One of the best things to do in Addis Ababa is drink Ethiopian coffee. Looking for other top things to do: http://migrationology.com/2013/12/11-of-the-best-things-to-do-in-addis-ababa-ethiopia/'>http://migrationology.com/2013/12/11-of-the-best-things-to-do-in-addis-ababa-ethiopia/
As you probably already know, Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee - coffee is originally from Ethiopia, and it's still known to grow some of the best quality beans in the entire world. When you're in Ethiopia, coffee is never hard to find. It's an important part of the Ethiopian culture. In Addis Ababa there are a number of different kinds of Ethiopian coffee to drink. All over the place there are cafe's where you'll find European and especially Italian style coffees like espressos and macchiatos. At Ethiopian restaurants you'll find the traditional style of coffee known as buna. And along the sides of the streets and all over the city and neighborhoods you'll find tiny shoebox coffee shops that serve local coffee.
Walking down the street in Addis Ababa you'll frequently get a blast of fresh coffee roasting in your face. You'll know right away that you can step off the side of the road and dip into the small coffee shop for one or ever three cups of coffee. This video was taken at a small coffee shop just next to a hotel that I was staying in. The girl welcomed us in to the scent of delicious coffee being roasted. Her little coffee shop was both a coffee shop and a store selling khat, a leaf that you chew.
When we arrived she was roasting up a batch of coffee beans until dark and fragrant. I chose a seat on a side turned soda crate and watched her make the coffee. When the beans were roasted she transferred them to a mortar and pestle. Using a few swift pounds she impressively had the coffee beans pounded and turned into a fine powder in just a few minutes. From there, the ground coffee was spooned into the jebena, a clay vessel used to make traditional Ethiopian coffee. She then added water to the top of the beans and set the jebena on the hot charcoal to let it boil. Once the coffee had finished brewing, she then covered the coffee pot with a strainer and poured dark brewed Ethiopian coffee into each individual cups. Lots of locals like a ton of sugar in their coffee, but I enjoyed just a half a spoon so it wasn't too sweet. It was marvelous coffee, thick, full bodied, and rich with flavor. When it was really sweet it almost had a chocolatey flavor. Though there wasn't any popcorn at this particular spot, drinking coffee with a small bowl of popcorn on the side is common, especially the a coffee ceremony or at a restaurant.
One of the greatest things about Ethiopia is Ethiopian coffee and I didn't have a bad cup the entire time I was there. If you love coffee, Ethiopia is a country you need to visit as soon as you have a chance.
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