CINCINNATI — A new cafe specializing in Eastern African and Mediterranean cuisine opened in Lower Price Hill this week.
Fùl Café, located at 2115 W. Eighth Street, held its soft opening Tuesday, June 16.
The new cafe, owned by Tez Yohannes, offers a menu rooted in Eritrean, Ethiopian and Mediterranean food and flavors.
Fùl Café's menu offers pastries, falafel chips, pita bread and more. The menu's signature dish is the Fùl Fava Platter, which has fava beans seasoned with herbs and spices, warm pita and various toppings, such as tomato, onions, peppers, feta and spices.
Outside of food, the cafe has coffee, tea and other beverages. Fùl Café also specializes in coffee brewed in an authentic Jebena, a handcrafted clay pot used in Ethiopia and Eritrea, that is prepared fresh with ginger.
For those wanting to have a grander experience, they can partake in an Eritrean and Ethiopian coffee ceremony that takes 45 minutes or longer and includes three rounds of roasted coffee with a cultural snack. Those wishing to partake must book it in advance with the cafe.
Yohannes said she wanted to open Fùl Café to create a welcoming neighborhood space where guests can gather and connect.
"Opening Fùl Café is about creating a welcoming space where people from across the city can gather, share in our culture and traditions, and experience something new," Yohannes said.
Mary Delaney, executive director of Community Matters, said Fùl Café reflects a broader effort to support small business development in Lower Price Hill. The organization has worked with Yohannes over the past three years to provide technical support and assistance with the cafe's development.
"Fùl Café is a strong example of what can happen when local entrepreneurs have access to the resources and support they need to bring their ideas to life," Delaney said. "Investments like this contribute to a more vibrant community-led commercial corridor and strengthen the social infrastructure of the neighborhood."
Fùl Café is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
You can click here to follow along with the cafe.
