Caffe Utopia & Bar — Restaurant in Alexandria

I went to Caffe Utopia in March 2021 and had the BEST vegetarian dishes I’ve ever had! The service was friendly and conversational, with that “you’re part of the family now” feeling to it. Rahel was our waitress—very delightful to meet, attentive, and funny.

I’ve been telling friends that Ethiopian food is my fave for the majority of the past 10yrs. As a vegetarian, I’d always gotten the vegetarian combo when dining at other establishments. Never before have i EVER liked and finished EVERY dish!!! It took me a day or 2 because the portions are customarily large anyway. But I’m an American who came to learn the names of certain Ethiopian dishes specifically because I always would ask to alter my vegetarian combo with my few favorite dishes. But Rahel brought me all dishes and just extra of the ones I liked most. To my surprise, I loved everything! I normally find collard greens to be a bit bitter or too salty, but helped by injera. But not at Caffe Utopia. The green beans, the collards, the potatoes, the carrots, the shiro, the cabbage, the lentils—I enjoyed them all! Perfectly flavored, not over or under done. Hats off to the chef!

I’m not much of a review writer, believe it or not from my lengthy comment, but I felt it necessary to write this time about this hidden gem tucked away in Alexandria. Whether dining there or getting your food well packaged for eating later (I’ve done both), the quality is superb! Go! Thank...

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!! Stumbled into Caffe Utopia last night and could not be more thrilled to find such an amazing gem in the neighborhood. This place is by far The Best New Thing to come to Alexandria this year and I highly recommend everyone come check it out.

Upon walking inside, I instantly felt like I was home with old friends; the owners made me feel so welcomed and comfortable. We chatted easily and it reminded me why I moved back to Alexandria. They genuinely cared about me, my food preferences, and my overall experience. The food was spectacular as well!

It was easy to tell that Caffe Utopia is a labor of love and what is more satisfying than enjoying food made by someone with so much pride and who gets so much joy from sharing yummy food? So many of my dining experiences in DC just lack the human connection. But you feel connected at Caffe Utopia....

As for the food itself, they use all organic ingredients and everything is made fresh daily. You can't go wrong with the veggie platter... there is so much flavor and not as much oil as I have found in other Ethiopian restaurants. YOU MUST TRY THE SHIRO. There's a fully stocked bar too... Perfect place for date night or a birthday celebration with friends and family.

I'll definitely be back (it's very dangerous for my bank account that this place is walking distance from where I...

My work team and I had a wonderful dinner at Caffe Utopia on Saturday, April 24. Rahel was our waitress and despite being the only person to serve several tables, she quickly charmed us with her good humor and frank advice about what to order. The food was cooked to order and was absolutely delicious! My friends ordered the Awaze ribs (chicken) and another friend ordered the kitfo. [Rahel advised that kitfo might not be a wise choice for someone who's never tasted it before; but the chef said she would modify the recipe --and she did so with great success!] I had the veggie combo, which was the best one I've ever eaten in the DMV. The flavors in each dish were distinct and complex. It wasn't so spicy that I couldn't breathe, but there was a little kick to make things interesting. They offered several starch options; I chose to get the teff injera which was really yummy. I found the tangy flavor of the injera perfectly complemented the different bites I was taking. I cleaned my plate! The sambusas were crispy and packed with lentils. The baklava was light and not overly sweet. They keep a clean restaurant and we were socially distanced from other tables. I will go back and encourage others to visit...or order take out (one colleague said her leftovers were great...