Harar Restaurant in Lambeth

Excellent food, great welcome by owners, and probably the best coffee this side of the Ethiopian Highlands. Most of the food is gluten free by default, and they also have a lot of traditional vegan and vegetarian dishes. It's all very tasty, not hot spicy, but really good flavours. Try the homemade honey wine, the Ethiopian beer (a pretty good lager), and of course the genuine Ethiopian coffee roasted fresh on demand.

Des plats copieux et des goûts très intéressant. C’est une explosion de saveurs, attention aux plats piquants 😉 C’est une belle découverte !

We visited Harar for a family gathering of 15 people at 3pm on a Friday afternoon. The food was delicious and the service was charming. We enjoyed eating with our fingers using thin bread, accompanied by Tej (honey wine). The coffee ceremony at the end was not to be missed!

I’ve tried so many different Ethiopian spots and I have to say nothing beats Harar Restaurant. Such delicious and hearty food which always leaves my friends and I wanting to go back for more! Friendly and welcoming vibe from the staff all the time.

Visiting London for a few days and love all the options for Ethiopian food. Tried Harrar this time and weren’t disappointed. Food was plentiful and very tasty. Highly recommend.

Great authentic food with lovely family atmosphere. Something different. Nice beers, some unusual flavors. Give it a go..

My partner and I were keen to try some Ethiopian cuisine whilst on a trip to London and found this restaurant online. The interior is more like a canteen but the food was really nice. We had azifa and sambusa for starters and then ye tsom beyaynetu and dora special tibs for main. Also washed down with Ethiopian bottled beer. The food came with injera bread.

I got the veggie platter for 4 for me and my friend and we chowed down like Nubian kings in the valleys of sunny Sub-Saharan Africa, go and eat there (plus its an eat with your hands kind of vibe and thats dope)

I loved ever single dish that I ordered. It was the perfect Temperature, and so so tasty. Will definitely be coming back for more!!

I’ve never had East African and this changed my life I will be coming here all the time I am so glad I stumbled across this gem 💎

Visited with a family. Very conveniently located, amazing food, friendly service, generous portions.There is something for everyone, a variety of vegan options.Highly recommend.

A comida é óptima, variada e apetitosamente apresentada num grande prato, sendo muito difícil escolher qual seja a melhor. O serviço é de uma simpatia e disponibilidade dignas de realce. É um restaurante simples e despretensioso, mas merecedor da visita de quem queira ter uma bela experiência da verdadeira comida etíope.

Really enjoyed the food, the server was not very polite and very slow. But once we managed to get the servers attention the food came quickly.

The variety of vegetables and tastes was delightful. Lots of kids and families. Fun and authentic. But don’t go if you’re in a big hurry.

When we decided to go back to London for a week long trip in early Oct, this restaurant came on the top of our list of restaurants since our previous experience in early June was so memorable. That time we just walked into the restaurant by chance and ended with a delicious and good value meal plus friendly services by an older lady. This time the hostess was not the same but the friendly services stayed unchanged. We ordered a vegetarian platter and a fish dish, just the same as we did back in June. Always wonderful to relive a great experience. The restaurant has nice but simple deco as it seems family run and casual styled. Will definitely head back during our next trip, hopefully soon.

El lugar no se ve mucho desde el exterior, bastante básico por dentro,. . . pero buena comida, muy auténtica, algo diferente sin tener que viajar por el mundo!Especias, sabores, texturas que disfruté, no es algo a lo que estoy acostumbrado. Definitivamente me gustaría volver y probar otros platos en el menú.

Really nice food and lovely service. The food was delicious and not something I've tried before. I would recommend the sharing dish, so you get to try a bit of everything

En la ciudad por trabajo y vi que este lugar estaba cerca de mi hotel y que valía la pena una visita. Absolutamente encantado de haberlo hecho. No estaba familiarizado con el menú, así que empecé por una fuente mixta para uno con chiles rellenos. Los chiles eran ardientes y potentes. La fuente cuando llegó era tan grande que me preocupé genuinamente por haber ordenado erróneamente uno de los platos para que lo compartieran dos personas. Todo en el plato estaba delicioso. Me encontré en la inusual posición de no poder terminar algo que realmente estaba disfrutando. Excelente comida y excelente relación calidad-precio.

