Growing up in the shadow of Ras Dashen—Ethiopia's tallest mountain—Zenash Beyene spent her childhood grinding teff and coffee, preparing wats, and learning the best ways to use her mother's collection of spices. By aged 10, Zenash was adeptly cooking family feasts. In the years since, she left her family's kitchen to open Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant, where she works as the chef.

From the Press

• Named one of the top five Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago by WBEZ
• "We’ve enjoyed the stewlike meats at other Ethiopian restaurants, but here grilled meats stand out: lamb seared to scrumptious caramelization, fish crusted with light coconutty char, and beef dressed with piquant berbere sauce." — Chicago Reader
• "To get the real Ethiopian experience, though, you want something that says 'berbere' in the description. Ras Dashen's take on the traditional chili, ginger, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, fenugreek, et al. spice mix is warm, aromatic, rich, and spicy, and could make cardboard taste amazing." — Serious Eats

Skip the Silverware

Fingers work better than forks at Ras Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant. Instead of utensils, tables receive sides of injera: spongy flatbread made from teff, an Ethiopian cereal grass. Diners tear off small pieces of injera and dip them in stewed meats and vegetables heaped atop communal platters. The flatbread's natural tang complements the bold spice of dishes such as chicken and egg simmered in berbere sauce and pan-seared tilapia with ginger and black pepper.