About Injera

Injera is the foundation of the Ethiopian table. It is a fermented flatbread — sour, slightly spongy, full of small bubbles called "eyes" — made from a grain called teff. It is the plate, the utensil, the side dish, and often the most memorable thing about an Ethiopian meal.

What It's Made From

Real injera is made from teff, an ancient grain native to the Ethiopian highlands. Teff is one of the smallest cereal grains in the world — a single seed is smaller than a poppy seed — and the plant has been cultivated for at least three thousand years. It is naturally gluten-free.

Teff flour is mixed with water and a starter from the previous batch, then left to ferment for several days. The fermentation creates the distinctive sourness and the bubbly texture.

How It's Cooked

The batter is poured in a spiral, starting from the outside of a wide circular griddle (called a mitad) and working inward. The injera cooks only on one side — never flipped — until the surface dries and "eyes" form across the top. It's pulled off when it's flexible but cooked through, rolled, and served.

Why It Tastes the Way It Does

The sourness is the fermentation. The texture is from the wild yeast and the bubbles it produces. The slight darkness comes from teff itself, which is naturally a deep brown. Some restaurants use a mix of teff and other flours; we use 100% teff for our default injera, which keeps it gluten-free.

How to Eat With It

1. You don't need a fork. There is no fork.
2. Use your right hand. (Left hand at the table is considered impolite in Ethiopian custom.)
3. Tear a piece of injera from the rolled side serving, not from the round under the food.
4. Pinch the food between the injera and your fingers — never your fingers directly to the food.
5. The injera underneath the food, soaked with the sauces, is the prize. Save it.

Gursha — The Best Bite

If you eat with an Ethiopian friend or family member, you may receive a gursha — a bite of food placed directly into your mouth by someone else at the table. It is an act of respect and affection. It is also surprisingly larger than the bite you'd take yourself. Don't refuse it. You can return the gesture.

Is It Gluten-Free?

Our default injera is 100% teff and is gluten-free. Many other restaurants blend teff with wheat or barley flour to save on cost, which makes their injera not gluten-free. Ours is. Full dietary information

Can I Take Some Home?

Yes. We sell rolled injera by the round for takeout. It keeps for several days refrigerated in a sealed bag, and reheats well wrapped in a damp paper towel.