked the immunity to their particularl bugs. It was interesting as everyone kept telling me that Ethiopian food was spicy, but having spent a number of years in Northeastern Thailand living with Issan people at that point, I thought it was pretty mild. 🤣

On 3/11/2026 at 3:51 PM, Jingthing said:

There are a number of cuisines types that are probably more obviously missing in Pattaya now (notably Indonesian and Malaysian) but this topic is about Ethiopian.

I'm curious about the interest and possible demand for a decently priced, reasonably good/authentic Ethiopian restaurant here.

I know that many urban Americans are familiar with Ethiopian food, but I'm not sure about Europeans and other nationalities.

It's my impression that it;'s a kind of food that once tried, the majority will like it enough to want it again.

It's knee jerk thinking that you need a significant national customer base to support any kind of specifically national restaurant. I think that is often true but not necessarily always true.

No, I have no plans to open an Ethiopian restaurant. So even if this poll shows massive interest, it would need to be someone else to take action on that. (Dream on, I know).

To add, based on Bangkok, it's been proven that it IS possible to do good Ethiopian food in Thailand, so that's not the problem.

Having flown a dozens of times on Ethiopian Airlines, between Bangkok and Africa and stayed in their Business class lounges, I was introduced to Ethiopian food. I am a fan of anything vegetarian or meat, but not a fan of eating with my fingers, 6 years in Middle east I always had a knife, fork & spoon in my pack. Several times I have had to tell them, it’s my religion to not eat with fingers, as they may be dirty. Little white lies tend to diffuse any ill feelings. Of course, there are things I eat with fingers, but not with other people digging in with their fingers. Used to be a couple Middle East Resturants Lebanese, Turkish, Morrocan etc etc but no Ethiopian I know of - Bangkok Sukumvit Soi 5,6,7 have several (and they give you knives, forks and spoons 😃)

11 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

Ethiopian food is amazingly good. I used to eat at the old Blue Nile in Berkeley whenever I was over there. I don't get to Pattaya very often, but if there was a good Ethiopian restaurant there I would definitely check it out!

is this the one we're talking about? That's what I had. It was good and nice variety but the tray was a mess. I think this is supposed to be a meal for an entire family you share with and you're all picking away at it with your hands. I'd rather go Thai style and put them in bowls and give each person a plate with bread.

https://migrationology.smugmug.com/Blog-Posts/i-QK5vvTz/0/X2/ethiopia-food-guide-X2.jpg

On 3/12/2026 at 10:32 AM, NorthernRyland said:

I had the Ethiopian slop tray once where you eat the little blobs of curries with the fluffy bread which is makes up the tray itself.

I guess it's good enough but it was the definition of 3rd world slop cuisine and you ate it with your hands. Maybe fun once or twice but I don't think it would last long without actual Ethiopian customers. 🤷

Third world or not, Ethiopian food is extremely distinctive with it's own very specific flavor profile. When you see an "African food" place unless they say they have Ethiopian they don't have anything like it.

In my experience at excellent places, not all dishes can be fairly described as slop.

But you bring up the big question -- do you need an Ethiopian base in a city for any chance? I've never seen an Ethiopian person in town (yes that have a distinctive look) but lots of Africans and yes there is an African restaurant here.

There are one or a few places here selling African American "soul food" which does have African roots (not Ethiopian though) and they rely on a base clientele of African Americans.

As such, there would be added element of risk above the already massive risk of opening any kind of place (with the possible exceptions of pizza and burgers) to any brave soul opening an Ethiopian restaurant here. So realistically that can't be expected to happen.

On 3/12/2026 at 10:52 AM, Callmeishmael said:

Ethiopian food is amazingly good. I used to eat at the old Blue Nile in Berkeley whenever I was over there. I don't get to Pattaya very often, but if there was a good Ethiopian restaurant there I would definitely check it out!

It's among my very favorite types of food.

On 3/12/2026 at 1:10 PM, Prubangboy said:

I think you are talking about the place I went to a dozen times. The Taye Restaurant.

I’ve eaten in a dozen Ethiopian restaurants around the world, mostly in Washington DC, New York, and Paris.

This is in the top three such restaurants I have tried, including a five star one in Paris.

They definitely grind their own spices, which you can also buy. It’s a modestly pretty room to eat in as well with the beautiful Ethiopian art on the walls.

I had three Tinder dates there, obviously with white women. No double way does a Thai woman want to go out for Ethiopian food on the first date, or maybe even the millionth date.

Washington DC is the Holy Grail epicenter of Ethiopian restaurants in the USA. Some are at very high gourmet levels and the food is taken very seriously by local food critics.

Best Ethiopian Restaurants in D.C., According to Eater Editors | Eater DC

www.dc.eater.com/maps/best-ethiopian-restaurants-dc-east-african-food

The sample of this poll though small does at least confirm my original theory that Ethiopian food once tried is a kind of food that the majority people want to eat again.

If nothing else, that's a faint bit of encouragement.

21 hours ago, Explorator en Action said:

Having flown a dozens of times on Ethiopian Airlines, between Bangkok and Africa and stayed in their Business class lounges, I was introduced to Ethiopian food. I am a fan of anything vegetarian or meat, but not a fan of eating with my fingers, 6 years in Middle east I always had a knife, fork & spoon in my pack. Several times I have had to tell them, it’s my religion to not eat with fingers, as they may be dirty. Little white lies tend to diffuse any ill feelings. Of course, there are things I eat with fingers, but not with other people digging in with their fingers. Used to be a couple Middle East Resturants Lebanese, Turkish, Morrocan etc etc but no Ethiopian I know of - Bangkok Sukumvit Soi 5,6,7 have several (and they give you knives, forks and spoons 😃)

Many people do enjoy the novelty of eating Ethiopian food with their hands. But the flavor profile is the big attraction. Also, it's not like eating Indian food with your hands where it's common to actually scoop up wet dishes directly from your hand. With Ethiopian, you tear off some injera and wrap it around so unless you're doing it wrong, the wet stuff isn't on your hand. I refuse to do the Indian style though the Indian philosophy about it is charming -- a belief that you can only taste the food completely by that direct action. I'm not buying it though.

A funny sad thing about this topic is that going forward people searching for Ethiopian restaurant in Pattaya are going to find this topic and learn that. alas, there isn't one! Short of a miracle I suppose. Hello future hopeful searchers!

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Third world or not, Ethiopian food is extremely distinctive with it's own very specific flavor profile. When you see an "African food" place unless they say they have Ethiopian they don't have anything like it.

In my experience at excellent places, not all dishes can be fairly described as slop.

But you bring up the big question -- do you need an Ethiopian base in a city for any chance? I've never seen an Ethiopian person in town (yes that have a distinctive look) but lots of Africans and yes there is an African restaurant here.

I would give it another try. Maybe if it was a single tray for one person that would be ok. I just don't see enough customers doing the family sharing thing with a single piece of bread covered of blobs of food.

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

There are one or a few places here selling African American "soul food" which does have African roots (not Ethiopian though) and they rely on a base clientele of African Americans.

African American soul food would do much better in Thailand. Lots of fried foods and nothing which you can't see what it is before eating.

5 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

I would give it another try. Maybe if it was a single tray for one person that would be ok. I just don't see enough customers doing the family sharing thing with a single piece of bread covered of blobs of food.

African American soul food would do much better in Thailand. Lots of fried foods and nothing which you can't see what it is before eating.

Typically Ethiopian places have combination plates that can work for one or two people.

Also as mentioned before its popular with vegetarians typically with a variety of dishes.

Indeed the vegetarian angle might have potential for marketing in a city without Ethiopians.