New Vegan Ethiopian Restaurant Opens in Santa Monica

Berbere is a new vegan Ethiopian restaurant that is set to open in Santa Monica on September 7. The husband-and-wife team behind the restaurant, Tete and Bicko, have been serving up traditional Ethiopian dishes like teff injera, turmeric-soaked chickpeas, and Ethiopian Twist Sliders at various pop-ups around LA. With an aim to bring diversity to the vegan options in Santa Monica, Berbere will offer reimagined American classics with an Ethiopian twist, such as avocado toast with almond berbere spread and veggie burgers with homemade sauce.

Located just blocks from the beach, Berbere will feature a two-story cafe with dining areas and lounge spaces for beach-goers to enjoy. The restaurant will also have a juice and smoothie bar, a kids' menu, and will serve traditional Ethiopian coffee alongside organic sodas and hot tea. 20% of opening day profits will be donated to Take Care of Home, a nonprofit organization benefiting underprivileged public schools in Ethiopia. Regular hours will be Monday-Thursday from 8am-8pm, Fridays from 8am-5pm, and Sundays from 9am-3pm, with breakfast served until 12pm on weekdays and brunch available all day on Sundays.