Living in Addis
Living in Addis Ababa
Where people in the city eat, walk, train, relax and spend the weekend. Pick a theme, an idea or your area.
141 places7 themes40 areas
Eat and drink
Restaurants and cafes across the city
Evenings
Bars, clubs, live music and cinemas
Outdoors
Parks, gardens and fresh air
Culture
Museums, churches and history
Wellbeing
Spas, massage and gyms
Shopping
Malls, markets and supermarkets
Weekends away
Resorts a short drive from the city
Ideas
Plans for this week
- With childrenSpace to run, play areas and food for all ages64 places
- With visitorsPlaces to show friends and family from abroad38 places
- Date nightA good table for two14 places
- Free to enterNo ticket at the gate7 places
- Open lateOpen after most of the city goes home13 places
- With a viewRooftops, hills and open sky19 places
By area
Life near your home
Choosing where to live? See what is close to each neighbourhood, then read the area guide and the homes for sale and rent.
- Life in Bole20 places to eat, 9 cafes, 5 spasSee 44 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Kazanchis3 places to eat, 2 cafes, 1 parkSee 10 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Megenagna3 places to shop, 2 places to eat, 2 gymsSee 9 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Sarbet3 places to eat, 3 cafes, 2 places to shopSee 9 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Gerji2 places to eat, 2 cafes, 2 spasSee 7 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Summit3 places to shop, 2 places to eat, 2 cafesSee 7 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Old Airport3 places to eat, 1 cafe, 1 place to shopSee 6 placesArea guide and homes
Life in CMC3 places to shop, 1 cafe, 1 gymSee 5 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Bole Bulbula2 cafes, 1 place to shop, 1 gymSee 4 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Ayat1 cafe, 1 gymSee 2 placesArea guide and homes
Life in Lebu1 cafeSee 1 placeArea guide and homes
The full list
All places
141 places
Ideas
Kind
Area
Restaurant
2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant
Bole
Cultural restaurant on Namibia Street in Bole Atlas with Ethiopian food and live music
Ethiopian
Bar or club
360 Lounge
Piassa
Rooftop lounge on the 14th floor of Monarch Parkview Hotel in Piassa, with city views
Landmark
Abrehot Library
Arat Kilo
Public library of four floors at Arat Kilo, free to use and open 24 hours
Open 24 hours
Restaurant
Abren Fish
Megenagna
Fish restaurant near Megenagna with fried and grilled fish
Fish, Ethiopian
Gym
Activ8 Recreation Center
CMC
Recreation centre in CMC with a gym, group classes, a 25 metre heated pool and a spa
Park
Addis Ababa Lion Zoo (Anbessa Gibi)
Sidist Kilo
Small zoo at Sidist Kilo that keeps Ethiopian lions, founded in 1948
Daily 6:00 to 20:00
Spa
Adona Spa Lodge
Haya Hulet
Spa compound in Haya Hulet with Moroccan baths, massage, steam and sauna
Daily 8:00 to 20:00
Landmark
Africa Hall
Kazanchis
The 1961 hall where the Organisation of African Unity was founded, in Kazanchis
Landmark
African Union Headquarters
Sarbet
The 99.9 metre tower and conference centre of the African Union, near Sarbet
Restaurant
Akotet Restaurant
Old Airport
Family-run Ethiopian restaurant near Bisrate Gebriel with fasting and meat platters
Ethiopian, Fasting food
Restaurant
Al Diwan Restaurant
Summit
Arab and Yemeni restaurant on the Summit road with mandi, grills and shawarma
Yemeni, Middle Eastern, Mandi
Bar or club
Altitude Bar
Piassa
Bar on the 12th floor of Grand Eliana Hotel in Piassa with a view over the city
Restaurant
Antica Bar and Restaurant
Bole
Family restaurant on Cape Verde Street in Bole with brick oven pizza
Italian, Pizza, African
Spa
Aqva Club at Sheraton Addis
Filwoha
