NEW ORLEANS — On Nov. 10, Ethiopian restaurant Addis NOLA will officially open for business at 2514 Bayou Road, a bustling hub for Black-owned businesses. The restaurant will start with dinner service only.
“We’re excited to open in our new space and take Addis NOLA to the next level,” said Prince Lobo, who opened Addis NOLA with his mother Dr. Biruk Alemayehu and father Chef Jaime Lobo. “Opening on Bayou Road, the Black Wall Street of New Orleans, allows us to embrace our culturally rich community and shine a spotlight on one of the best-kept secrets in American History.”
Addis NOLA first opened on Broad Street in 2019 to offer an authentic communal Ethiopian dining experience. Since then, the family-owned restaurant has gained in popularity.
The new space will double the restaurant’s seating capacity and bring an array of new amenities, including a full bar and a designated coffee ceremony stage, where the aromatic ritual of coffee roasting will take place. It will also allow for more creativity in the kitchen.
“Our new home will allow us to expand the menu and create a setting that is more evocative of Ethiopia,” said Lobo.
Diners can expect the same core, award-winning menu, including stews, stir-fry, specialty dishes and fresh vegetables. Most dishes are served with a choice of rice or injera – a fermented pancake-like, stretchy flatbread that takes almost three days to make. In traditional Ethiopian cuisine, injera takes the place of utensils, with diners tearing up bits of the flatbread to gather stews and salads.
Addis NOLA will continue to host its Vegan Monday events at the new location.
The restaurant will highlight Black-owned wine and spirit producers with a variety of signature housemade cocktails, beers, and wines such as O.P.P and Chasing Lions served under the direction of Turning Tables founder Touré Folkes and wine consultant Roxy Eve Navaraez.
Designed by Nomita Joshi Interior Design and OI Studio, the 2,500 square feet space combines traditional Ethiopian aesthetics with modern elements. Colors reflect the Ethiopian landscape with pops of brown, red, yellow, green, and dashes of gold, against a neutral backdrop. The main dining area, which seats 62, features dark woods with splashes of yellow, hand-painted columns by local artist Kentrice Schexnayder, family-style tables and a hand wash station
The restaurant will serve dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Monday.
