Kaffa Crossing

My pal Brock and I were getting pretty heavy into some Four Loko Gold one night celebrating my divorce-​versary, and we decided that we wanted some authentic Ethiopian flavor. Now, I love eating without proper utensils, and I absolutely adore food that smells like an aging rock star’s sweaty, leather pants, but this place left something to be desired.
Sure, the okra was to die for, and the roadie can of FLG I snuck in was going down super smooth. But, the service was a bit lackluster. When I attempted to order off menu (I had a hankering for some cheesecake), the waiter seemed frustrated, and he simply walked away. «But, sir,» I said, «I’ve got me a hankering. I need this cake. I need this damn cheesecake.»
So, at this point, Brock and I are bordering on a near blackout, and we’re still arguing like a couple primo trial attorneys with this inept service industry worker. I was screaming, «This place smells like a donkey’s thong,» while my buddy the Brockster was just smashing random objects with a frightening intensity. He’d gone through about 15 nice pieces of china flatware by the time the police showed up, and in a continued theme of bad service, the coppers wouldn’t even let me try my okra that had just come out of the kitchen.
Still, probably the best cheesecake I’ve had in Philly. Four stars.

My first time eating Ethiopian! I was a little nervous because I’ve heard the food can be a little on the sour side. I went with a couple of friends and we ate family style.
We got their veggie platter and the chicken, lamb, and beef tibs. It was very flavorful and delicious! I loved all the little side vegetables that came with the meat. You eat with your hands, so make sure you wash your hands before your eat! The sour dough is soft and not too sour tasting. It also serves as a delicious edible delivery device. :) :)
The people were friendly and the restaurant was relatively clean. It wasn’t too noisy either. I saw a few people casually studying here too. I will definitely be coming back again!

As a first timer, this was a great introduction to Ethiopian food. I had the vegetarian combo (cabbage, lentils, salad, and collard greens) and was easily satisfied. The Mango smoothie was also a delight. My friend had the Tibs (beef, cabbage, and lentils) and was also very pleased. Also a great space to get work done during the day.

Relaxed atmosphere. Delicious coffee. Very good food. I’ve once to eat-​in and once for takeout. I plan on visiting regularly for both the coffee and the food.

After waiting for 45 minutes, I was finally acknowledged by a member of the waitstaff. I had originally wanted to order food, but after seeing how long it took to be acknowledged by a server, I shuddered to think of how long it would take to have food delivered to the table, so I switched up my plans, and had a cup of coffee (which was actually very good). I went elsewhere for my dinner.

Space:
Clean, neat, fresh, colorful, enjoyable
Food:
Tasty, came out fast, good for Gluten Free & Vegetarians
Service:
Attentive, pleasant, helpful

I am always looking for good Ethiopian food as I lived in DC, and have sampled some of the best over there. Kaffa has met expectations, however, not the best in Philadelphia for me. Good vegetarian options and good service (although sometimes too slow).

Slightly longer wait than I preferred, but the doro tibs was delicious and they were very accommodating for my friend’s dietary needs. Huge portions, kind service. I can’t wait to go back.

I love the injera bread which is not extra sour or mushy in texture. The veggie selection is excellent and I am a meat eater. The Ethiopian coffee has a wonderful flavor and made fresh. To me the coffee is equal to Starbucks in terms of texture. I love the new décor. I will make this place my staple.

Walked in on a whim on a rainy evening because one of my friends had recommended it pretty highly. It was relatively quiet because of the storm I am guessing. I ordered their injera wrap (requested for it to be spicy) and boy it was wonderful! So much so that I ordered another one even though I was full.
The place has a nice ambience, very clean, quiet space, brightly lit and free wi-​fi. They have helpful staff and it is not very far from Penn’s campus. So it is perfect to spend a day writing a paper or doing assignments. Their coffee is ok too.

Awesome decorated and spicy fresh food. love it

I typed in Kaffa Crossing in Unilocal with the intention of updating my review. I’ve always enjoyed it and figured it was time to reiterate this, especially since they moved to their new spot 2 doors down. Well I was a little surprised to find that I’ve never actually reviewed them before considering how much I eat there.
While they don’t have doro wat here, they do have doro tibs. It’s consistently good and very filling. Their beef tibs and vegetarian platters are also very good. Kaffa also offers smoothies and other coffee blends, and I believe they now serve alcohol in the new location. Although, I personally prefer the byob thing. I actually like their old location more than the new one, simply because it was cozier.
Food and place aside, what I like most about them is the consistency and efficiency. There are plenty of Ethiopian restaurants in the area but they usually take much longer to prepare the food. And many times they tend to not have the food ready when you get there. I understand that it takes a while for this type of cuisine and perhaps there is some microwaving involved but considering it’s just as good and twice as fast, Kaffa is my go to place.

