Best Ethiopian Restaurant Pasadena Near Me

4worldlovers: Even before there was a Little Ethiopia in Los Angeles, it was our mission to bring true Ethiopian Style cuisine to the residents and visitors of LA and surrounding cities.

Our dishes have always been crafted from authentic recipes, full of delicious flavor.

A Messob is a traditional Ethiopian breadbasket that is interchangeably used as a communal dinning table as well as an Injera storing utensil.

The cultural way to Invite your friends to grab a bite.

When brothers Berhanu and Getahun took over Messob Ethiopian Restaurant, their vision was clear and simple: craft and serve the freshest and most flavorful Ethiopian cuisine that Angelinos could ask for.


Three decades after Messob first opened it's doors in LA, their commitment still stands and holds true.


Today, Messob has grown into an institution in Little Ethiopia and has since been a favorite destination for the vegan community as well as foodies and tourists alike.

4worldlovers: Hello and welcome to Little Ethiopia. An authentic Ethiopian restaurant located in the world’s famous Movie city Los Angeles, California. We are proud to present to you an exquisite and authentic cuisine from one of the oldest countries in the world, Ethiopia, a country of three thousand years of history, thirteen months of sunshine and home of the earliest known human kind, Lucy, our ancestor.

4worldlovers:
Ethiopia's coffee ceremony is an integral part of Ethiopian social and cultural life. An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect and is an excellent example of Ethiopian hospitality. Performing the ceremony is almost obligatory in the presence of a visitor, whatever the time of day. Don't be in a hurry though - this special ceremony can take a few hours. So sit back and enjoy because it is most definitely not instant. Read more!


Rahel, original owner, of Messob Restaurant from 1985 to 2000 is featured in the below LA Times review photo:

In 1985, Rahel opened Messob Restaurant with her mission being to provide authentic ethiopian cuisine to the residents and visitors of Los Angeles. Her dishes have always been crafted from age-old recipes full of delicious flavor. In 2000, however, she left Messob Restaurant to pursue her higher dream.

Rahel opened "Rahel Vegan Cuisine" to fulfill her vision to establish the first ever (and still only) 100% Vegan Ethiopian Restaurant anywhere. She is comitted to preparing the most wholesome, conscious, enjoyable foods without any harm to any animals , to people's health, or to the planet.

Anyway one looks at it , a true vegan diet is the optimal diet for all. That is Rahel's vision and passion ! Vegans can rest assured that their meals are 100% vegan and there has been absolutely no cross-contamination with any non-vegan items. There has never been such items in this facility.

Our customers can rest assured that they are being served the healthiest and most enjoyable Ethiopian Cuisine. Such non-vegan patrons have been delighted to declare,"At Rahels, there is so much variety and flavor and i didn't miss the meat at all!"

Rahel also caters to those who have food allergies.For instance,those with nut allergies can rest assured that there are no nuts in any of the meals r even in the facility's food preparation areas. (Desserts with nuts are prepared off-site.) Rahel also offers gluten-free injera,(the aunthentic Ethiopian bread), gluten-free vegan cheese cake, and over 90% of the dishes are naturally gluten-free. Rahel Vegan cuisine has repeatedly been voted, by the people of Los Angeles at LA's annual world Vegan Day Celebration, as LA's Best Vegan Restaurant.

4worldlovers:
Minced beef tartare or lightly pan fried marinated with Ethiopian spices and herb butter.

Grilled beef sautéed in Kibe (seasoned Ethiopian herb butter) onions, green, chillies, and rosemary.

Grilled beef marinated in Awaze (Ethiopian chili sauce), Kibe (seasoned Ethiopian herb butter), and onions.

Beef stew simmered in spicy Berbere seasoning, herb butter and traditional spices.

Beef stew simmered in herb butter and a blend of Ethiopian spices. (Not Spicy)

A combination of Beef Keye Wot and 8 vegetarian side dishes, served on a large platter. (Serves 2 people)

A combination of 8 vegetarian side dishes served on a large platter. (Serves 2 people)

A fruitful blend of strawberries, mango, and avocado layered on top of each flavor.