Lalibela is an Ethiopian restaurant located on Cass Street. The restaurant is family-owned and offers dishes like the combination platter (top left) filled with an authentic taste of Ethiopian cuisine.

Lalibela, a staple of the Ethiopian community in Omaha, is a family-owned business that been serving dishes from all around Ethiopia since 2010, sharing the sour and the spicy with the Midwest.  

As current Lalibela manager Sibhat Gebremichael explained, Lalibela began after his relatives emigrated out of Ethiopia around 35 years ago, escaping a civil war occurring at the time. His relatives first landed on the shores of California before moving to Omaha in the early 2000s.   

Since then, Lalibela has grown into a successful restaurant, with many people from every part of the globe coming in to partake in an Ethiopian food culture that stresses community and the bringing together of people.  

Every dish at Lalibela is served on a large plate, with the thin sour fermented injera placed on top, acting as a tablecloth for the multitude of different vegetables and meat arranged in a circle around the dish. Every table is given a tray of extra injera, where customers tear off pieces and use them to dip and grab the different ingredients.  

The doro wot, a spicy chicken stew originating from the northern region of Ethiopia incorporates a  fusion of strong flavors, from the sourdough taste of the injera to the exotic spice of the doro wot stew.  

A great first taste for newcomers of this restaurant is the combination platter, which brings together the other dishes, like the vegetarian platter that consists of the green, yellow and red lentils, and the kitfo, minced beef spiced with mitamita and cardamom, with spinach and ayip (Ethiopian cheese) on the side.  

Gebremichael said the combination platter is traditionally called beyaynetu, which means “combination” or “everything in one.” While it is usually only served at ceremonies and special gatherings, at Lalibela, it represents the whole Ethiopian culinary compass.  

“This [the combination platter] is pretty much what is describing Ethiopia,” Gebremichael said. “Each tribe has their own different food, but they come as one, and they’re having this.” 

The bringing together of tribes, cultures and families is what makes Lalibela special.  

Lalibela is a great place to stop by when you have a large group. Whether it’s your friends or family, the fascinating culture and spice of Ethiopian food will surely bring you all closer together.