Mi compañero y yo visitamos aquí para una cena ligera antes de ir a un evento nocturno. Ninguno de los dos había comido comida etíope antes, pero nos pareció muy sabroso.Teníamos gomen (col rizada cocida con ajo, chile y aceite de oliva) y alicha (curry suave con zanahorias, frijoles y repollo). Estos eran realmente muy suaves, lo que no es algo malo. Los platos en los que vinieron eran bastante pequeños (estaba pensando que tal vez debería haber pedido 2 platos) pero venían con una especie de panqueque, que parecía goma espuma pero tenía un sabor a limón, y una cesta llena de panecillos pequeños. Estos son bastante satisfactorios.Para las bebidas teníamos una Coca-Cola dietética y 2 botellas de cerveza etíope, que es realmente agradable.El servicio es sin prisas, por lo que si buscas un bocado rápido, te sugiero que pruebes en otro lugar. Pero si no tienes prisa, este es un gran lugar para comer.

We had visited Tate Britain for an exhibition and i'd heard that there were some good Ethiopian restaurants nearby and found Harar after a quick search. We've never tried Ethiopian food before and always wanted to give it a go so decided to give it a try.The restaurant itself is quite basic with cafe style tables and chairs. There is a nice seating area in the front by the window. There was only one lady working who was resplendently dressed in traditional dress and was all smiles and friendly. Quite catchy Ethiopian music in the background also!Not really knowing what anything was we went for the Harar special which was a selection of meat & veg dishes as chosen by the chef.We had a couple of Ethiopian beers (Methi) which were nice and another checked off the world beers checklist.The food arrived on a big silver platter with a selection of dishes neatly piled on a type of pancake. It is a little sour to taste which apparently comes from fermentation.WARNING - There isn't any cutlery so you have to eat with your hands. They might have some is you ask but we thought we'd go with our hands.The food was delicious and a blend of spices that we haven't experienced before. Whilst we couldn't tell you the name of each dish you could identify the main ingredients. Nothing was spicy in terms of heat but everything was well balanced. We finished everything and the price was reasonable. If you fancy something different, give it a try!

We had a family get together here and it was a really lovely evening. Delicious food, good atmosphere and very friendly. We had the mixed vegetarian platter and the Karamara and Lega tips (marinaded meat - really tender and delicious). The platter was a wonderful array of different vegetables, all beautifully cooked and very tasty. We've also eaten at the other branch of Harar which is in Kentish Town, also serving food of very high standard I would highly recommend both.

First time in an Ethiopian restaurant for me. The food was lovely. Both vegetarian and fish were absolutely delightful. The place is a bit basic but cosy. Service was very friendly. Prices also very good. Nice.

Hemos comido comida etíope antes y se ha servido caliente (en temperatura), sin embargo, todo estaba frío. Pedimos una selección vegetariana y nada de esto estaba caliente. La camarera realmente no habló en absoluto, ella simplemente puso nuestro plato delante de nosotros. Nadie preguntó si estaba bien. No volvería después de esta experiencia.

Very tasty food, lovely spices and good for price. Only downside is the service a bit slow. I would recommend for good Ethiopian food.

We ordered a starter, chicken dish and mixed veg platter. All very enjoyable. Would recommend for sure.

My first Ethiopian meal and I can highly recommend it. I had a mixed meat dish to try different foods. Delicious flavours, nice presentation and I was looked after beautifully. Good value too, I didn’t leave hungry. Give it a go.

Small restaurant In Vauxhall, just a few minutes walk from Vauxhall Station. The food was delightful, authentic, served on injera (sp?). Not too spicy, with lots of flavors nd variety. Takes a bit of time to get your order, as it is made to order.

Básicamente, planeamos un viaje a Londres para visitar este restaurante. Mi esposa es chef y nunca antes había probado la comida etíope. Tenía mis dudas, pero me alegro de haber comido aquí. La comida es fantástica, diferente a todo lo que he comido antes, pero muy sabroso. Pedimos el Harar Special para 2 personas, y había mucha comida para nosotros dos. Comer sin cuchillos y tenedores, usando el lado del panqueque, para rellenar con las diferentes carnes y especias lo hizo más tradicional, aunque sí se ensucian los dedos. La cerveza fue elaborada en Etiopía, y fue fácil, con un gran sabor.

