Bole Ethiopian Cuisine
Experience unfussy, vibrant Ethiopian cuisine with hearty stews and injera in a relaxed dining room that symbolizes resilience.
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Blue hour photography, calmer galleries
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Experience unfussy, vibrant Ethiopian cuisine with hearty stews and injera in a relaxed dining room that symbolizes resilience.
"Possibly the best meal I've had in quite some time. Amazing and novel flavors. 10/10."
Try Recommended Dishes
Explore recommended dishes like kategna, sambusas, miser, siga wat, and ater kik for an authentic taste.
Dine During Off-Peak Hours
To avoid long waits and enjoy a more relaxed experience, consider visiting during less busy times.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Ethiopian
Price
Mid-range
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine
Savor generous portions of vibrant, flavorful Ethiopian dishes like Miser and Siga Wat, served with pillowy injera.
Resilience and Rebirth
Experience a symbol of resilience, with delicious tibs and traditional flavors served in a welcoming dining room.
Vibrant Ambiance
Enjoy a colorful and lively atmosphere, perfect for group meals and experiencing the communal joy of Ethiopian dining.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Try Recommended Dishes
Explore recommended dishes like kategna, sambusas, miser, siga wat, and ater kik for an authentic taste.
Dine During Off-Peak Hours
To avoid long waits and enjoy a more relaxed experience, consider visiting during less busy times.
Reservations Recommended
The restaurant gets busy, especially for celebrations. Making a reservation is advisable.
Embrace Traditional Flavors
Be open to unique Ethiopian flavors; taste can vary, but many find the dishes incredibly satisfying.
Tips
from all over the internet
Try Recommended Dishes
Explore recommended dishes like kategna, sambusas, miser, siga wat, and ater kik for an authentic taste.
Dine During Off-Peak Hours
To avoid long waits and enjoy a more relaxed experience, consider visiting during less busy times.
Reservations Recommended
The restaurant gets busy, especially for celebrations. Making a reservation is advisable.
Embrace Traditional Flavors
Be open to unique Ethiopian flavors; taste can vary, but many find the dishes incredibly satisfying.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine is celebrated for its generous portions of flavorful and authentic Ethiopian dishes, particularly its meat combos and vegetarian platters. While many praise the vibrant atmosphere and friendly service, some reviewers note a slight lack of seasoning in certain dishes and express concerns about the pricing and freshness of gluten-free injera. The restaurant's resilience after a fire also adds to its compelling story.
"I had the vegetarian sambusa, and the veggie platter with, Miser, Shiro, Ater Kik, Gomen, Tiqel gomen. And we had Zil Zil tibs. The gomen was sub par unfortunately. But the Miser (my favorite) and Ater Kik were incredible! The tiquel gomen was interesting since potato and cabbage aren’t my favorites but the way they made them was very good! I also have never had Zil Zil tibs before but they are delicious and lean. We also ordered the Ethiopian tea, as someone who frequently has traditional Ethiopian tea I was not very impressed with it, it lacked spice and dept but was still good to have at the end or the meal. I also had a glass of Jal, it was sweet and delicious (and strong lol) The service was a bit slow but they are very friendly and helpful! Over all a 9/10 restaurant."
Raimee 5ash
"Love this place! I recommend the half and half with Midway and 3 veggies. For veggies, the miser, potato and carrot alicha, and roasted beets are phenomenal. My husband gets the awaze tibs every time and loves how flavorful and tender the meat is."
Morgen S
"A friend recommended this place, and I'm so glad she did! We came here with a larger party of 9 people. They were able to seat us no problem and virtually no wait. Our waiter was great, informative, and checked in with us often. Despite being a larger party, we didn't have to wait too long to receive our food. The food was SO good. By the end of the meal, all of us were stuffed! And there was still food leftover. The food is also reasonably priced and not bad at all if you want to share dishes with your friends. The only and biggest downside was the heat in the restaurant. We went on a hot day in the evening, and the temperature was hotter inside the restaurant than it was outside. Most of us were sweating the whole time, and the heat was really hard to ignore after a while. Overall, I'd still say it was worth it, though."
franchesica kilt
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Many diners recommend the meat combo featuring Doro Wat and Sega Wat, as well as vegetarian options like Miser (spiced lentils) and Ater Kik (split peas). Tibs dishes, especially Zil Zil beef tibs, are also highly praised.
Yes, gluten-free (teff) injera is available, though some reviews mention it can be pricier and its freshness may vary. It's recommended to ask about it when ordering.
The restaurant offers a vibrant and colorful ambiance. It can be loud, but also has a comfortable indoor setting and a nice outdoor area when weather permits. It's been noted as a good spot for dates and group meals.
Yes, Bole is well-suited for group dining, with ample seating and large platters perfect for sharing. Reservations are recommended for larger parties.
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine is a symbol of resilience. Their original location was destroyed but they've reopened in a new building, supported by the community, to continue serving authentic Ethiopian food.
Wait times can vary, but visiting during off-peak hours is advised to avoid long waits. Even with larger parties, some reviewers noted minimal wait times.
Mentioned in
Featured in these publications
The 10 Best Restaurants In St. Paul 2024 - St. Paul
When it’s time for a casual group meal, bring everybody to Bole for pillowy pieces of injera made for scooping up different stews. The table should split the golden-fried beef sambusas before getting to work on the meat combo: spicy doro wat with tender drumsticks, sega wat that’s just as rich but made with chopped beef, and yebeg alicha that has a nice turmeric-garlic flavor on every chunk of lamb. The combo also comes with a chef’s selection of three vegetarian dishes, like yellow split peas or green beans, to balance out the proteins.
Best Restaurants in the Twin Cities, 2022
Burned to the ground during the George Floyd uprising, this little spot reopened in a new building to bring us all a message about resilience and seriously amazing tibs. Tibs, that Ethiopian feast dish that’s something halfway between sizzle-plate fajitas and a stew, are a specialty of chef/owner Rekik Abaineh, who grew up in Ethiopia. She makes tibs of all kinds, including chicken, fish, and lamb, though she’s particularly famous for her Zil Zil beef tibs with berbere spice.
Five St. Paul restaurants to get you started with African cuisine
Bole’s original University Avenue storefront was leveled in fires during the protests following George Floyd’s murder. Their new spot, the former Foxtrot (and before that Delicata and Java Train) in the quiet Como neighborhood, has been spiffed up nicely, with an indoor palapa, fun lighting, a rock-inlay wall and more. In fact, it’s so cute that it could just become a favorite date night spot.
The 12 Best Restaurants for Ethiopian Food in Minneapolis - St. Paul
Fans of Bolé Ethiopian Cuisine were heartbroken when the Midway restaurant was burned to the ground in the 2020 Twin Cities civil unrest. Co-owners Solomon Haile and Rekik Abaineh were committed to re-opening the restaurant and finding a new location. A GoFundMe campaign helped the restaurant raise more than $152,000 and open a brand new site just west of Como Park.
Top 9 Ethiopian Restaurants In Minneapolis
The Ethiopian Food is an online platform aimed at helping all Ethiopian Food lovers around the world get easy access to their favorite Ethiopian Foods at the comfort of their homes using our authentic Recipes, find an Ethiopian Restaurant near them, and learn all about Ethiopian Cuisine.
Àl a Como: Top Eats in Como Park - Saint Paul Insider's Guide
Known for their mouth-watering Tibs and Kitfo made authentically with Ethiopian herbs, and spices, Bole, formerly located in the Midway neighborhood, has made a new home in Como Park. This family-owned and operated business is not to be missed!
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit