Skip to main content
[UPSCALE ETHIOPIAN] Owner Peter Tesfu seemingly remembers everyone who walks through the door more than once at Bete-Lukas, many by name. But his warm and welcoming personality is only one of the many reasons to track down this gem. Far from the concentration of Ethiopian businesses near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Killingsworth Street and off Division Street's newly built condo hell, Bete-Lukas is located discreetly on the second floor of a nondescript apartment building. It serves the same meat-and-vegetable stews that are staples in Ethiopian cuisine—with tablecloths and always fresh, crisp ingredients. The salad in the middle of the platter is a palate cleanser, and is here often eaten with a fork. The rest of the dishes are always scooped with injera, a spongy teff-based bread. Your best bet is to get the veggie combo ($11) and a beef combo ($14), served family-style, which will easily satisfy two and give you a little taste of everything. BROOKE GEERY.
Turn your leftovers into "firfil," a sort of Ethopian scramble, the next day by reheating in a nonstick pan with no oil or butter.
The Directory: Our 100 Favorite Restaurants in Portland
By Neighborhood: Southeast | North/Northeast | Westside | Suburbs
2014 Restaurant of the Year: Kachka
Top Five: Old Salt, Ataula, American Local, Expatriate
Counter Service Spots: Latin | Asian | Italian | Sandwiches | Burgers
Wine Bars | Beer Lists | Veg-Friendly | Gluten-free | Elsewhere in Oregon
WWeek 2015