Often do not know
Ethiopian and African food in FootscrayThe Irving strip is here. Little Africa is not.
Footscray's Ethiopian and African strip is Irving, Nicholson and Barkly. Cafe Lalibela and Konjo sit on Irving. Queen of Sheba, Taste of Ethiopia, Addis Abeba and Addis Cafe sit on Nicholson. Abol Africa at 221 Barkly is the vegan and fish room. The African Calabash at 143 Nicholson is West African jollof, not injera. Mesnoy bakes injera at 77 Irving. A search for Little Africa often returns West Melbourne.
Updated 2026-09-17
Where do you start?
Cafe Lalibela at 91 Irving Street is the heritage name: injera, wot, Ethiopian coffee and beer, weekend dulet. Konjo is next door at 89. Ras Dashen on Barkly is the shared-table regular. Abol Africa at 221 Barkly is vegan and pescatarian first. Addis Abeba at 220 Nicholson is the unfussy group platter. Queen of Sheba at 224 Nicholson adds Sudanese dishes. Taste of Ethiopia at 121 is closed Monday. The African Calabash at 143 Nicholson is jollof and fufu, not injera.
Where do you buy injera and spices?
Mesnoy Injera Bakery at 77 Irving Street packs teff, wheat and sorghum injera and sells dry goods. Bright Merkato at 43 Paisley Street is the spice and clothing importer. Confirm both doors. WOW General at 109-111 Nicholson is groceries plus cargo and remittance.
How do you eat it?
Order a mix. Injera is the plate and the cutlery. Vegetarian lentil wot is not a side dish. It is half the point. Go with more than two people if you can.
Questions people ask next
- Is Little Africa in Footscray?
- The restaurant trading as Little Africa is in West Melbourne. Footscray's African strip is Irving and Nicholson Streets.
- What should I order first?
- A combination of meat and lentil wot with injera. At Lalibela, ask about weekend dulet. At Abol Africa, expect vegetable wats and fish. For jollof, use The African Calabash.
- Where do you buy injera in Footscray?
- Mesnoy Injera Bakery at 77 Irving Street. Confirm hours. Bright Merkato on Paisley is spices, not the daily injera run.
Places in this guide
Cafe Lalibela
Often cited as Australia's first Ethiopian restaurant. Injera, wot, weekend dulet, and Ethiopian coffee and beer.
91 Irving Street, Footscray VIC 3011Konjo Cafe
Irving Street African cafe next to the Lalibela cluster. Coffee, stews and a quieter sit-down than the market food court.
89 Irving Street, Footscray VIC 3011Ras Dashen
Family Ethiopian room on Barkly. Wot with beef, chicken, lamb or lentils, and injera from a local bakery.
247 Barkly Street, Footscray VIC 3011Addis Abeba
Unfussy Nicholson Street Ethiopian. Generous platters, strong vegan plates, and a room built for groups.
220 Nicholson Street, Footscray VIC 3011Queen of Sheba
Ethiopian and Sudanese kitchen on Nicholson. Kitfo, tibs, doro wat and injera for mixed Horn of Africa tables, not just the Irving heritage rooms.
224 Nicholson Street, Footscray VIC 3011Taste of Ethiopia
Nicholson Street Ethiopian room for doro wat, kitfo and lentil plates with injera. A quieter alternative to the Irving cluster.
121 Nicholson Street, Footscray VIC 3011Addis Cafe and Roastery
Ethiopian coffee room on Nicholson since 2004. Espresso, take-home bags, and a daytime sit next to Queen of Sheba.
226 Nicholson Street, Footscray VIC 3011Abol Africa
Ethiopian room that leads with vegetarian wats, fish, injera and homemade tej. Frankincense, jebena coffee, and a meat-free default.
221 Barkly Street, Footscray VIC 3011The African Calabash
West African kitchen on Nicholson. Jollof rice, egusi with fufu, suya and plantain from Colin Walcott-Taylor.
143 Nicholson Street, Footscray VIC 3011Mesnoy Injera Bakery
Ethiopian grocery and injera bakery on Irving. Teff, wheat and sorghum injera packed behind the counter, plus spices and dry goods.
77 Irving Street, Footscray VIC 3011Bright Merkato
Ethiopian import grocer on Paisley. Berbere, baltena flours, spices and cultural goods for home cooking, not a restaurant.
43 Paisley Street, Footscray VIC 3011