Vegan
Buffet
Ethiopian
Ethiopian food. Daytime buffet features 4-5 dishes plus injeera bread and soup and is available til 4pm. Dinner is a la carte menu. Free Wi-Fi. Black-owned. Open Mon-Fri 11:00am-2:00pm, Wed-Sat 5:00pm-8:00pm.
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288 Monroe Ave (at Alexander), Rochester, New York, USA, 14607
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Last update on 16 Nov 2023 by GwenLionhart
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Added by sashwap on 01 Dec 2008
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46 Reviews
First Review by sashwap
amerp
Points +164
Lots of Cooked Veggies - Edit
I have been here a few times now. The food is Ethiopian-inspired. Some of the dishes you can order don't feel Ethiopian but they all tasted good. Lots of vegetable options that are cooked and a vitamix mixed soup on the buffet usually at lunch. Wish they didn't add so much oil to all the dishes but maybe that is the way Ethiopians like to eat their food.
Read morePros: tasty and filling , easy to digest veggies
Cons: lots of food dripping in oil, food is soft
Guest
aibababye
Points +145
So good! - Edit
Went for the first time, and everything was delicious! All dishes at dinner are $4, and 4 of us only spent $50 altogether! Definitely come for dinner. My only complaint is we only got one thing of injera and we all ate it pretty quickly. It would be nice to get more.
Read morePros: Cheap, Quick, Delicious
Cons: Small Parking Lot
Guest
KMR607
Points +359
casual & yummy - Edit
I would call the food sort of Ethiopian & southern fusion. We had the lunch buffet, a great deal and each dish had a distinct seasoning & flavor, the cook kept everything stocked. Great for the whole family!
Read morePros: buffet self-serve, kid friendly
Guest
barbarina
Points +746
Great natural food, a real oasis! - Edit
Great natural food, a real oasis! Warm and cozy atmosphere, owner and chef were super kind with us. We had a really great lunch for a very reasonable price and high quality. I am a vegan and I have really liked it, and so did also my non-vegan friends!
Read moreGuest
slithers
Points +701
Great meal - Edit
For the price, the buffet here cannot be beat. There were about 10 options, including soup, injera, rice & the usual vegan Ethiopian stews, like collard greens ( a beet dish I'd never had), for just under 10$.
Read moreIf I lived near Rochester, I would definitely be a frequent patron.
That said, I've eaten at many Ethiopian places and, while good, this was not the most flavorful. The injera was cold (some places serve it warm which is better). & the one staff person was on his cell phone nearly the entire time. & this is "no frills" place. That's why 4 & not 5 stars.
Pros: all vegan!, cheap, tasty & healthy
Cons: almost too casual, watery dishes & no slotted spoon
Guest
VeganRhyno
Points +284
Great place and hours - Edit
Ate here with my fiancee a while back and since the plates aren't expensive we just got one of everything. Almost all the dishes were great and we had enough for lunch the next day. The staff is friendly and not over-burdening which is a nice change of pace from other places we've been.
Read morePros: Open long hours, Great value, Friendly staff
Cons: Parking can be difficult
Guest
kyleroc
Points +61
Delecious food made fresh - Edit
Wife and I love this place. First time in it might be a bit disorienting as it is a rather large room and the seating is further to the back, near the open kitchen.
Read moreThe prices for everything is very reasonable, especially for what you're getting. The food is all vegan and very filling.
Great for medium sized groups, especially if some people are new to the cuisine. It's not too spicy, and everyone will be able to find something they love.
Quite and peaceful place. Staff is very friendly.
Absolutely worth the visit if you're in Rochester.
Pros: Amazing food + value, Friendly staff, Fun for medium sized groups
Guest
NolanGuiffre
Points +65
Holds a Special Place in My Heart - Edit
I stumbled across Natural Oasis serendipitously, and it was my introduction to all-vegan restaurants. The food is absolutely incredible and very unique. Lunch offers a small buffet style, and dinner allows you to choose from a good-sized variety of Ethiopian dishes. It is perfect for bringing a group of friends and trying a little bit of everything! The staff are absolutely wonderful, and I try to stop by every time I am in the area.
Read morePros: Extraordinary Food, Inexpensive, Wonderful Staff
Guest
gwild
Points +1596
delicious and affordable - Edit
Outstanding
Read moreWe started with coconut milk chai tea with agave. It was wonderful on a cold rainy day.
Each dish cost $4 and it was suggested we order 2 or 3 dishes per person.
Everything was served with injera, an Ethiopian sourdough flatbread made with teff and barley.
We had Lentil stew, risotto with caramelized onions Brussel sprouts and cashew cheese, pizza with shiitakes baby spinach and roasted garlic, salad with arugula and spinach, and Gnocchi with roasted cauliflower.
The only item I didn't like (but my husband did) was the Bhaji. It was broccoli dipped in a chick pea batter and fried.
For dessert my kids had the chocolate carmel Ice cream with coconut milk maple and agave. It was a huge hit.
Each member of my family picked a different item as our favorite. We all agreed we love the food and will certainly be returning.
The service was quick and our server was very friendly.
When we first arrived we almost didn't go in as the place looked a bit sketchy. I am sure glad we did.
