Silver Spring has no shortage of good Ethiopian food, but Beteseb distinguishes itself with food bursting with flavor and spice. The injera is made entirely from teff grain, unlike many American-adapted injera that incorporate wheat flour. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday to Sunday. Try the breakfast firfir combo (scrambled eggs, seasoned cracked wheat, spiced bread) or buttery bula porridge.

This Hyattsville restaurant’s recipes have been handed down for generations, so don’t expect any fusion or trend-setting dishes. The menu features Ethiopian standards, including split pea-centric shiro, chili-fueled awaze beef, and a boiled egg-topped chicken stew known as doro alicha. It’s open for delivery and takeout.

A relative newcomer to D.C.’s Ethiopian restaurant scene, Tsehay has already earned a reputation for fresh and deeply flavorful cuisine rooted in Ethiopian home cooking. Co-owner Salem Gossa and her sister Sara make 100-percent teff injera daily. Their mother’s love and recipes inspire the select menu. The vegan combination platter lets customers sample six dishes at once, and the tibs are not to be missed.

This celebrated, decades-old Shaw institution relocated to Adams Morgan in 2017, but fire damage caused an extensive delay in opening. Thankfully, Zenebech reopened in August 2018 with its best-selling lamb tibs, curry goat, and marinated ground beef known as kitfo. Call in takeout orders.

This one-time carryout spot has evolved into a full-service restaurant, with a second location in Baltimore. Fans know to order the vegetable-filled sambusa pastries, chile-spiked fava beans (a breakfast favorite), and zesty doro wat chicken stew. The entire menu pairs perfectly with a cold glass of mango juice. Most evenings, Dukem maintains a late-night club vibe with live Ethiopian music and a full bar.

This combination carry-out, restaurant, and market is open all day and evening, but it’s a mainstay for breakfast. Visitors kickstart their mornings with ful, featuring mashed fava beans alternately heated and cooled by jalapenos and yogurt, as well as kinche, a savory bowl composed of cracked wheat and spiced butter.

This decade-old Shaw staple earns widespread praise from locals and celebrity chefs alike (Top Chef judge Kwame Onwuachi always makes a point to visit when he’s back in town). Named after the West Hararghe zone in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, Chercher serves sauteed short ribs, fried tilapia, and ginger-spiked lamb stew complemented by tej, a regional honey wine. Sit and stay in its charming dining room or order online here. An additional area location sits in Bethesda.

This bright, white-tablecloth restaurant on M Street NW serves traditional Ethiopian fare like lentils, collard greens, and beef tibs, as well as several new takes on old favorites. The front patio tables make for excellent people watching along Georgetown’s main drag. Das also offers takeout and delivery.

Meaza is a hive of activity, serving as sit-down restaurant, market, and event space. The Falls Church watering hole offers Ethiopian coffee service and tangy injera baked fresh throughout the day.

In a city renowned for the quality and variety of its Ethiopian food, Nazret takes Ethiopian staples to the next level in its cozy Falls Church digs. Try the “Nova Combo” —  derk tibs, beef jerky-like stew (quanta firfir), kitfo, and ayib — for $36.99 and don’t miss its Sheba Tej honey wine. Call ahead for the tirre sega: strips of raw beef traditionally served with a fiery spice blend and a mustard sauce.

Family-run Enat — the name actually means “mother” in Ethiopian — boasts all sorts of meat dishes, including tibs flanked with onion and peppers, spiced lamb tripe, and tartare-like kitfo bolstered by herb butter.