Authentic Ethiopian food, it was one of the bests I had in London. Call and order as early as possible, because the food takes quite some time to arrive.

Great food and friendly service. My choice for birthday dinner with family and we weren’t disappointed - Grandma’s first experience with Ethiopian food was a success!

Great food and wonderful service. Highly recommended. We had the Veggie Combination and the platter was very big with so many options. We really enjoyed it.

Not a gastro pub, not a trace of hipster/artisan corrugated iron, just a simple little restaurant that is obviously popular with the local Ethiopian community. We were a mixed party of carnivores, fish eaters & veggies, and everyone came away happy and full for well less than £25 a head, including several beers. Very tasty food, and the guy who served us was friendly and polite. However, he was a bit overwhelmed by having to deal with a christening party as well as his other customers, so it drops a point as I suspect there's usually a bit of a wait when it gets busy. The food's worth waiting for!

Un accueil chaleureux et des plats généreux.

The food here is absolutely amazing! The service is beyond great, everyone was so friendly and warm. The quality of the food is great. I would definitely recommend this spot for all occasions. Can’t wait until I come back!

Outside may not be the most attractive but inside was warm on a freezing cold day. Food was delicious, service couldn't be faulted! Every little extra to make you feel welcome. (Toilets clean plenty of paper, soap, hand dryer)

I booked this restaurant to try Ethiopian food because we'd not had it before.

If you want to try authentic Ethiopian cuisine, this place is for you! Very good, freshly prepared food, a friendly waitress (although her English is not the best so it might be difficult to communicate) and all at reasonable prices. For a very big platter for two (vegetarian and meat options) we paid £25. The restaurant doesn’t look great from the outside (or inside) but it’s really worth a trip.

Shared a delicious Ethiopian mixed platter (£30 and cheaper platters available). More than we could eat. Excellent value. Lovely food....

Before finally going in we had passed this restaurant many times and had been put off by the confusing signage,...

Had dinner at this unassuming looking restaurant. It was my first foray into Ethiopian food and I loved it. My...

Spent a pleasant afternoon having a lingering lunch with friends here. I’d not tried Ethiopian before and really enjoyed the...

It was the first time for me in an Ethiopian restaurant. The waitress was friendly and helped me pick the...

The food itself was OK, although we had much better Ehtiopian dishes at other restaurants. The service was slow. The...

Tout était parfait! Varié, original, copieux et délicieux. La dame était souriante et aimable.

Es uno de los mejores descubrimientos personales del año, la comida era estupenda, el ambiente era increíble y la calidad de la comida era deliciosa, 100% recomendable!

Was good food, very reasonably priced. We had the beyonetu for two and were pleased with all the selections. Would go all the time if we lived in the area

I've never had Ethiopian food before but thoroughly enjoyed the food here. It was made to order and nice and fresh. I would recommend it to others if you're in the area.

I went here about a week ago while on a trip to London and I still catch myself wistfully thinking about the food. It was absolutely amazing! I went with three other people and we shared one of the special platters. The presentation was incredible. The waitress brought the toppings out first in a basket-like contraption before placing them onto a roti-like bread on our table. There was so much food and all of it was wonderful. I really enjoyed our meal and I'll go back to Harar whenever I'm back in London!

The reviews on this site are accurate. The restaurant looks very basic and u inviting from the outside and the inside is more like a cafe than a restaurant. There was a good wine and beer menu with excellent African beers. The service was slow and the restaurant was very quiet at 8pm on a Thursday evening. The mixed platter for 2 people was excellent. Don't forget to request the coffee ceremony at the end of your meal. The meal was good value for money and certainly a culinary experience.

I had really high hopes of this place when I booked a table via a Groupon Deal. The reviews had seemed great and I was looking forward to the food.We had booked a table for 12:00pm on the Saturday for lunch for two people. We arrived 10 minutes early as having looked at their website they would have been open. The shutters were down. Leaving and coming back 15 minutes later (so past out booked table time), the shutters were still open and no sign of life.Groupon were great in getting us a refund but very disappointed in the restaurant itself.

Wonderful experience. I booked a group booking and the staff couldn't be more accommodating. The vegetarians couldn't have been happier in terms of the selection of wonderful dishes that they had to chose from. Tasty, very reasonably prided food. Will certainly be booking again. Don't miss the coffee ceremony experience, wonde Filnrnd to the feast.

