dishes served atop Ethiopia’s indigenous bread, injera, such as Tibs Wat: beef simmered in berbere sauce and the Ethiopian clarified butter known as nit’ir kibe. The menu features Ethiopian riffs on American fare such as the popular Pomegranante Meatballs sprinkled with blue cheese, a Sirloin Sambussa stuffed with vibrantly spiced beef, and lightly breaded Rosemary Balsamic Sea Bass with turmeric rice.

Chef Alemayehu made a name for herself with her first restaurant, Sheba, which she established in Oakland after moving to the Bay Area from Addis Abada, Ethiopia in 1976. Alemayehu opened Sheba Piano Lounge in San Francisco’s Fillmore District in 2006. The restaurant and lounge areas seat 100, and the central bar accommodates 70. Sheba Piano Lounge offers an array of live music: from Afro-Cuban jazz to violin soloists, almost every night of the week.