The Biz Beat: A Must Try Ethiopian Restaurant In San Jose

San Jose Spotlight

September 5, 2023

Ethiopian food is one of the oldest cuisines in the world, and one of the most communal dining experiences as well. For the last 11 years, the owners of Walia Ethiopian Cuisine in San Jose have shared their culture with customers who come from all over the Bay Area to dip their injera bread into shared platters piled with rich and flavorful dishes.

“It is very unique and different,” said co-owner Ephrem Yosef. “All of our food is prepared with passion, joy and care—and sharing it helps to bring people together. It is just love on a plate.”

Yosef’s parents, Girma Bekele and Aster Teklemichael, opened Walia in 2011. Teklemichael is responsible for the recipes, and she often spends time in the kitchen lending a hand.

“My mother wanted to start her own business,” Yosef told San José Spotlight. “Every time she would have guests over, her food was so good they would tell her she should open her own restaurant.”

One of the staples of Ethiopian cuisine is injera, a type of sourdough pancake roughly 14 inches in diameter and made from teff, a ground flour that comes from bunchgrass grain.

“We mix it with water and let it ferment for two or three days to make a batter,” Yosef said. “It is very healthy, high in protein, very low in carbs, very high in iron.”

San Jose Spotlight

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