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Restaurant

Abesha

327 Barkly St, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia

Recommended by 47 people

Updated

Find Abesha

327 Barkly St, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 3 9687 0564
HoursMonday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM Thursday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 PM Friday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 AM Saturday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 AM Sunday: Closed

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Abesha

Barkly Street regulars bypass Footscray’s flashier rooms for Abesha, where a solo owner greets tables, takes orders, and works the burners entirely on his own. The play is the combination platter—spiced lamb, slow-simmered lentils, and braised greens clustered across a massive round of injera. Diners tear off rolls to scoop everything by hand, clearing the tray down to the soaked bread beneath.

  • Spiced Gored Gored: Tender beef tossed in warming spices that keeps diners ordering round after round.
  • Shared Combination Platter: A generous spread of meat and vegetarian curries served over house injera for easy communal dining.
  • Solo Owner Hospitality: Operated single-handedly by an owner who manages seating, dish recommendations, and kitchen prep.
  • Exceptional Value: Substantial portions and varied vegan and meat options that leave guests full at approachable prices.
RestaurantEthiopianRestaurant

What's On at Abesha

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Diners Choose Abesha

From vibrant shared platters to heartfelt solo hospitality, experience Footscray's definitive Ethiopian kitchen—reserve your table now.

  • Communal Hand-Eaten Feasts

    Platters arrive loaded with varied curries and stews layered atop spongy injera, creating an authentic hands-on communal dining ritual.

    8 different items of deliciousness that we ate with our hands.

    Cody Joyce

  • Signature Spiced Specialties

    House-speciality dishes like gored gored deliver tender beef and well-balanced Ethiopian spicing that diners cannot find replicated elsewhere.

    we particularly liked the Gored Gored - I could quite simply never make something this yummy. The spice level was perfect.

    Hayley Flynn

  • Homestyle Personal Welcome

    Diners are welcomed with heartfelt, unpretentious hospitality that feels like sitting down for a private meal in someone's home.

    owner treated us like guests in his home.

    amina iqbal

  • Dedicated One-Man Service

    Operating both front of house and kitchen on his own, the owner personally accommodates requests and guides diners through their meal.

    There’s only one guy working who is lovely and caters to everything you could possibly need.

    Grace

  • Effortless Dietary Variety

    A balanced menu ensures plant-based diners and meat lovers can share the same spread without compromise.

    So many Vegan and Vegetarian options.

    Samaa Kanani

  • Generous Value and Portions

    Plentiful combinations of stews, sides, and extra injera ensure groups leave satisfied at wallet-friendly prices.

    Generous portions at a very affordable price.

    Andy

Signature platters and stews shared over injera, crafted with authentic homestyle care.

  • Abesha Special

    we were recommended the abesha special to share - definitely a good choice!! all the meat was tender and flavourful and all the veggie dishes equally delicious!

    Dara

  • Vegetarian Combo

    Got the Abesha and Vegetarian combos which both came out on a giant pancake plate for sharing. 8 different items of deliciousness that we ate with our hands.

    Cody Joyce

  • Gored Gored

    we particularly liked the Gored Gored - I could quite simply never make something this yummy. The spice level was perfect. We couldn’t stop eating it even though we had way too much food

    Hayley Flynn

  • Doro Wat

    If we're really hungry between two, we'll get an order of Doro Wat and extra injera too 🥰

    Ray

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful hospitality, custom injera, and communal dining define every visit—reserve your table to experience it firsthand.

  • Customised Dual-Flavour Injera

    When ordering, the owner proactively accommodates your taste and will happily provide a mix of injera flavours on request.

  • Dedicated Solo-Owner Hospitality

    The owner personally welcomes diners, recommends dishes for first-timers, and prepares the entire meal solo from start to finish.

  • Communal Feast on a Shared Injera Base

    Vibrant curries and stews arrive presented together on a sprawling communal injera platter meant to be shared and eaten by hand.

  • Homestyle Care for Gatherings

    Diners are treated like personal guests in a private home, with warm attentiveness that effortlessly accommodates celebrations and allergy needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should first-time visitors order?

Guests recommend ordering the Abesha combination platter or pairing dishes like Gored Gored, Doro Wat, or lamb tibbs. Combination platters come served together on injera, allowing you to sample multiple meat and vegetable curries eaten by hand.

Are there vegetarian and vegan options available?

Yes. Abesha offers dedicated vegetarian and vegan combination platters alongside its meat dishes, making it easy to accommodate non-meat diets on shared platters.

How large are the portions?

Portions are notably generous and filling. Diners find sharing platters easily covers groups and couples, often leaving guests completely full.

Can Abesha accommodate large groups or take reservations?

Yes. Abesha accommodates large dining groups and accepts table reservations, having successfully hosted gatherings of up to 20 people.

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