GS Cafe and Ethiopian Cuisine — Restaurant in Covina

As someone who’s passionate about clean eating and mindful of digestive health, I’m always looking for restaurants that balance authenticity with freshness and care. My visit to GS Cafe was a wonderful experience that checked many of those boxes.

I ordered the veggie platter, which came with great portion sizes and fresh ingredients enough for a 2 or 3 more meals! The injera appeared to have some barley mixed with teff, so while it wasn’t entirely gluten-free (as other reviewers mentioned), it was still light, fluffy, and beautifully made. I did miss a bit of that traditional sour tang, but it was clear that real attention went into its preparation.

The Key Sir (beets) were the star of the show — tender, perfectly cooked, and incredibly flavorful. Honestly, it was the best beet dish I’ve ever had. The Misir Wot (red lentils) was surprisingly mild — a thoughtful touch for those sensitive to spice like me. The entire platter leaned toward a gentler spice profile than most of the 50+ platters I’ve tried over the years, but the staff provided traditional spice mix on the side, which was a lovely option for those wanting an extra kick.

The Gomen (greens) had more of a creamed-collard texture than the al dente style I prefer, but it was still well-seasoned. The Fasolia (string beans) and Atkilt (cabbage and carrots) were cooked nicely, though a touch on the oily side — not enough to upset my stomach, but it could be lighter.

And wow! the Ethiopian smoothie was a beautiful surprise! A refreshing blend of avocado, mango, and strawberry, it struck the perfect balance of sweet, fresh, and hearty.

The staff were outstanding; kind, welcoming, and clearly proud of their food. The young man who served me had such a positive attitude that it genuinely added to the warmth of the meal.

Overall, GS Cafe is an excellent choice for those trying Ethiopian food for the first time or for anyone seeking authentic flavors served in a gentle,...

Boy did they exceed expectations here! We’ve been wanting to come here for a while now because they had such high ratings, and we just wanted to try Ethiopian food.

We came on a Sunday around 11:30 and didn’t have to wait for a table, but we did have to wait a bit for our food as everyone before us hadn’t gotten their food yet. It seems like it’s a family owned business (maybe mom and son?) so we only saw two people working.

We ordered the GS Special to share since it serves 2-3+ people. At first, we didn’t think it’d be enough food, but it came with a lot of injera on the side. By the time we finished, it looked like we didn’t even make a dent! All the side dishes that came on the platter were so yummy. The moment we started eating, we couldn’t stop until our stomachs were about to explode.

My husband and I were thoroughly impressed with how delicious the food was and how nice our waiter was. We didn’t know how to pack our leftovers, so he came to guide us to ensure our food didn’t get all mixed together.

Overall, the food was yummy, had generous portion size, more than reasonable prices, and great staff. We will definitely be...

We're from out of town and, loving Ethiopian food yet unable to find it in our area, we read reviews and decided to meet our friends at GS...SO glad we did! The atmosphere is warm and authentic from the moment you walk in. The young man who took our order and waited on us could not have been more delightful and the food was to die for! It was so fresh, flavorful (we had the 8 entree vegetarian combo for 2) and beyond delicious! At other Ethiopian restaurants we've found that many of the options for vegetarians/vegans taste similar to one another and/or be a bit bland...not GS's food! Each item was rich with flavor that tasted just like Ethiopian food should taste...UNIQUELY DELICIOUS! To top it off, their beer was great as was their hot tea, all made better by the way the staff (Mom cooking, son serving) made us feel...as if we dropped into their home in Ethiopia for the best meal ever! We HIGHLY recommend GS Cafe and...