Zeret Restaurant 216

This is one of my favourite restaurants in London. It's a secret treasure. The food is amazing, ridiculous value for money and you feel like you've been cooked for by a friend.

I went to Zeret for my birthday and it was the most appropriate way to celebrate my existence; the food was abundant and well priced, the service was friendly and efficient. Long live Zeret!
Comrade Vera. 

Noticed this place was close-ish to where I'm living, so decided to give it a try. It's probably a bit out of the way for most people, but if you're in the mood for some Ethiopian it's really not that hard to get to - just get the bus from Elephant and Castle. It's in a dingy looking council block, but inside the atmosphere is fine.

I found it had been described as both an Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurant - which doesn't really make much of a difference as the two countries are next to each other and the cuisine is very similar.

Like the others here, I opted for the £16 platter for two (luckily I had a dining companion with me!) There was a good mix of vegetables and meat, and we were both very full and couldn't finish all of the injera (flat bread). The food was delicious, and will be cooked according to your spice preference. I like spicy food but my dining companion didn't, so I was able to get some chilli on the side!

The staff here are lovely and accommodating and will always explain dishes to those unfamiliar with the cuisine. They apparently also run a cafe next-door (which is now part of the same restaurant) during the day, which is probably why this is categorised as a "cafe", but it really should be in the African/Ethiopian restaurants category, as that's the main attraction...

From the outside you could be forgiven for walking past this place and not giving it a second though...but you'd be missing out on one of the best meals in London. A friend recommended this place one night just before Christmas and we've already been back 3 times. 

The food is traditional Ethiopian / Eritrean food, served on a communal platter and eaten by hand. You can choose if you would like your food spicy or not, and I have to say there isn't a thing that I've tasted so far that I haven't loved. If you're not sure what to get, go with the Zeret special.

There's a good selection of local and imported beers, and I'm looking forward to trying the coffee ceremony (they roast the coffee beans for you before serving). 

The service here is exceptional, very friendly and keen to please. Overall an inexpensive, great meal in a pleasant setting.