Hotel spa at Sheraton Addis with heated outdoor pools, a sauna, a Jacuzzi and massage
Pools daily 6:00 to 20:00. Massage daily 9:00 to 20:00
Restaurant
Arirang Korean Restaurant
Old Airport, Bole
Korean restaurant with a garden on Mauritania Street in Old Airport
Korean
Resort
Asham Africa Hotel and Resort
Bishoftu
Small hotel on the cliffs of Lake Bishoftu with African art and a pool
Bar or club
Atmosphere
Bole
Culture venue with a bar, an art gallery and a courtyard on Zimbabwe Street in Bole
Daily 9:00 to 01:00
Restaurant
Azmera Shiro
Haya Hulet, Bole
Shiro house with branches in Haya Hulet, Bole Medhanialem and Bole Atlas
Ethiopian, Fasting food
Resort
Babogaya Lake Viewpoint Lodge
Bishoftu
Small lodge with 10 rooms on Lake Babogaya, 50 km from Addis Ababa
50 km south of Addis Ababa
Resort
Babogaya Resort
Bishoftu
Garden resort on the shore of Lake Babogaya in Bishoftu
Shopping centre
Bambis Supermarket
Kazanchis, Summit, CMC
Supermarket in Kazanchis known for imported food, cheese and cold meats
Daily 7:30 to 21:00
Cafe
Bilo's Pastry
Lancha, Sarbet, Bole, Arat Kilo
Pastry shop and cafe chain with twelve branches across Addis Ababa
Pastry, Bakery, Coffee
Cafe
Birra's Brew
Gotera
Speciality coffee shop on Ethio China Street near Gotera
Coffee, Desserts
Bar or club
Black Rose Lounge
Bole
Lounge bar with cocktails and food on the second floor of Yegemiya Plaza, off Bole Road
Bar food, Sandwiches
About this guide
The city around your home
A home is more than its rooms. It is the cafe on the corner, the park where children play on Sunday, the gym on the way to work and the restaurant you take visitors to. This guide shows that side of Addis Ababa, area by area.
Each place has its area, its hours and, when the place publishes them, its prices and entry fees. The places come from their own websites and official pages. Real.et does not rank them, and a place on this page is not an endorsement.
Choosing where to live? Open an area to see the places near it, then the homes for sale and rent in the same neighbourhood. Traffic in Addis Ababa is heavy at rush hour, so the places you can walk to often matter most.
Frequently asked questions
What is it like to live in Addis Ababa?
Addis Ababa is a large, busy capital at more than 2,300 metres above sea level, so the days are mild and the nights are cool. The rainy season runs from June to September. Life centres on the neighbourhood: most people shop, eat out and meet friends close to home because traffic is heavy at rush hour.
Which area of Addis Ababa has the most places to eat and go out?
Bole has the most restaurants, cafes, bars and malls, close to the airport. Kazanchis and the area around Meskel Square are central and busy too. Use the area cards on this page to compare what is near each neighbourhood.
What can I do with children in Addis Ababa?
Open the idea "With children" on this page. It lists parks, museums, restaurants and other places that suit families, such as places with a play area or open space. Check the hours and the entry fee on each profile before you go.
How does Real.et choose the places on this page?
Real.et adds places that it can confirm from their own website, their official pages or their Google listing. Every place needs photos, an area and the facts a resident needs. Owners can add or claim a place for free on Real.et.
Also on Real.et
- Hotels in Addis AbabaHotels by area and star rating, for you or your visitors.
- Guest housesPlaces to stay by the night, the week or the month.
- Areas of Addis AbabaGuides to 14 neighbourhoods, with homes for sale and rent.
- Best Neighborhoods in Addis Ababa to Live, Rent or BuyA guide to the main neighborhoods of Addis Ababa: Bole, Ayat, CMC, Summit, Kazanchis, Old Airport and more, with price data and tips for buyers and tenants.