Best Ethiopian food I have had in London and it is reasonably priced. Don't be put off by the outside, the decor inside is lovely. I will definitely be coming back!

I've been to quite a few Ethiopian restaurants in London now but this is the best I've been to so far. Don't be fooled by its unassuming appearance- it looks like a small cafe from the outside- the restaurant is charming inside, decorated with Ethiopian paintings and soft furnishings. We took the table by the window, and chose the Harar Special vegetarian and non-vegetarian mixed platter. This consisted of a variety of meat sauces or 'wot'. I also requested the kitfo, which is a raw meat delicacy and a favourite of mine. This was not cooked to perfection, if you get my joke! You get a huge amount of food served with injera, the traditional Ethiopian sour pancake- excellent value for money. I'm will be returning very soon.

Thi place looks like a basic cafe from the outside, and inside it has the usual basic tables and chairs plus some softer furnishings at the front. The large menu includes English, Thai and Ethiopian food. We had the latter and the vegetarian options were very tasty. There was a plentiful supply of injeera and an eagerness from the staff to supply more at no extra cost. The staff were very friendly. We went with a Groupon voucher but if we lived localy would definitely visit again.

Tasty, authentic food. Lots of great options on the menu, especially vegetarian options. Nice cafe vibe with African beers.

I eat lunch there on some weekdays. The food might be a bit pricey on the Ethiopian menu (£8-£10) but they do also have an English menu where they serve All Day breakfast amongst other dishes for half that price. However, the Ethiopian food is simple, well cooked, traditional and delicious. They also do not seem to add any extra unnecessary or unnatural ingredients. The thing that attracts me here really is their warm and cordial service. If I want to escape the office atmosphere and want a relaxing and private place to have some exotic good food, I come here if I don't mind spending. There's usually only one person at the front counter and whoever it is, they are very friendly, kind and courteous. It gives you a really homely feel. I love their lamb dishes. They will give you a free injera if you haven't had it before. It is sour but goes well with most dishes.

We went with out any idea what to expect of the cafe and the food. And wow what a nice place and such nice people. Warm welcome and a service with so much heart for making us comfortable. The food took a little while but tasted like they cooked it from the bottom after our orders. All dishes we tried had its own unique flavor and taste. A place highly recommended if you want to try something new and good.

We popped in for a light supper and shared the vegetarian platter for two. Absolutely divine food. Very simple and honest decor and lovely staff. A wonderful change especially if you like food a little on the spicy side!

Having lived in East Africa we've been on the hunt for an authentic Ethiopian restaurant ever since moving back to the UK. We found it here. Absolutely delicious food, huge variety of lovely dishes and the staff were excellent. We can highly recommend this brilliant little restaurant. We'll be going back very soon.

very polite service and nice not too spicy stews, a cafe atmosphere so very casual but very authentic.

Great value for money on a Groupon deal. Tasty food, and excellent samosas.Not fond of the 'flat bread', but otherwise very tasty

We are ethiopian food lovers so spice and pepper are a must have for us. We did enjoyed the food but felt like chicken needed more spice and was more cook into gravy than fried like they said , piece of lamb was very very small pieces with a looot of injera , choro was good but again cant feel the taste of the spice , and kiffo was a delish. I asked not too much pepper because of my young daughter but why couldnt feel the spices? I tried as well a delicious honey wine which is an ethiopian speciality was excellent. At my usual ethiopian restaurant you pay 23.99 for a 3 different veggie preparation and 4 different meat preparation. Harar do offer the same for £25 but the waitress (very nice lady) misunderstood that i asked if we will have at least kiffo (raw warm beef) doro, the chicken fry and stew lamb in my share plate for 2, she said yes but actually wasnt so at the end i had to pay them separaltly total £34 instead of the £25 expected .... It is a warm and nice place i will definitly come back at least for the kiffo and honey wine as it was excellent and well serve .

Visiting a local theatre we had the great good luck to come across this truly delightful restaurant. The staff are friendly and the food, Ethiopian and Eritrean, is sensational.

