Guzo Cafe: Coffee, Culture, and Ethiopian Cuisine in South Philly

WHEN YOU WALK INTO GUZO CAFE you see a glass pastry case stocked with muffins and bagels from Four Worlds Bakery. The chalkboard menu includes the usual suspects like lattes and mochas. But on closer inspection, you’ll notice Guzo, owned by Wubet Negash, is no ordinary coffee shop. The coffee is Ethiopian and the aromatic chai and other teas are blended in house.

And when you visit, come hungry. Guzo’s menu also includes an array of Ethiopian dishes. You don’t want to miss the gomen (stewed collard greens), misir (spiced lentils), and alicha (a mix of carrot and potatoes).

Negash’s sister, Aster, does most of the cooking. Order the Ethiopian combination served over injera made by Negash’s mom. Unlike many other injeras, this one is made with 100 percent teff flour. It’s darker in color and more robust in flavor than injera made with teff and wheat flour. The Ethiopian menu is a family affair, a labor of love—and it shows.

GUZO CAFE
800 S. 12TH ST.