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Reserve a table
2
Thu, 11/30
20:00

Ratings and reviews

#3,565 of 15,771 Restaurants in London
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

Details

PRICE RANGE
US$32 - US$44
CUISINES
African, Ethiopian
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
View all details
meals, features, about

Location and contact

Islington
0.4 miles from King's Cross Station
Reviews (106)
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Filter reviews
103 results
Traveller rating
63
21
9
2
8
Traveller type
Time of year
LanguageEnglish
Traveller rating
63
21
9
2
8
Show reviews that mention
All reviews injera combo platter bread ethiopian food food is absolutely delicious lovely service gluten free eritrean lentils vegan
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Reviewed 11 August 2023

I have been dinning at Merkato since I had the pleasure of discovering it whilst searching for a go to Ethiopian spot in 2020. The food is incredible. In my view, it is a must try London Gem and I always recommend it to friends...when they are visiting. We now go around once a month, and I would go more often if I had the time. We can no longer eat Ethiopian food elsewhere. Please give it a try.More

Date of visit: August 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 2 May 2023

Exactly the authentic gem that we were hoping for. We experienced the warmest welcome ever, and the flavours were off the chart! We wanted to wait for our bellies to shrink so we could eat more of their delicious food when we finished! What a...romantic, fun spot. We will back!More

Date of visit: May 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 4 March 2023 via mobile

I went to Merkato for the 2nd time with my friends and the food is absolutely delicious. This is coming from an Eritrean who knows what authentic eri/ethio food tastes like. I’m definitely becoming a regular🙌🏾 Thank you Merkato, I found home away from home❤️

Date of visit: March 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 28 July 2022 via mobile

Nesting pigeon outside that poops on the chair/diner closest to the shop front. Sit inside or on the other side. Restaurant continues to seat diners there despite knowing about the problem. Menu difficult to understand. Went for combo platter which was standard and very expensive...£32 for lentils, chickpeas and vegetables. Ok good but would not returnMore

Date of visit: July 2022
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 11 July 2022

I been used on night 🌃 to have a dinner and I had bad experience that neglected me to served as I ordered before other's customer and also the approach that they showed me very bad and shameful.

Date of visit: July 2022
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 16 May 2022

We wanted to try Ethiopian food and Merkato was open at lunchtime so we booked a table. As someone who has to eat a gluten free and dairy free diet it was amazing to be able to just order off the menu without any adaptions!...I had the vegan platter and my boyfriend and his friends had the meat combo. It was a great experience to eat with our hands (although cutlery is available). Injera is such an interesting bread and gluten free! The people who owned the restaurant were helpful and friendly. The decor and serving plates were so pretty too! We had a great time!More

Date of visit: May 2022
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 21 April 2022 via mobile

Lovely little restaurant in a not so busy part of London. Excellent service and even better food! Was a real experience to eat with our hands and to try a variety of dishes! Highly recommend.

Date of visit: April 2022
Helpful?
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Reviewed 21 March 2022

The food was delicious and - once we had figured out the menu options (It is presented as a kind of flow chart) I had a lovely meal presented to me with a smile. Lovely service and the Eritrean beer was amazing!

Date of visit: March 2022
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 16 November 2021 via mobile

Delicious food, great coffee. Friendly staff & great location. Laid back sort of place, so not for when you are in a hurry 😄.

Date of visit: November 2021
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 25 October 2021

Beautiful little gem amongst restaurants. Delicious and full of flavour food. Looks like family run business with nice atmosphere and good service. Very cheap as well.

Date of visit: October 2021
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 7 August 2021

One of the best in London, a hidden gem near King's Cross. Delicious Ethiopian food served in beautiful dishes, relaxed atmosphere, authentic ornaments. Both indoors and outdoors seating areas available.

Date of visit: August 2021
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 3 May 2021

I went to the restaurant with three of my friends and two of them hadn't had this type of cuisine before. I was using the restaurant visit to break my fast and I'm glad this restaurant was chosen. Alhamdulilah! The service was welcoming and attentive,...the atmosphere was unique and interesting and I enjoyed the scent of incense in the air as I entered. The meal dishes arrived hot and the Shro was piping hot and sizzling while the Injeera was cool as per usual. I'm glad to say my friends and I all had a great meal and a great catch up, sharing wonderful news with each other after not seeing each other in person for a while due to lockdown restrictions. I am so grateful to Seniat and the Chef, I will definitely be coming back again soon. Yekeniyeley (Thank you) 🙏🏿More

Date of visit: May 2021
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 12 October 2020 via mobile

Amazing food and service, thank you to sanite. Me and my family felt very welcome and at home my mother is a big fan of her food and service ♥️♥️

Date of visit: October 2020
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 1 October 2020

Though we were in a rush, Freweini has been extremely accommodating and managed to fast track our order. The restaurant was very clean with a very calm atmosphere. Our food was fresh and absolutely delicious. Overall excellent food and fantastic customer service. I would definitely...recommend this restaurant! 10/10More

Date of visit: October 2020
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 5 September 2020 via mobile

Great traditional Ethiopian food and amazing atmosphere. The staff is very nice and the menu is very flexible and affordable. They toast their coffee here, tastes and smells amazing but the best part about this place is the owner, she’s the sweetest and friendliest person...I’ve ever met. I had an amazing experience and will definitely return.More

Date of visit: September 2020
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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MERKATO, London - Islington - Updated 2023 Restaurant Reviews, Menu, Prices, & Reservations - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Merkato

Yes, Merkato offers takeaway services.

Merkato is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4.5
  • Atmosphere: 3.5