Serves meat, vegan options available. Ethiopian food. For vegans this is a good option if you want to eat something other than the standard Asian veggie food in Utrecht. The menu has a vegetarian section and it is easy to order a completely vegan meal since cheese and fish (tuna) are listed specifically. It is run by a family that actively promote the Ethiopian culture and want to inspire people to visit their home country, so they are always talking to people about Ethiopia and showing them pictures and guidebooks (after you are done eating). Open Tue-Thu 16:00-22:00, Fri-Sat 16:00-23:00, Sun 16:00-22:00. Closed Mon.
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Pauwstraat 11, Utrecht, Netherlands, 3512 TG
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- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 23 Jan 2016 by Guest
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Added by xJasperx on 25 Jul 2010
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20 Reviews
First Review by Isle of wight
RowanVDA
Points +91
Not the best experience - Edit
Bad service, server had no interest in helping us
Read moreGuest
FemkeK
Points +80
Good tasting food, but… - Edit
We came in on a busy Saturday evening, it was too busy to get the menu. It took more than 1.15 hour to get the main course.
Read moreWe were delighted by the taste. But the plate was filled for 1/3 highly stacked with meat for our meat lover and a small amount of food for the 3 vegans. The three vegans were not filled at the end of the food, which is unusual for Ethiopian restaurants. Luckily we got a bit extra sauce and stew.
Guest
ChloéSchwizgebel
Points +1250
Wonderful discovery - Edit
First time trying Ethiopian cuisine and we could not have been more pleased. A cosy restaurant with a very friendly and welcoming team. The waiter offered us to 'surprise' us with a combination of the best dishes. Surprise dish made fully vegan upon request.
Read moreChickpea, spicy red lentil, kale dishes... all served on traditional injera (Ethiopian pancakes). So many flavors and textures. It really was a wonderful discovery.
And at a very (almost too) affordable price.
We hugely recommend
Pros: Very affordable , Plant-based options clearly indicated
Guest
dester214
Points +538
Good food, super friendly staff - Edit
The food was just very good ethiopian, with several vegan dishes and options as well as a vegan surprise menu. Additionally, the staff was super enthousiastic and was explaining a lot about Ethiopia and explaining a lot about the country, culture and food
Read morePros: Plenty vegan options, Staff had good knowledge of veganism, Amazing atmosphere
Cons: Service is a bit slow
Guest
Pixiesixer
Points +233
Love this place! - Edit
The vegan choices are great and everyone of them tasty. The injera is delicious. The atmosphere in the restaurant is cool and makes for an enjoyable visit. Drinking out of a coconut shell is also fun. Staff are friendly and welcoming.
Read morePixiesixer
Very disappointed with our last visit, our vegan food was served on the same plate as chicken. I would no longer recommend this place. We requested what we wanted to eat and the owner just went ahead and served a ‘surprise’ plate, not as requested.
Read moreGuest
InesAF
Points +629
Nice traditional Ethiopian food - Edit
Small and casual restaurant serving traditional food and ran by a passionate Ethiopian family.
Read moreIt does not look like the most hygienic restaurant but the food is very good and so is the service.
There is not really a set menu but the staff knows what vegan is so you just need to tell them that you're vegan and they will sort it out for you.
I paid 19 euros for half of a plate filled with vegan stews. I'd say that is a bit pricey but it is quite a food experience worth the try.
Pros: Authentic Euthopian food, Friendly staff
Cons: Not very hygienic, Small restaurant
Guest
EmiliaJarochowska
Points +556
Vegan on demand, excellent but slow - Edit
We were offered a fully vegan plate with a huge choice of flavors, high quality and delicious. The place looks very shabby and dilapidated but seems quite popular. The cook doubled as a waiter and we had to wait quite long (20? 25 min?) for our order, presumably because he was alone. If you’re not starving or in a hurry, absolutely worth a visit.
Read morePros: Delicious , High quality , Cheap
Cons: Vegan is not on the menu but can be ordered, Slow-ish, The interior is dark and a bit shabby
Guest
NoaVK
Points +72
So much food - Edit
The Ethiopian cuisine has quite a few traditional dishes that are originally vegan. Try the kik wot or yemsir wot for example. It’s all curries with loads of spices, lentils, other beans and tomatoes or kale. It’s served with the ‘injera’, which is a crazy delicious pancake.
Read moreThe staff is so nice, they are truly dedicated to make your meal an experience. It’s super cozy inside, with lots of Ethiopian details and art.
And a very big plus: it’s SO much food. Perfect after a busy day exploring
Updated from previous review on 2021-07-15
Updated from previous review on 2021-07-15
Pros: Plenty of vegan options, Big meals, Incredibly nice staff
Cons: Only cash money
Guest
chaluleaucassandra
Points +40
Never again - Edit
I've ordered once but will never go back. The food is tasteless, blend, I really did not like the experience. Furthermore, the package was terrible so I received everything mixed together that was super weird.
Read moreAlso, I pass by the restaurant from time to time and it really isn't appealing
Pros: Original
Cons: Not good, Restaurant does not look welcoming
Guest
RemcoKnijpstra
Points +1240
Good food - Edit
We decided to eat out here after we arrived in Utrecht for our first day. The restaurant is located in a little back street and the restaurant looks OK, but not to great either. The menu has a clear vegan section, but the last dish on that section specifies that it has tuna in it, didn't order it but the owner did not had much time for us either to really ask my question about it, so I played save and my wife and I ordered 2 dishes from the vegan section that are clearly vegan. The food was served and 1 big plate with a sort of pancake under it and both dishes were on the 1 plate decided in 2 parts. Another plate with more pancakes was served with it and they wished us a good dinner. At that point it was clear to us that we were supposed to eat with our hands. It was a fun experience to us. I ordered a mongozo beer with the food that was served in a coconut and had a nice tropical flavor to it that really suited the food. The toilets in the place were not that clean and especially the air vent above the toilet had a clear mold growth in it and made me worry a bit about how clean this place actually is. When I wanted to pay I had to wait a long time since only the owner could give us the bill, but he was busy having casual conversations with the other tables. This frustrated his staff, because they noticed too that people were waiting to be served but he was to busy having fun. Some other people on another table walked out because of this because it took to long for them to be served. So in conclusion, the food is good and gives a nice experience in a different culture, but the service is slow and the place is probably not that clean either.