Pros: delicious , affordable, Quick service
Cons: Needs redecorating
Guest
kecors01
Points +120
Delicious! - Edit
My husband and I LOVE this place. The owner is very friendly and the food is delicious. During the day and on monday evenings food is served buffet style; Tuesday through saturday you order off the menu. Each item cost $4 and we usually pick 6 items to share between the two of us, which is fun because we each get to have variety. The stew and the lentils are the most amazing thing I've ever eaten; I could seriously eat those every day. It's also nice to go somewhere that is all vegan, thus we can eat anything on the menu.
Read morePros: Excellent food, very friendly owner/staff, small, charming atomosphere
Cons: parking (car pool if going with friends)
Guest
raphalla
Points +768
basic - Edit
The lunch buffet started at 11am and it seems like there are always around 4-5 dishes plus a soup. I wasnt hungry at the time when i was there, so i did a take away. It was $5.99 per pound. The dishes are very common, tasted good enough though. There were yellow rice, lentils, vege soup, stew haricot beans with cabbage, stew turnips and beets and another carrot dish. The dishes were so common that, i wont bring my meat eater friends to go there for experiencing vegan food. But i myself wont mind to walk around one mile from down town to eat there, just because of it is vegan. The staff was friendly and ambience was good though.
Read morePros: vegan, ambience, staff
Cons: basic
Guest
Meggie and Ben
Points +1786
Unique, yummy food - Edit
All vegan food, loved being able to try a little bit of everything and go back for seconds!
Read morePros: Great food
Guest
pinkbubble
Points +74
good food - Edit
I loved that I could try a bit of everything as it was all vegan! Some of the items were better then others, like I wished I took a lot more lentils! Staff is very nice.
Read morePros: all vegan, nice staff
Cons: always the same thing, some items don't taste as good
Guest
vegan2009
Points +32
good food - Edit
I love this place this is the best vegan food I have ever tasted the food is so good and warms the soul. I miss the place. Please try the goodness.
Read morePros: excellent food, healthy, friendly staff
Guest
Dave-a-roni
Points +41
Nice place to drop in and eat - Edit
I went here about 2 years ago...
Read moreVery friendly staff, they do not bother you. The food looks like poop on a plate, but... I have to say it was very delicious and I enjoyed most of it. I can only say that because I know NOTHING about Ethiopian food, this was my 1st, and I would most certainly go back.
The only thing I didn't like too much was the atmosphere, it looked kind of thrown together like they didn't know what to do or where to put what. That could use some improvement for sure.
Guest
Foodking24
Points +50
great little place! - Edit
My wife and 2 children went here for lunch after finding ourselves in Rochester for the morning. The food was really good, especially the lentils!!! Everyone loved it! Well priced, cozy atmosphere!
Read morePros: homemade, 100% vegan, yummy
Cons: none
Guest
Bean_A_Broad
Points +151
Wonderfully delicious! - Edit
My husband & I have been here quite a few times, all without disappointment.
Read moreThe food is wholesome, flavorful, & comforting. We've had the buffet all but 1 time, as they have reportedly started serving dinners. We will have to try that in the near future!
The owner is a total sweetheart. A genuinely nice man who cares about his customers. He & his wife (who is more behind the scenes) have put a lot of TLC into the place.
The ambiance is of the relaxed, cafe sort, since the restaurant is at the back of a health foods store. Very cute though.
We always feel that the food is satisfying & healthy. Writing this is making me hungry for it. Yum!
Pros: Delicious, healthful food, Friendly service, Fast service
Guest
snowy11480
Points +106
Healthy and Delicious Cuisine!!! A Must Try! - Edit
What can i say - I ADORED this restaurant! I went on a weeknight for dinner and they weren't that busy but the food was fresh, home cooked and so tasty!! I think the buffet (from what i could tell on the menu) is at lunch time and at dinner you order off the menu. The nightly menu is decided upon daily and you pick/choose your items - each one was four dollars while i was there. I picked two dinner choices and then a dessert.
Read moreMy first choice was a risotto stuffed squash with a fruit glazed topping - so delicious. Second I had a mung bean and rice dish with spices that were the perfect combo - very filling too. then I had a dessert called Chocolate Fennel Pudding. I was hesitant because i hate fennel seed but this was incredible! the fennel taste was very mild.
This place uses no refined products (like white sugar) and uses local ingredients as much as they can. I was SO impressed and wish we had a place like this near my home in PA. Its an all vegan selection of menu options and the staff are helpful and friendly. And its a healthy vegan restaurant at that! For my whole dinner with tip was 15 bucks. I would highly recommend people give this place a try - the outside appearance of the building needs some help. don't let it keep you back though - go on in and give this place a try! they also do fresh juices, smoothies, coffees, and baked goods!
Pros: Healthy Vegan Cuisine!, Affordable Prices, Friendly Staff
Cons: parking is tough
Guest
sashwap
Points +34
WOW! - Edit
This place is an undiscovered gem in Rochester. The Ethiopian cuisine is simple, hearty, healthy, and very tasty! The lentil soup is amazingly flavorful, and the four other main dishes (plus a rice and veggies dish) are all superb as well. The best part is using injeera (a flat bread that tastes a bit like sourdough, roughly equivalent to an Indian restaurant's naan) to soak it all up!
Read moreThe owner is a very nice guy who recognized my girlfriend and I only the second time we stopped in. He always seems very gracious, attentive, and friendly.
The selection has always been the same every time I've gone there. I for one like the consistency, because it's something I can always count on, but that might be a con for some.
Pros: delicious, feel-good food, lots of space, nice atmosphere, all you can eat
Cons: small selection, small parking lot, no waterslide
Guest
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