TL;DR
Lulu EthioVegan (12 E Franklin Ave, Elliot Park) is 100% vegan, rated 4.9 stars, and named a Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Top 50 Restaurant for 2026. Order the sampler platter and shimbra asa. For Saint Paul, Bole Ethiopian Cuisine (1341 Pascal St N) has excellent vegan options and gluten-free injera. At any Ethiopian restaurant, ask for the 'fasting menu' — a Tewahedo Orthodox tradition meaning fully plant-based.
Vegan Ethiopian Food in Minneapolis — A Natural Fit
There is a reason vegans who discover Ethiopian food tend to keep coming back. Ethiopian cuisine is not a cuisine where plant-based eating is accommodated. It is a cuisine where plant-based eating is central — woven into the food culture through centuries of Ethiopian Orthodox Christian fasting tradition.
Every Wednesday. Every Friday. The 55-day Great Lent. During these fasting periods, Ethiopian Orthodox Christians eat no animal products whatsoever. This is not a modern dietary choice or a niche lifestyle. It is a religious practice that has shaped how Ethiopian food is cooked, what dishes are perfected, and how restaurant menus are designed.
The result: when you walk into an Ethiopian restaurant and ask for the fasting menu — or just order the veggie combo — you are ordering dishes that have been refined for centuries, not recently adapted for a new market. You are getting the real thing.
Minneapolis, which has one of the largest East African diaspora communities in the United States, has some of the best Ethiopian food in the country. And right now, that scene includes a 100% fully vegan Ethiopian restaurant that has earned a 4.9-star Google rating and landed on Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's Top 50 Restaurants list for 2026.
Lulu EthioVegan — Minneapolis's Fully Vegan Ethiopian Gem
12 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis (Elliot Park) | $$ | 100% Vegan
4.9 stars | Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Top 50 Restaurants 2026
Start here. Lulu EthioVegan is not just the best vegan Ethiopian restaurant in Minneapolis — it is one of the best restaurants in the city, full stop.
The premise is simple and rare: a fully vegan Ethiopian restaurant. Not vegan-friendly. Not "we can accommodate." Fully, completely, 100% vegan. Every item on the menu is plant-based. You do not have to scan ingredients or ask servers to verify. You order what looks good and it arrives without animal products, because that is what everything is.
The 4.9-star Google rating — out of hundreds of reviews — reflects something unusual in the restaurant world: a place that generates almost no complaints. The food is consistent, the portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the experience is warm. Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's recognition as a Top 50 Restaurant for 2026 confirmed what regulars have known for years: Lulu EthioVegan belongs in the conversation about the best restaurants in the Twin Cities, not just the best vegan restaurants.
What to Order at Lulu EthioVegan
The Sampler Platter — This is how you start. A large tray of injera topped with several dishes at once: misir wot, gomen, shimbra asa, azifa, and whatever else is in rotation. The sampler lets you experience the full range of the menu in a single order and is genuinely the best value on the menu. For a first visit, this is the order.
Shimbra Asa — This is the dish that surprises people. Shimbra asa is a traditional Ethiopian fasting dish made from ground chickpea flour formed into the shape of small fish and served in a spiced sauce. It has nothing to do with fish in taste or texture — it is chickpea through and through — but the presentation is unique and the flavor is deeply spiced and satisfying. It is one of the most interesting dishes you can order at any Ethiopian restaurant in Minneapolis, and Lulu does it exceptionally well.
Misir Wot — Spiced red lentil stew, slow-cooked with berbere spice blend until the lentils become silky and deeply flavored. This is the backbone of Ethiopian vegan cooking. If you eat nothing else, eat this.
Gomen — Braised collard greens cooked with garlic, ginger, and spices until tender and richly flavored. This is not the watery side-dish version. Gomen at Lulu is a full-flavored dish that holds its own alongside the more assertively spiced items.
Azifa — A cold green lentil salad dressed with mustard, jalapeño, and lemon. Served alongside the warm dishes, it provides a bright, cooling contrast. Order the sampler and the azifa will likely be included, but it is worth noting specifically because it is the dish that surprises people most.
The Space and the Vibe
Lulu EthioVegan is a neighborhood restaurant in the best sense: not flashy, not trying to be an experience, just doing excellent food in a welcoming space. The Elliot Park neighborhood sits just southeast of downtown Minneapolis, roughly five minutes from the Convention Center. The restaurant is small, parking exists on the street and in the adjacent alley, and the staff are warm in a way that feels genuinely personal rather than performed.
Go for dinner. Linger. Order more injera if you run out.
Why Ethiopian Food Is Naturally Plant-Based
If you have not eaten at an Ethiopian restaurant before, the structure of the meal is worth understanding before you go.
Injera is the foundation. It is a large, spongy sourdough flatbread made from teff flour — an ancient grain grown primarily in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Injera is naturally vegan and, when made with 100% teff, naturally gluten-free. It serves as both the base on which food is served and the utensil used to eat it: you tear off pieces and use them to scoop up the stews and vegetables arranged on top.
The fasting tradition is what built the vegan menu. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians observe strict fasting — no animal products — on Wednesdays and Fridays year-round, plus extended periods including the 55-day Great Lent before Easter. This religious practice, called Tewahedo fasting, means that Ethiopian cuisine has developed an extensive, sophisticated, deeply flavorful set of vegan dishes that are not substitutes for meat dishes. They are the dishes. Misir wot, gomen, shiro, azifa, shimbra asa — these are traditional recipes, not adaptations.
Asking for the fasting menu is the most direct way to communicate to any Ethiopian restaurant that you want plant-based food. The phrase is understood universally. You do not need to explain veganism or ask the server to check ingredients. "The fasting menu, please" is the language the kitchen speaks.