Went to this restaurant with some work colleagues on a recent visit to London . I found the whole experience to be an absolute pleasure , the food , the staff, the coffee :-) I only get to London a couple of times a year but I am going to make a signifigant effort to get back to this restaurant

Buon ristorante in zona Vauxhall. Personale gentile, prezzi onesti per Londra. Molto caratteristico, cibo e prodotti tipici della cucina etiope (molto piccante!), molto particolare il modo di mangiare senza posate. Lo consiglio.

I love this place. I went several times while staying around the corner for a few months and took singles, couples and groups of friends and relations - every last one of them loved it too.The surroundings are very modest and unassuming, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. The ladies who run it are warm and friendly.The food is like nothing I've had before, tastes and textures and even how you eat it is different. The best thing is to go with three or four friends and order one of the special platters. What comes out is a huge tray with a giant yummy sour pancake, then various vegetables and meat stews are put on the pancake and you get baskets of more pancake that you tear up and use to pick up mouthfuls of food. It is all delicious.Then there is incense and coffee roasted fresh for you.It is a comfortable place to go and eat alone too.

There are many reasons that I am a regular at this restaurant - the welcoming service, the laid back atmosphere, and the yummy food. I would recommend this place to those who want to try East African cuisine for the first time too. The only reason I have rated the service as 3 instead of 4 is that it has occasionally (not always) taken quite some time for food to arrive.?That's not a problem if you're enjoying relaxing with a glass of Ethiopian beer though! Enjoy!

It was date night with the hubby, choice this restaurant because of reviews I had read plus really wanted Ethiopian food. The restaurant looks a bite under whelming from the outside, the inside wasn't that much better. However we were welcomed and seated right away. The restaurant felt like a everyone knows each other type of restaurant but we didn't get ignored. We order a platter ( chef specials) which was a mixture of veggie and non-veggie dishes. It took about 30 minutes for the food to come. When the food came it's was hot, delicious, and there was a variate of about 8 different elements plus salad and injiro. No one rushed us or bothers us, we ate in a comfortable atmosphere. We weren't able to finish our food and when we asked for the bill the waitress asked if we wanted them to pack the rest as take away. Shamed we where going to the theater after and then back home to Southampton because it was so good I regret not taking it. Overall it was an amazing experience!! So don't let the look fool you because the food is worth going in!!!

Very friendly staff, a pleasant ambiance and traditional decor. They have a good range of food - we ordered a platter which comprised a wide range of tasty delicacies - it is particularly recommended! Coffee was very fruity.

First time trying Ethiopian food and it was fantastic. The food is very good and it's really good value. The staff are very helpful and friendly. A really great experience.

This was my wife's and my first time trying Ethiopian food. Regardless of familiarity of correct taste, the food was delicious. NOTE: Echoing some other reviews, the place does look relatively inconspicuous/plain so do not let that deter you from entering.I must also say that the staff was very friendly. During our first meal (yes, we went back for a second round the following day as it was right near our hotel) we were given a free plate of food to try and it was delicious as well. It's important to note that they serve good Thai food as well. It wasn't out of this world, but certainly acceptable. There are two separate menus so you may have to ask for the Thai menu-Oh almost forgot...my wife is GF (Celiac's) and we were able to find options for her. There was a slight language barrier, but the staff was understanding (understood the allergy) and accommodating.If you have not tried Ethiopian and are in the area, it's worth stopping in for a nice, quiet meal.

Very friendly staff and incredibly good value food. Cafe style restaurant, very 'no frills', but absolutely worked for a fun intro to Ethiopian food.Meat platter was delicious, with lots of different options and vegetarian choices equally as appealing and we'll catered for. All dishes (that we ordered) served with 'national bread' (ingera). Spongey texture which might feel odd but not unpleasant. For the quality of the service (waitress kindly offered advice on how we should eat - we clearly looked like we needed it!), fantastic value and opportunity to try lots of different dishes, would happily recommend.

Delicious food, and really friendly staff. We were very full up by the time we'd finished. Great variety on the shared mixed platters. Enjoyed the coffee ceremony. Would definitely recommend to all!

We were very delighted and impressed with the Ethiopian vegetable platter, it was absolutely delicious! The honey wine that was recommended was just as tasty and we were even given free coffee during the coffee ceremony! The staff were very very friendly and helped us choose our meal .We would definitely come back again

Great value to share a large variety of dishes, peaceful atmosphere and friendly staff. Sharing platters are great for big groups too.

