Menu:

Zeret Kitchen
216 Camberwell Road, London SE5 0ED Tel: 0207 701 8587
http://zeretkitchen.com/

In the shadow of tower blocks, on an unlikely parade of shops just off Camberwell Road, lurks a happily accessible little piece of Ethiopia. Bright, clean and simply adorned with atmospheric pictures and handicrafts, Zeret Kitchen is a local favourite that you might not think of trying without a recommendation. Consider it now recommended to you! The friendly, cheerful Ethiopian woman who runs the restaurant is always quick to welcome, and happy to explain the menu, and help the uninitiated make the right decisions. However, rest assured: there seem to be no wrong decisions at Zeret: the food is both authentic and excellent, with subtle textures and flavours, and high quality ingredients. Most dishes are eaten with fingers using enjera (large, soft flatbread); the huge enjera platters are heaped with delicious servings of various foods in front of you in an endearingly serious, ceremonial style, and served in the middle of the table, making for a friendly, quirky, and communal eating experience. The wine list is limited, but adequate, though for the real experience, they offer Ethiopian beers, as well as more standard beers for the nervous diner. They even provide a proper traditional coffee ceremony, complete with popcorn, for those who are making a real night of it. One of us first found this restaurant after being taken there by an enthusiastic Ethiopian friend. That Zeret Kitchen is popular with local Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians alike is testament to its high quality food, relaxed atmosphere, and accessible vibe.

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambience: 3
Gay-friendliness: 3.5