Awaze Ethiopian Eritrean Cuisine — Restaurant in Cary

As an Eritrean-American, Awaze holds a special place in my heart as the ultimate destination for authentic Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. It's not just a restaurant to me; it's a cherished connection to my roots, offering a taste of home away from home. With each visit, I'm transported by the sensational flavors that remind me of my family's kitchen, carefully crafted with love and tradition.

What truly sets Awaze apart is its vibrant atmosphere, where every corner is filled with exquisite traditional artwork, creating a captivating environment that speaks to my soul. From the moment I step through the door, I'm greeted by the warm embrace of familiar scents and the genuine smiles of the staff, who make me feel like a valued member of the family.

Additionally, I'm also the president of a Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association for college students. We have catered food from Awaze over the past three years, and no matter how much food we order there's never any left overs. Being Ethiopian and Eritrean students, having Awaze cater our events is more than just a convenience—it's a heartfelt connection to our heritage, especially while we're away at school. The aroma of their dishes transports us back to the comfort of our homes when times are challenging during our studies, fostering a sense of unity and nostalgia among us all. Thanks to Awaze, our association gatherings have become very popular on campus assisting us to foster community and celebrate our shared culture.

I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to everyone, regardless of cultural background. Whether you're familiar with Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine or eager to explore new flavors, Awaze promises a journey through one of the world's most vibrant culinary traditions. Don't miss out on the opportunity to savor truly remarkable dishes that will leave you craving more.

My food recommendations: Derrick Tibs, Tumtumo and Shrio on top of...

Update May 2025: I haven’t been in to dine in a while so I had the chance to last night. I was so disappointed especially since this place used to be my go-to spot for Ethiopian food. The customer service was pretty rude. I was getting the feeling my family wasn’t welcome there. When we arrived, we were pointed to a table by a younger waitress and then waited for menus. We were waiting for another 5min before I noticed a table got seated beside us and the same waitress immediately brought them menus and took their drink orders. Eventually (as I was debating on just leaving since I couldn’t wait much longer because I had my toddler with me) another employee came and gave us menus. I noticed the prices on the menu increased since I’ve last been. We ordered and our food came out. The portions were so small now especially compared to the price! Almost $23 for a veggie platter! The worst part was my husband ordered a fish entree and received a beef entree…he doesn’t eat beef. He notified our server and she proceeded to tell him he ordered that in a stern manner. Then she went back to see if the kitchen even had the fish dish and came back and said they don’t have it and they replace it with the beef anyways. My husband ended up sharing my veggie platter and extra side of gomen with me. The food wasn’t worth that horrible experience.

Don’t bother coming here when there so many other Ethiopian food restaurants in this area with better prices, portion sizes, and nicer staff.

Original Review 2021:

I tried their food for the first time tonight through take-out. It was super easy placing my order by phone and my order was ready 15min later. I ordered two Veggie Platters. The food was so GOOD! Everything was seasoned perfectly and the portions were huge. I really like the injera...I’m usually so-so about injera but this injera was so tasty! My husband enjoyed his meal as well! We can’t wait to try other items...

As soon as we entered the restaurant I immediately said “woah it smells good in here” We sit down and appreciate the beautiful art on the walls and the woman working in the front brought us our menus. As a vegetarian, it’s always hard figuring out what i can and can’t eat- but they made it easy. there was a whole section dedicated to vegetarian food with a wide variety of selections. I ordered sambussas as an appetizer for me and my boyfriend to share and they came out perfectly. it came with two and they were crunchy and the filling was so good. For my entree I ordered the vegetarian platter. I chose it because it included a variety of the dishes I was interested in off the vegetarian menu. As soon as it came out, I knew it’d be delicious. The injera was the perfect color. (a lot of ethiopian places i’ve been to have made it a bit too light- but Awaze’s was dark and perfectly fermented) I went into the restaurant with intentions to take photos of the food to add to this review but the food was so good looking I totally forgot. It was a lot of food for the price which is awesome- though even after I was so full I thought I couldn’t eat another bite, I just had to keep eating, it was too good!!! After we both finish our meal, it was time to pay, and my boyfriend’s card wasn’t working because it was scratched. He ended up going next store to the food lion to pull out money and I stayed behind, but the lady working there was so nice and understanding - she told us it was all okay and we could come back with the money anytime. He immediately went and got the money to pay her- but that gesture was very kind of her. All that to say- GO TO THIS RESTAURANT!!!! With the delicious food, large variety of vegetarian and meat options, amazing atmosphere, great prices, and the kindest staff you’ll ever meet- there is NO way you’ll be disappointed.

Thank you to all the staff for such a wonderful...