Casual restaurant offering traditional Ethiopian staples, coffee & more in brick-walled digs.
Siena McKim
This is one of my favorite restaurants of all time! The vegan food and drinks are always so good and the staff are so friendly. I travel to Tucson once a year and I stop here 3-4 times during my stay because I can’t get enough. If you only have a few hours in Tucson, I highly recommend making Cafe Desta a priority!
… moreAnuar Orumbayev
First time ever tried Ethiopian thanks to local friends. I liked it. Nice cozy place and friendly waitress. They have a few vegetarian options that suited my taste
… moreRobin Farmwoman
We had a fabulous meal at Cafe Desta. Friendly, efficient service in a small space. We went a bit early on a Saturday and we were glad we did because they don’t take reservations for small groups and the place was completely full by the time we left. The food was wonderful. Really interesting flavors, varied dishes, plenty to choose from. The injira was wonderful! And we were surprised by how low the tab was at the end of the meal. Just a great experience! Highly recommend
… moreLiz
We really enjoyed sharing the vegetarian platter. It was just enough for 2, and the flavors were popping. I thought it was cool they had a rotating dessert too. The interior itself was really cute, and the server was nice and attentive. I would recommend stopping in for sure.
… moreRemya Reghu
We came in an hour before closing and they were so accommodating and friendly. Our food arrived quickly, and everything was delicious. We ordered the vegan platter, which came with a variety of flavorful dishes, a fresh salad, and a side of injera. Each dish had its own unique taste and texture. Highly recommend!
… moreJesse Klein
What an absolute pleasure it was trying a traditional taste of vegan Ethiopian food. I had their vegan sampler, which is enough for 4 people, and almost finished it (I eat a lot). Friendly staff, that had authentic food to provide. No utensils, but served with a type of flat bread to scoop the food up is as authentic as it gets! 10/10
… moreMark N
The food at Cafe Desta was absolutely amazing. There were two of us and we ordered the combination for two with 3 meat dishes and 2 vegetable dishes. The injera was perfect and the spices were incredible.
The staff were so pleasant and nice, and we received our food very fast.
Two notes on the venue, it is small so going outside of the busy times is good if you don’t want to wait, and it is bring your own wine/beer.
Highly recommend Cafe Desta!
… moreMaddi Mara
Don’t read any other reviews- this one is all you need! We’ve just experienced one of the tastiest meals we’ve had in a while. My cousin and I split the vegan platter, family style. Everything that was on that platter was a 10/10; Incredibly, amazingly, astoundingly delicious. They even have gluten free Teff for those needing a gluten free injera substitute!
Cafe Desta also has a full service espresso bar. We ordered the Ethio-Latte, a special latte sweetened with brown sugar and it was delightful.
The restaurant has plenty of natural light with a clean, industrial feel to it. The energy from the servers and the love put into the food brings the well rounded warmth the restaurant needs to make it a 10/10.
Come hungry and leave happily engorged.
… moreKristina Cross
This was AMAZING!!
I’ve never had Ethiopian food before but wanted something that looked healthier than my typical. Mango drink was delicious. I ordered the plate for 2 with my choices being #1,2,5,10 and 11. I would recommend each of these. The lentils and chicken are a medium spice level that did have my nose running but that’s perfect for me.
… moreWalter Schroder
While looking for vegan options for my folks who are visiting, we came across Cafe Desta. There were many unique flavors! I highly suggest that you order the lunch combination option and try as many different things as you can. Be careful though, some of the items can pack some heat! To me, that’s not a bad thing. Definitely give it a shot.
… more