The Best Cafes in Addis Ababa (and where to work remotely)

If you’re looking for the best cafes in Addis Ababa, you’re in luck, the city has a solid cafe culture with plenty of great spots to plug in your laptop, sip amazing coffee, and catch up with friends.

A note on openings: I noticed that many places do not update Google Maps with the correct timings and locations. A few cafes and bakeries that I thought were open, ended up being under renovation.

Want the quick hits for the best cafes in Addis Ababa? Start your morning at Enitewawek or Tryst for a light, artsy vibe. For espresso or macchiato, stop by Aster Coffee and Tomoca. Stop at Rising Cub Coffee Roasters in Kazanchis for a simple remote work spot. And visit one of the Akkoo Coffee branches for good coffee and local food.

Cafes for Coffee, Food, and Remote Working

Tryst Addis

A cool cafe with plenty of seating and good vibes. Tryst is one of the best cafes in Addis Ababa and a go-to spot for food and chilling, or if you want a productive workday in Addis. There is a good mix of locals and people working remotely. The wifi is generally solid enough for video calls, and the setup has a creative energy that helps you stay focused.

If you’re from the DC area, then you may think you’re in an alternative universe when you see the menu. It looks just like the Tryst in Adams Morgan! The connection makes sense. The owner lived in DC for nearly 30 years and spent about 15 years working at Tryst in Adams Morgan before moving back to Addis Ababa to open the cafe of the same name.

Akkoo Coffee

Akkoo Coffee is a popular cafe with all day food options. There are several locations around town. I went to the location opposite the Cuba-Ethiopia Friendship park. We got a misr (lentils) to share and great tea and coffee.

Enitewawek

Enitewawek is a one of the best cafes in Addis Ababa for breakfast, coffee, meet ups, or to work remotely from. There’s a bit of outdoor seating, and the inside is really cute. I ordered the special foul, which came with a teff flatbread with black sesame seeds, a delicious foul, eggs, yogurt, and a small salad. It was super filling. I brought my Kindle and read for a while, and noticed a few other people on laptops, so it definitely feels like a place you could come to work regularly if you lived in Addis.

They also host events, so check out their insta if you plan to be in town for a while.

Fabrica Thirdspace

Fabrica is a cool spot for all day dining and drinks. Laptop hours are only from 9-11am. Choose to stay for a drink, too! We opted to come here for pre-dinner drinks.

Galani Coffee

I recently saw Galani Coffee on a “top 100 coffee shops” list and really wanted to check it out. I didn’t visit the main location but went to one of their other branches in an up-and-coming area that’s still under construction.

The macchiato felt closer to a cappuccino, and the pour over was just okay, but the space itself was surprisingly popular for remote work. There were at least five other people there in the morning on their laptops. If you’re planning to visit soon, it’s worth bringing noise-cancelling headphones because of the construction.

That said, it was still a fun experience, and I really enjoyed my breakfast. Wilhelm’s shakshuka was especially good.

The Blue Hen

With amazing cakes and coffee, you can set yourself up at The Blue Hen for the day. I went twice on my trip as I think it’s one of the best cafes in Addis Ababa. The first time, I got a tea and carrot cake.

The second, I had a tofu Bahn Mi for lunch!

Rising Cub Coffee Roasters

Rising Cub is a great place to get a quick coffee or to do some work. The tables are set up perfectly for remote working (with plugs nearby). There aren’t many food options besides some pastries but I could definitely see myself working here. I had a macchiato and it was great.

Moyee Coffee

Moyee Coffee is a great place to work, with a more European-style cafe vibe. There’s music playing in the background, and most people are either on their phones or working on their laptops. It feels like a solo-friendly space where you can easily settle in for a while. There are a few locations around town, but I went to this one to get a smoothie.

Travel Cafe

A small, hidden spot in Kazanchis, Travel Cafe was on my list to work remotely from on my trip but it was undergoing renovation.

Joyome Coffee

Joyome Coffee looks like a cute cafe with unique coffees.

Dukamo

Dukamo has a few spots around town. I went to the Bole location to try their specialty anerobic coffee and it was worth the hype. The cafe also had a few cute purses with coffee themes and I bought one with the traditional coffee cup pattern.

Adorsi

Adorsi, located by the national library, has an excellent selection of specialty coffee that you can also buy. I liked that there were 5 different pour over options to choose from. The food is also soooo good! We came here on our last day and got an avo toast (with a delish dressing at the bottom) and a croissant sandwich (also so good!). The space is large and airy, perfect for a meet-up or for working remotely.

A Macchiato and Beans

Aster Coffee

Aster Coffee great spot for both locals and travelers to grab an espresso or macchiato. They also export their coffee and offer a blended option, which is what I tried. The inside space is small as expected with a cafe that mostly caters to a quick shot of macchiato or espresso. You’ll probably share some of your dining space with other cafe goers. I bought 1kg of the medium roast!

Tomoca

One of Addis’s most iconic coffee spots and a must-visit for local coffee culture, Tomoca is the best cafe in Addis Ababa to get a macchiato! There is only standing room in the OG location but that’s part of the fun.