Arizona has lost another longtime independent restaurant, following several beloved closures around the state. Cafe Lalibela has permanently closed after 30 years, ending a remarkable run for a family business that helped introduce generations of Valley diners to Ethiopian cuisine.
Chef and founder Atsade Desta confirmed the closure after the Tempe restaurant went dark at the end of September. In a farewell letter, she said the business had struggled since the pandemic and could no longer afford to continue. Mouth by Southwest reported that the restaurant began in Phoenix in 1996 with nine family members and friends before moving to Tempe the following year.
A gateway to Ethiopian food in Arizona
Cafe Lalibela was widely recognized as Arizona’s first Ethiopian restaurant. Its food centered on dishes designed to be shared around injera, the slightly sour, spongy flatbread that serves as both bread and utensil. The menu featured slow-cooked stews such as doro wat, beef and lamb dishes, lentils, collard greens, cabbage and other vegetable preparations, with many naturally vegan choices…