Neighborhood Gems: Delightful Ethiopian at Beteseb Restaurant in Silver Spring!

Welcome to a new year with all new food adventures!

Our NEIGHBORHOOD GEMS series features emblematic meals from around the world. This series shines a light on local restaurants and is designed to bring together inquisitive foodies and dishes that are unique and oh so worth a trip on roads less traveled!

Join us for a memorable evening at Beteseb Restaurant - one of Tom Sietsema's top 40 Restaurants in the area (October 2025)!

Washingtonian (Jan 2025)
Lately, we've gravitated to this homey SIlver Spring dining room for our injera fix. The vegetarian platter is a gorgeous color wheel showcasing tumeric - spiced cabbage, vibrant sauteed greens, and three kinds of lentils, each distinct and delicious. Green salad, often an afterthought, gets a zippy dressing. Omnivores: Add the excellent beef tibs to your platter. Even if you upgrade to the juicy rib eye, Beteseb offers incredible value.

Washington Post (October 2025)
Declaring “the best” Ethiopian restaurant in a region overstocked with them is a challenge. While their menus tend to read alike, they distinguish themselves with fine points. Let’s just say Beteseb Restaurant in Silver Spring is where I think about going most often when I need my kitfo and vegetable fix. No other Ethiopian spot of my acquaintance has a more compelling physical menu. It comes in the shape of a round of injera, with lush, life-size photos of some of the dishes you can order.

My current fascination is dullet: boiled, ground beef tripe seasoned with cardamom, jalapeño and mitmita — a torch song trilogy rounded out with garlic, onion and butter. I like to pair the offal with one of the top vegetable combinations around, a garden of delights gathering lentils in three colors: near-melting cabbage, garlicky collard greens and an orange puddle of shiro, chickpea flour stew shot through with onion, garlic and berbere.

Thought has gone into the 50-seat storefront, a wall of which reflects a shade of yellow lentils and a corner of which displays woven baskets and wine. A silver-toned silhouette of Addis Ababa adds to the interior appeal. Beteseb translates from Amharic to “family,” which sums up both the business owned by chef Darmyelesh Alemu and her brother, Aynalem Zeleke, and the chef’s philosophy. “We want you to feel like family when you come in,” she says. Done!

Check out the menu here

Separate checks will be arranged in advance. All diners will settle their own tabs.

We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join and help us support local businesses. In the event our group incurs a fee for no-shows / late cancellations, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we will continue to limit the group size. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 3 friends.

** WAITLIST: Meetup does not allow waitlists for paid events. If this event fills and you would like to be added to the waitlist, please send a note to the host through the Meetup app. **

In the future, we will vary the days of the week and the types of restaurants to keep events interesting.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO GO WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. Feel free to make suggestions for future meet locations.

** The small non-refundable registration fee helps us share the cost associated with the Meet-Up platform ($360/yr) and reduces the likelihood of no-shows, allowing us to better plan our events and accommodate all participants. Meetup charges $0.51 and Paypal charges $0.53 on the $2 registration fee. Thanks in advance for your understanding!**

If you are unable to join us in January, we hope you'll stay interested and join us for a meal in the future. Looking forward to catching up with you for delightful Ethiopian dinner at Beteseb Restaurant!