Key Dishes to Know
| Dish | What It Is |
|---|---|
| Misir Wot | Red lentil stew, spiced with berbere, slow-cooked until silky |
| Gomen | Braised collard greens with garlic and ginger |
| Shiro | Ground chickpea stew, creamy and warming |
| Shimbra Asa | Chickpea "fish" in spiced sauce — a traditional fasting specialty |
| Azifa | Cold green lentil salad with mustard and jalapeño |
| Atakilt Wot | Cabbage, carrots, and potatoes cooked with turmeric |
| Yekik Alicha | Mild yellow split pea stew |
| Fasolia | Green beans and carrots, lightly spiced |
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine — The Saint Paul Option
1341 Pascal St N, Saint Paul | $$ | Vegan-Friendly
For Ethiopian food on the Saint Paul side, Bole Ethiopian Cuisine is the recommendation. Located on Pascal Street in Saint Paul, Bole is not a fully vegan restaurant, but its fasting menu is extensive and the kitchen takes plant-based cooking seriously.
Bole is notable for explicitly offering gluten-free injera — an important detail if you are avoiding gluten as well as animal products. Not every Ethiopian restaurant stocks gluten-free injera, and it is worth calling ahead to confirm availability if this matters to you.
The veggie sampler at Bole is the order. It typically includes several of the core fasting dishes — misir wot, gomen, azifa — along with rotating options. The portions are generous and the injera is good.
Bole is a solid neighborhood restaurant for Saint Paul residents who want Ethiopian food without making the drive to Minneapolis.
How to Order Vegan at Any Ethiopian Restaurant
Even at Ethiopian restaurants that are not fully vegan, ordering plant-based food is straightforward:
Say "fasting menu." This is the clearest signal. Every Ethiopian restaurant understands this phrase and it communicates your request without requiring explanation of veganism or a detailed ingredients conversation.
Order the veggie combo or veggie sampler. This is the standard plant-based order at any Ethiopian restaurant and is almost always the best value on the menu. It includes four to six fasting dishes served on a shared platter of injera.
Ask about the injera. Standard injera is vegan. If you also need gluten-free, ask whether the restaurant has 100% teff injera or a teff-wheat blend. Bole in Saint Paul explicitly offers gluten-free injera.
Specify when ordering specific dishes. Some dishes that appear vegan — like tibs (sautéed vegetables) — can include butter (niter kibbeh) in the non-fasting preparation. On the fasting menu, butter is excluded. Clarifying that you want the fasting preparation ensures the kitchen uses oil rather than butter.
The Elliot Park Neighborhood — Worth Knowing
Lulu EthioVegan sits in Elliot Park, a compact neighborhood just southeast of downtown Minneapolis. It is not a dining district in the way that Uptown or Northeast Minneapolis are — there is no strip of restaurants within walking distance. What is there is a well-placed, easily accessible location five minutes from downtown Minneapolis.
If you are coming from downtown, Elliot Park is a short drive or ride. Street parking is generally available, and there is additional parking in the alley behind the restaurant. The neighborhood is quiet and residential.
The restaurant itself is the destination. Make the trip for Lulu EthioVegan and go directly. You will not regret it.
Practical Information
Lulu EthioVegan
- Address: 12 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
- Neighborhood: Elliot Park
- Vegan status: 100% fully vegan
- Best orders: Sampler platter, shimbra asa, misir wot
- Notes: Street parking + alley parking available; small dining room
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine
- Address: 1341 Pascal St N, Saint Paul, MN 55117
- Vegan status: Vegan-friendly; excellent fasting menu
- Best orders: Veggie sampler
- Notes: Gluten-free injera available on request
For more Minneapolis vegan dining, see our complete guide to the best vegan restaurants in Minneapolis, our vegan date night guide, or our guide to vegan restaurants in Saint Paul.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best vegan Ethiopian restaurant in Minneapolis?
Lulu EthioVegan at 12 E Franklin Ave in Elliot Park is the top choice — 100% fully vegan, 4.9 stars on Google, and named to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's Top 50 Restaurants list for 2026. Every dish is plant-based, no substitutions needed. The sampler platter and shimbra asa (vegan 'fish' made from chickpeas) are the must-orders.
What is the 'fasting menu' at an Ethiopian restaurant?
The 'fasting menu' refers to the plant-based dishes served during Ethiopian Orthodox Christian fasting days — Wednesdays and Fridays year-round, plus the 55-day Great Lent. During fasting, no animal products are consumed. Asking for the fasting menu at any Ethiopian restaurant is the clearest way to communicate that you want fully vegan food. These dishes are not afterthoughts; they are recipes developed and refined over centuries.
Is injera vegan and gluten-free?
Traditional injera made with 100% teff flour is both vegan and gluten-free. Teff is a naturally gluten-free grain. Some restaurants use a blend of teff and wheat flour, which adds gluten. If you need gluten-free injera, ask specifically — Bole Ethiopian Cuisine in Saint Paul explicitly offers gluten-free injera.
What vegan dishes should I order at an Ethiopian restaurant?
Start with the veggie sampler or combo — it typically includes misir wot (spiced red lentil stew), gomen (braised collard greens), shimbra asa (chickpea 'fish'), and azifa (cold green lentil salad). These are traditional fasting dishes, not modifications of meat dishes. At Lulu EthioVegan, every item on the menu is vegan.
Where is Bole Ethiopian Cuisine in Saint Paul?
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine is at 1341 Pascal St N in Saint Paul. It is a vegan-friendly restaurant with a strong fasting menu selection and explicitly gluten-free injera available on request.