A must-visit for the newbie or the indecisive, this Killingsworth Ethiopian and Mediterranean spot’s bright atmosphere, with sunny yellow walls covered in art, matches the restaurant’s cheerful use of spice and aromatics. Visitors should try the curried cabbage alicha, an aromatic stew, and chickpea-laden bamia, an okra stew, alongside a mix of falafel.

Just a stone’s throw from E’Njoni Cafe, Enat Kitchen dishes out an extensive mix of vegan, vegetarian, and meat-centric entrees, from the garlicky collard green dish gomen to buttery minced beef. The traditional stewed lamb arrives rich with berbere, a spice blend of red chili powder, garlic, nigella, and fenugreek. Enat also offers a nice scale of combination plates, ranging from individual samplers of wots to full-on family meals.

The casual-but-lively Queen of Sheba introduced unfamiliar Portlanders to Ethiopian food when it opened in the ’90s, quickly snagging local accolades and distributing injera, berbere, and other Ethiopian imports at markets around town. While a good number of Ethiopian restaurants in Portland hew cautious with their use of spice, Queen of Sheba doesn’t play around; all dishes arrive at a solid medium-hot. Those who can’t handle the heat should order mild dishes like an aromatic alicha. Conversely, heat-seekers can expect a real kick by ordering dishes like tibbsi kinttishara, sauteed mushrooms in a spicy berbere sauce.

This no-frills Ethiopian spot comes with welcoming and attentive service from the get-go. Ethiopian incense looms throughout the restaurant as the family-run kitchen turns out traditional platters, like the Aberus combination sampler with a taste of the most popular meat and vegetarian options. The Killingsworth restaurant also offers a variety of preparations of kitfo, an Ethiopian spiced, minced beef often served raw; beyond the raw preparation, visitors can find it with sauteed collard greens or dulet kitfo, which combines the dish with other offal, jalapeno, and onion.

One of Portland’s older Ethiopian destinations sits snugly on Alberta Street with a bright green exterior. While the color grabs attention, the mere 28-seat Bole, formerly known as Gojo, is a cozier space laced with brightly colored dresses and scarves hung from the ceiling and walls. Start with the restaurant’s version of kitfo, which arrives alongside house-made ayib cheese. Both the key wot and alicha wot here make for worthy successors, earthy and just a touch sweet with a nice nuance of spice.

Just above street level, Bete-Lukas was known for its fine-dining feel with white tablecloths and linen napkins. The eggplant tibs — a term for sautéed or stewed cubes of meat and vegetables — are a distinct switch-up from the typical vegetarian suspects. The asa goulash is a hit, too, with smoky berbere coating pieces of tender white fish.

Off the beaten track near Portland Meadows, this black-and-neon bar also serves a strong lineup of Ethiopian standards, including tender beef and collard green dish gomen besiga and an allium-laden alicha wot. Gebeta’s take on bozena shiro is particularly nice, layered with berbere, as is the kitfo — for those who want theirs cooked.

While Sisters doesn’t offer an extensive menu, it more than makes up for it with the amount of flavor packed into each dish. The restaurant’s veggie combo is an excellent way to try both its spicier misir wot, creamy with red lentils, and the mild alicha kik, sunny with yellow split peas. A rich take on minchet abish is another strong option.