Great food for a great price! The portions are really big so expect to be food comma-​ing for a few hours afterwards. My friend and I came for dinner and both got the vegetarian combo platter, which we both found to be delicious. It was also super refreshing to eat with our hands!
Just a heads up that it gets really hot in the summer due to the lack of ventilation.

The pancake-​like stuff tastes a little bit sour. Very interesting. Decoration is warm and cozy.

Kaffa Crossing is a very special place. A gem, even. They serve incredible Ethiopian coffee, nutty and satisfying. Which is a great start to a lunch here, though be warned — come hungry!
My boyfriend and I always go for a double vegetarian platter. There is nothing in the world quite like the split lentils (misir wot).
The cabbage and carrots (tikel gomen) are perfectly soft and a sweet contrast from the spicy blend used on the lentils; berbere is the name of this divine Ethiopian staple. The split yellow peas (kik aletcha wot) are comforting and simple. This platter is served with a light vinegar salad of romaine, tomato, cucumber and jalapeños!
The injera is always fresh, spongy and generously provided. This teff based «bread» will change your life.
Wash your hands well prior to eating! There’s something very invigorating about sharing a plate of food (with someone you like a lot, as it is an intimate experience) and using your hands. If you’re feeling adventurous and love your tastebuds, this place will please you!
Service is excellent. Very friendly and attentive without interrupting. They seem to show up only when you need them. It does take a good while to receive your food, so don’t try to squeeze this into your day if you’re busy. The food itself will keep your belly happy for hours! I’m happier every time I make it back here. Simple food done well.

With a plethora of African food options in West Philly, everyone’s got their recommendation of which place is best, what you should get, what you should expect and how it’ll come out. Among the hubbub, we found our way to this quaint restaurant that masquerades as a simple coffee shop.
We love the smoothies. Boyfriend opts for chocolate peanut butter, whereas I usually go for a more tropical flavor.
I’m a huge of fan of pretty much every vegetarian dish I’ve tried… lentils and chickpeas and eggplant, oh my! For meat, we love lamb. Spicy, if you like it. Beef is also good, but not as tender.
Honestly, I just love getting a platter of veggie options and gorging myself on soft injera.
Service is attentive, bordering on a bit slow. But they’re pretty good at filling up water glasses and that’s my go to for the final star!
Another bonus? Parking is usually relatively plentiful around here — if not on Chestnut, on the surrounding streets. Or you can hop off the trolley or subway just a few blocks away.
Go get some Ethiopian! And maybe some delicious coffee while you’re at it.

Not sure why this has 4 stars. I’d hate to try out an Ethiopian restaurant in Philly with anything less than 4 because this place was shoddy. The service was crap because the cook was the host and server and the food lacked the level of spice you’d expect from a quality Ethiopian joint. I wish this place was better because by Unilocal,it’s tops in the Philly area. I probably won’t be back.
And don’t get the hummus.

My very first time eating Ethiopian food.
And I was not disappointed. Everything the had a good spicy flavor.
The chicken was tender and tasted fresh.
Everything had a lot of flavor
I’m not crazy about the bread, maybe I’m just not use to the texture is very strange and I’d imagine they be warm and not so cold.
Also very cheap and filling.
This something to eat with a group.
I’ll def be back

I have only gotten Ethiopian food from three different restaurants, including Kaffa Crossing, so I am not going to claim that I am an expert on Ethiopian cuisine. What separates Kaffa Crossing from other Ethiopian places I’ve gone to is the selection of beverages. I ordered the Ecstasy, which is a chocolate, banana, raisin, and soy smoothie. Needless to say, it made me ecstatic. Good thing I haven’t had a withdrawal, but I definitely will go again to try other beverages.
As for the food, I tried the vegetarian platter, which was served with injera. I added a side of eggplant because I love eggplants, but honestly the platter was more than enough to fill up one hungry person’s stomach. I love it!
I took one star off because service is on the slow side and the neighborhood is a little sketchy, but otherwise the food and beverage were good enough to make me want to come back.

Came here for a BYOB group dinner with 25 people and the restaurant was very accommodating. Though located in an area without much going on at night (besides Penn), I think it’s a great little secret.
The restaurant, I believe, is run by Ethiopians, so the food is pretty authentic from what I know. The meat dishes come served on a bread plate type thing (something like a dosa or a roti), and you use it to eat your meal. I ordered the Doro Tibs, which were chicken cubes cooked in a spicy sauce, and I thought it was very flavorful.
It was too bad that I couldn’t pay more attention to the food since I was mingling so much, but I look forward to coming here again and trying some more of their dishes. Another plus is that it’s really affordable — only down side is that it’s out of the way.