Fatima’s Cafe

I had high expectations from reading the Unilocal reviews and they are spot on. The place looks like a hole in the wall so don’t expect a fancy dining experience but for what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for with the love of the food preparation. Everything was hot and fresh and the flavor combinations were exceptional. The staff was very helpful and happy to assist in food selection.

What a delicious and delightful lunch. The samosas were the best I have ever had anywhere– don’t miss the home made hot sauce that goes with it. The vegetarian Ethiopian platter was incredible– each element was perfectly spiced, fresh and delicious. Our host was the delightful part– friendly, welcoming and accommodating. And don’t miss out on the mango lassi and chai tea– delicious! Well worth the hour drive from RI that we took to find good Ethiopian food. We’re already planning our next trip back to Worcester for another incredible meal.

A wonderful, short menu, family owned café. Food was great. Service was gracious and friendly. We met Fatima and her daughter and son who were cooking and serving. Fatima came up and answered questions we had regarding Ethopian cooking and her restaurant. They were all so friendly and down to earth. We’ll definitely go back.

The most friendly and familiar environment, hosted by folks you’d swear you’ve known for years!
If you’re intimidated by an unfamiliar menu, just ask, and you’ll get all the info you need!
This place is without a doubt one of Worcester’s best kept secrets!

I found Fatima’s through Unilocal,as it was the highest rated restaurant I could find in Worchester. Well, the reviews are absolutely correct! From the moment we walked in the door, we were warmly greeted by Omar. He was very kind, and knowledgeable about all the items on the menu. In asking for suggestions on what to order, he laid out a few options and answered all of our questions we had about the menu items. When the food arrived, it smelled as absolutely delicious as it tasted. The chai tea is aromatic and not overly sweet. The dishes we tried were so flavorful and quite filling. I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone.

My girlfriend and I went for lunch. This was our first time there and our first time eating this type of cuisine. Can’t recommend it enough. Very different, very well made. Had a kind of «hole in the wall» vibe, but as usual that’s where you find some of the best food.

I can’t claim to be an expert on Ethiopian food since I’ve only had it a handful of times, but this is really tasty either way so I don’t really care. The restaurant is a spartan affair, located in a stripped down former Chinese restaurant. The menu is small, but offers a variety of dishes for both carnivores and vegetarians. We started with some samosas, which come in three varieties (lentil, veggie, and meat) and come with some flabbergastingly hot sauce (which seems to be pretty consistent across all the African food I’ve tried). The lentil one is already spicy in its own right though, so be careful. They have an Anjero platter, which comes with a variety of curries (including goat!) all served on a 2 foot diameter circle of injera. I can’t remember all the curries, but all were very good. My favorite is probably the lentil, but not by much. You will also likely be served by the nicest man in the world.

This is one of my family’s favorite restaurants. The food is delicious. It is family run.

When I stopped by for a midday lunch break at this place I couldn’t even tell if they were open at first because it was empty and none of the lights were on.
Once I walked in and ordered things went much more smoothly. I was alone and was interested in the Ethiopian Injera platter but it was enough for 2 people so instead I made my own version of the platter. The owner (I’m going to assume it was Fatima?) was first unwilling to accommodate my request for less food but eventually agreed to allow me to create my own platter combination and not have to shell out 20+ for way more food than I needed.
I’m not sure if it was because I was starving or what but this was unarguably some of the best Ethiopian food I’ve ever had. I had the chicken stew and vegetable mixes and they definitely fulfilled my expectations. Each dish was well seasoned and served piping hot. I would definitely recommend Fatima’s to anyone who wants authentic, and well done African dishes.

We went once when we were in Worcester and LOVED it. They had vegetarian options for me and meat options for my husband and we both loved our meals. I would definitely go again if ever in the area.

Perfect lunch on a rainy day. My first African meal of Ugali with Sukuma. My tastes buds popped with joy. The Kenyan Chai Tea soothed my soul today. Will come again for lunch.

Best African food in Massachusetts!
Staff was extremely friendly and inviting. The moment we sat down at the table we felt like family. We will absolutely be back and will rave about this place to family and friends.

Walked in on a Tuesday afternoon for some take out. The atmosphere was very much barebones, yet strangely inviting and warm. There weren’t many customers, however a few regulars mingled with a cook on break at one of the tables.
The counter is deceiving, I made the mistake of waiting at the middle counter instead of walking up to the cashier on the right side. Was I stoned? Yes. A little. But a woman (extremely helpful and warm) took my order and helped recommend a few things, like adding the goat to the ugali w/​sukama dish. So worth it.
Got a cup of chai while I waited. Tasted like fruity pebbles with milk. In a «brings back your childhood» kind of way.
Too many hidden gems like this in Worcester.

