Lemat
5-Course Ode to Addis Ababa Tasting Event
This Berkeley Ethiopian eatery opened in 2016—and you know how good it has to be to have survived the pandemic. In fact, it's so good Lemat has been named to Eater’s "Best Restaurants in Berkeley" 2023 List, along with two of San Francisco Chronicle’s 2023 Lists (“Best in Berkeley” and “Best Ethiopian in the Bay.”) Lemat is named for the handwoven Ethiopian basket, used as a table, upon which is placed injera, a large sourdough flatbread that is incidentally heaven for gluten-free diners. Chef Ejig Berahnu, known to all as Gigi, was born in Addis Ababa and grew up in a family that treasured traditional Ethiopian recipes. At Lemat, she is delighting diners with vegetable, vegan, and meat dishes served either as wot, a thick stew, or tibs, sautéed meats. Consider, for instance, ye doro wot (boneless, skinless chicken stew with herbal butter, onion, garlic, ginger, and chili, served with marinated hardboiled egg and house made cheese) or lamb tibs (cubed lamb sautéed with onion, rosemary, jalapeno pepper, and herbal butter). It’s a delicious culinary adventure that we cannot wait to experience!
About the Host:
Ejig Berahnu
Chef/Owner
Hailing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Chef Ejig Berahnu (commonly known as "Gigi") pursued a degree in Economics at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia before following her true passion. She opened Lemat Ethiopian Restaurant in Berkeley in 2016, focusing on bringing her culture and family recipes to a new world.
The Lineup
All courses will be individually plated.
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Special Lemat Salad
extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, special lemat herbs
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Vegetarian Trio
misir kik: lentil, exotic lemat sauce | gomen: collard green with onion, garlic, cardamom | alcha kik: cracked peas with onion, turmeric
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Meaty Trio
yer doro wot: chicken with herbal butter, marinated hardboiled egg | alicha sigaw: beef stew with turmeric, herbs | lemat kitfo: finely chopped prime beef with special seasonings, purified butter
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Choice of Dessert
baklava OR tiramisu
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Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
fresh roasted ethiopian coffee bean
Lemat
3212 Adeline St
Berkeley, CA 94703
Event FAQs
- Do I have to bring printed tickets to the event?
- No tickets are needed.
- What does the ticket price cover?
- The ticket price covers the full cost of the meal.
- Do guests need to be of a certain age to attend this event?
- Yes. All attendees must be 21+ to gain entry.
- Does this restaurant allow BYOB?
- No. This restaurant is a non-BYO establishment. Outside alcohol will not be permitted at this event.
- What is the event ticket cancellation/refund policy?
- Tickets to our events are non-refundable. However, for emergency requests, we may allow members to transfer their tickets to friends, provided the guest ticket surcharge of $25 is paid when transferring a member ticket to a non-member. All ticket transfer requests (as well as the guest ticket surcharge) must be sent to us prior to the event. Any guests who have not paid the guest ticket surcharge will not be allowed entry.
- Can I bring guests who are not members to this event?
- Yep! Members are able to purchase up to 3 guest tickets to this event (based on availability). However, guest tickets are $20 more than member tickets ($85 + tax/tip), and guests will not be allowed entry to the event unless they're accompanied by a member.
- What must I bring to the event?
- Please make sure to bring a government-issued photo ID.
- Will this event be handicap acccessible?
- According to the restaurant, this event is handicap accessible. If applicable however, please email [email protected] with your needs to ensure proper accommodations.
- What parking information has the restaurant provided for this event?
- According to the restaurant, there is nearby street parking available. Availability may be low however, so please plan accordingly.
- What dietary restrictions/food allergies can be accommodated at this event?
- At this event we will be able to accommodate all dietary restrictions and food allergies. Just make sure to update your dietary restrictions within your Account Info before or after you purchase tickets, or email us at [email protected] after you purchase tickets to let us know what your allergies/restrictions are so we can give the chef a heads up.
