Restaurant Semhar — Restaurant in Amsterdam

We recently dined at Semhar, an Ethiopian restaurant in Amsterdam, and it was a delightful experience that stood out among the many Ethiopian spots we’ve visited across several countries. Having been to a couple of dozen Ethiopian restaurants in places like the U.S., Canada, and beyond, Semhar impressed us with its excellent food and service.

The staff were warm and attentive, making us feel right at home from the moment we walked in.

The menu offered a variety of dishes, but what really caught our attention were a couple of vegetarian options we hadn’t encountered before, even after years of exploring Ethiopian cuisine. These new dishes - part of the veggie platter -- were flavorful and well-spiced, showcasing the diversity of Ethiopia’s plant-based offerings, which are a staple due to the country’s Orthodox Christian fasting traditions.

The injera, a cornerstone of any Ethiopian meal, was great—darker and crispier than some we’ve had, with a pleasant tang. However, unlike the restaurants we’ve visited in DC and LA, where injera is often made with 100% teff flour, Semhar’s version was a blend of teff with other flours, likely wheat or barley. This seems to be a common practice in European Ethiopian restaurants, possibly due to the high cost of teff or to cater to local tastes, as we’ve noticed this trend in other European cities as well. While the injera was still delicious, we missed the distinct nutty flavor and texture that pure teff brings, which is a hallmark of the more traditional injera we’ve had stateside.

Overall, Semhar is a solid 4-star restaurant. The excellent food, unique vegetarian dishes, and top-notch service made for a memorable meal, though the blended injera was a slight departure from what we’re used to. The cozy atmosphere and the social, communal style of eating—scooping up stews with injera by hand—added to the experience, making it a great spot for anyone looking to explore Ethiopian cuisine...

Seriously AMAZING food! Also for vegans! We had the mixed vegetarian dish with multiple sauces. Normally there is cheese coming with this plate. But we were fasting so we had it made vegan (say you want it without cheese). When Eritrean and Ethiopian (Christians Orthodox) are fasting, they eat vegan food so this dish is also perfect for vegans. The restaurant itself has an African atmosphere decorated with traditional paintings etc. The owners are the nicest people I have ever met. Very welcoming, answering questions and meeting your every needs. The banana beer is also great. So I am definitely...

I went here for the first time a few days ago and absolutely loved it... the restaurant is beautiful and cozy and the server/host (maybe owner?) was so kind and attentive throughout the whole evening. The food was absolutely incredible I could have kept on eating and eating. Such delicious home-cooked food. I highly highly recommend it. I'm not a frequent reviewer, but I loved this place so much I made a note to make sure I left a review!!!

Another side note is that our order was completely vegan, and they were super attentive to that as well! Lots of...