I’m visiting Worcester on business and found this place on Unilocal.I was attracted by the veggie options. What a great find! I’ve never had East African food before, but if Fatima’s is typical, I’ll be seeking it out.
I had the three stew option. I had green lentils, eggplant, and collard greens. They were all very good but I found a little of the hot sauce made a big difference. Be careful with the hot sauce. It comes with several pieces of «bread» which is more like pancakes. It worked well to mix the stews, add a little hot sauce, and roll them. I also had a samosa. Like the earlier reviewer, I think it may be the best I have had.
The staff was genuinely friendly and helpful. I assume the father was the chef and the son and daughter were working with him. They made me feel very welcome. Too bad I’m leaving Worcester in the morning.

Their chai is really something special: sweet, milky, energizing. Delicious and very generous platters. This was my first time trying Somalian injera, which is fluffier than its Ethiopian counterpart. But the best part of the meal was the warmth and hospitality of Fatima and her family. We left deeply satisfied.
All the meat is halal, fyi.

Visited with a small group last week. Their dinning room is sparse, but the service was great. As others have said, this is a family run place with great service. We started with chai tea and a variety of samosas (veggie, beef, lentil). We didn’t bring a bottle with us, but another table did.
We ordered an Ethiopian and a Somali anjero platter to share for our main course. The Ethiopian anjero is like a large crêpe. I didn’t measure, but it must have been almost 2ft in diameter. The Somali anjero was similar to sour dough pancakes. The platter included an assortment of different dishes (chicken, beef, veggie and goat) to eat along with the anjero. We asked them to include samples of everything. In particular, a collard-​greens and pickled onion dish really stood out. Everything was well seasoned and delicious. If you like heat, ask for their hot sauce. The food was great to share and different enough to give us plenty to talk about.

Got takeout from here on a whim because it has such great reviews.
I specifically asked the person taking the call what was vegan. So, then I ordered some mixed vegetable dish and a lamb dish for boyfriend.
When it got here, there was only one container of food, so I called the restaurant. The person who took my order put the vegan food in the same container as the meat to save space, more like save a container and money.
So, I couldn’t eat anything I paid for, but even if I had it would have been a couple forkfuls. Similarly, the lamb which was $ 14 I believe, took up less than half of the take out container. Definitely not good value, and boyfriend did not like the bread/​crêpe thing that came with it though he thought the lamb tasted ok despite the disgusting appearance.
I won’t be ordering from here again.

I can’t remember the last time I had such a great meal. Everything was fresh fresh fresh, even the samosas, which were, without exaggeration, the best I’ve had in the US. The vegetarian platter exceeded expectations (especially the greens!) and the chai was perfectly spiced and sweetened. What truly made the meal was the thoughtful, warm, and welcoming service by the owners. Believe all the reviews, this is truly a hidden gem.

Just went to this place for the first time and it was delicious. When I arrived at the location, it was decently busy. I ordered the samosa (beef and veggie) and the Ethiopian Anjero Platter (veggies, goat, beef, and chicken). This was a unique experience, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The combination of different spices used in the different dishes tasted fantastic. I probably would not give this restaurant one dollar sign.
Some of the dishes are really cheap, and some are a bit pricier. Sandwiches are around $ 6 – 7. Samosa $ 2 – 5, and the Anjero Platter was $ 19.75 for two people. Overall, pretty reasonably priced.
Pros
–excellent service, the owner was very helpful in recommending dishes that I would like
–owner treated you like family
–clean restaurant
–really fresh food, tastes home made and nothing frozen
–good flavor to food
Cons
–sitting by the window area was a bit cold as there was a draft
–might be difficult to find parking because the street is a main street, but they do have a small parking lot in the back
All in all, I would definitely recommend this place, and I will definitely come back again.

Delicious food and great service. The owners (Fatima and her husband) are such nice and generous people. The first time I came here with my friend, we ordered the mandazis, beef and veggie samosas, somali anjero with goat curry, and kenyan chai tea. Everything was so good! The husband even gave us extra mandazis and free refills of tea at no charge. Very impressed with the portions as well. They also donated mandazis for an event my nonprofit organization was hosting.
I’d definitely recommend coming here!