Read morePros: Nice experience, Good price
Cons: Slow service, Place looks not clean (toilet air vent)
Guest
jphartley
Points +38
Decent Vegan Options - Edit
A bit of a divey Ethiopian restaurant, but with plenty of vegan choices which were tasty and not too expensive
Read morePros: Six Vegan Options, Tasty and Healthy, Quick Service
Cons: A bit of a dive, The vegan options are all variations of the same
Guest
JamesMorehen
Points +20
Delicious Ethiopian - Edit
Great, original food and friendly service
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2018-04-29
Guest
Safrits
Points +21
voor vegetariers niet geweldig - Edit
Zeer weinig gevarieerd, niet smaakvol
Read moreGuest
Eepie
Points +920
Enjoyed the food and ambiance - Edit
These people are so nice and funny! Had a great laugh with them.
Read moreThey made a mixed vegan plate for us two. I really liked the taste. We had big full bellies!
Though I find the price for the mixed plate was too much (around €17pp it was I think.
Guest
Treebaard
Points +28
great food - Edit
We have only eaten here once, but we both enjoyed it quite a lot. Had to specify we were vegans, and we were served someone else's (nonvegan) order at first, but aside from that it was a great experience, and very tasty food.
Read morePros: very flavorful food, filling, friendly staff
Cons: the combination meal is pretty expensive
Guest
HelenaS
Points +40
Lovely - Edit
I went there with a non-vegan friend, and we will both go back.
Read moreThe price its low to moderate, but the food and the whole experience is worth it. We eat with our hands, I eat a mix of mostly everything, and everything was delicious. Only complain would be that "a bit spicey" ended up being too spicey, but that might be because of language barrier, and if you are not so meet-friendly, I recomend you to tell them so they dont put it too close in the plate.
Even so, the staff was very friendly and happy to let us know whatever we asked about ethiopian culture.
It was a bit noisy, and cramped, but we could eat there anyway with almost no time waiting for a table.
The music was very nice too and Im pretty sure that you could buy the cd there. With the whole decoration of the place the atmosphere is very inspiring, it makes you feel the good vibes all over the place.
After the food, the staff invited us to a few drinks, which at first included honey, but when I specified that I didnt really eat it, they quickly brought me something else to drink, also very tastee and alcohol free.
I loved it.
P.S.: I believe I spent something like 15 euros counting a great aromatic peppermint tea.
Pros: Almost everything, Friendly staff, nice atmosphere, Great tastee food and opened untill late
Cons: Need to say vegans dont eat honey, Meet to close to the vegan dishes, A bit spicey ended up too spicey
Guest
equinox84
Points +47
Great Food, Very Vegan-Friendly - Edit
Very nice service: When I asked if there were any vegan options, the waiter (owner?) told us that this indeed was the case since in Ethiopia people mostly ate vegan on Fridays due to religious reasons. Hence, we were prepared a large plate of different delicate food. Afterwards, the waiter came to our table with some books about his country and very enthusiastically told us a bit more about it. This restaurant is a really great place to enjoy a homemade meal and the hospitality. I will definitely return on my next visit to Utrecht. :)
Read morePros: food, quality, hospitality
Guest
j8)st
Points +53
Nice and vegan-friendly - Edit
The staff is very friendly and are happy to serve you. You can eat vegan 'pancakes' - with your hands ofcourse - with lots of vegetables. This is definitely one of the more absurd (in a positive way) options for eating out.
Read morePros: Absurd
Guest
marieke.head
Points +90
Good veg food in a sea of omni restaurants - Edit
Although Sunshine is off the beaten track, it's definitely worth your while. We've been a couple of times so far and the food has been really good. For vegans it's important to note that if you order the vegetarian dishes you need to tell them that you're vegan (you might also want to say that you don't eat dairy) as they will add cheese and a cream dressing to the salad on the injera. They have a few different vegetarian toppings/curries to choose from, including dishes made from lentils, kale or brown beans. They also serve Ethiopian beer as well as fair trade Mongozo beer. Despite my initial mishap with dairy on the injera toppings, Sunshine is a great little place serving veg friendly food in a city with very few good vegan/vegetarian options.
Read morePros: excellent food, large portions, open late
Cons: vegans need to specify
Guest
Isle of wight
Points +11
A Great Place - Edit
What a find! This was the first time I had used Happy Cow to find somewhere to eat and as this was the closest to my hotel and I had never eaten Ethiopean before I thought I would give it a go. Comprehensive Veggie options and meat options in case you havent persuaded you mates yet.
Read moreThe meal comes on a large tray and has a "pancake" more like a large pizza sized thin crumpet that the meal is served on. I went for a Veggie mix of beans, lentils, cabbage and tuna. I was told by the manager who was translating the menu that is was spicy. When I heard these words I was expecting something that would have the hairs standing up as has happened so many times before. This time it was perfect a nice spicy flavour that doesnt make you run for a glass of water. :-) Staff excellent and friendly. The Etheopian beer went down well and the complementary desert Honey wine was aslo a reall treat. Just go I cant reccomend it enough.
Pros: Food , Service, atmosphere
Cons: None
Guest
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