Vegetarian platter is plentiful and varied. great value!also enjoyed the surprise popcorn and coffee at the end!

As a first timer to Ethiopian/Eritrean food, I was hugely impressed. Harar offers subtle flavours and textures with tenderly cooked meats and vegetarian dishes alike. It may not look much from the outside but well worth a visit inside for the music, wall hangings and incense, setting a traditional atmosphere to a delicious meal. The incredibly friendly staff were more than willing to help us choose an authentic melee of dishes for our work lunch party, finished off with amazing coffee. I left on a food high and enjoyed it so much that I will definitely be taking my friends and family back for dinner, as I'm told the traditional wine served keeps you laughing all night.

I love Ethiopian food, and every time I travel I look for an Ethiopian restaurant. I have heard about Harar restaurant from a friend. I had a mixed plate of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The food was fantastic, definitely my favorite place! My girlfriend had the ‘Asa-dulet’, which is minced fish grilled with vegetables, she was crazy about it.

We've been coming to this authentic little cafe / restaurant regularly for the last 4 years. The food, which includes everything from your full English breakfast to authentic Thai and Ethiopian fayre, is excellent and, dare I say it for fear that might change, it's still so unbelievably cheap!Where else in Central London can you get a cooked breakfast from as little as £2.90? Or a delicious, perfectly spiced Thai Green Curry with chicken and rice for just £5.50? You can't even eat at home for that sort of cost!The only reason I decided to write this review is that I want to see this place survive. With rising rents and the increasing proliferation of homogeneous chain restaurants nearby, unless this place is properly discovered I fear for its demise.If you haven't been there you should certainly try it and I'm sure you will be amazed. Long live the Harar!

Love this place! The food is delicious and the staff are lovely. The restaurant has an extensive menu including amazing Ethiopian food and delicious Thai options. Yum.

Always a pleasure to visit; always leave satisfied and full! Welcoming,tasty and highly recommended local favourite.

Nous avons découvert la très parfumée cuisine éthiopienne dans ce restaurant à l'ambiance très familiale. Le service était timide mais attentionné et la nourriture bonne. Parfait pour sortir des sentiers battus des restaurants et saveurs auxquels nous avons l'habitude. N'oubliez pas de commander un café qui sera grillé puis moulu sur place et enfin amicalement servi selon un cérémonial atypique.

Fantastic food. Relaxed atmosphere. Traditional Ethiopian artwork on walls. I really like Ethiopian music but we couldn't really hear it in the back room. The service was friendly but inexperienced. At the end of our meal, their debit card machine didn't work. We were told that there was a cash machine next door, which there wasn't! We had to walk half a mile to a 'chargeable' cashpoint machine in a shop. On our return, we were not offered a reduction on the bill or a complimentary drink for the inconvenience. Although this was not a satisfactory end to an otherwise amazing evening, we would definitely come here again....with cash!

Work around the area, so convenient for me to come here for lunch. We usually come here for lunch for lunch with my work colleagues.The Best Thai food this side of south London,

Nice,authentic Ethiopian cuisine in a relaxed setting close to Vauxhall station. Friendly service and great music. They also serve Ethiopian wines, recommend the shiraz.

Excellent food. Menu has broad selection of standard Ethiopian/Eritrean fare and some delightful surprises. Love the Key Wot + Meser (my faves), really enjoyed the Azifa. Very good value for money - least expensive I've had and no compromise on quality.

Fantastic Ethiopian food, it tastes like the food in Ethiopia! Very experienced cooks ! The price was very reasonable and the staff are very friendly. Make sure to order the teff (gluten free) enjera!

Went there for dinner with friends. It's a small little restaurant. Nothing fancy but the food is great. It's been my first time eating Ethiopian food and I was more than pleasantly surprised. I am normally not a lamb meat eater and refuse it on the first sign of muffled smelled. But here it was superbly prepared and cooked. Very delicious. So was the chicken and all the other vegetable and meat dishes. Very nice flavours. Nothing too spicy but cool warmth and kick. If you look for something different to try, want great tasting food and not breaking your bank clad count, give this place a visit. Ethiopian food is served mainly for dinner only.

typical ethiopian vegetable platter pancakes were excellent, so was the free ethiopian coffee roasting show