Ethiopian Coffee at Café Choche
Ethiopia is well-known for its coffee scene, so I decided to hit a popular Addis coffee shop, Café Choche.
We passed crowds of people waiting for buses as we made our way through crowded transport area outside of the historic railway building, “La Gare,” in downtown Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa means “New Flower” and as the seat of the U.N. and African Union, it’s an important hub for diplomacy in Africa.
It’s also chaotic and can feel a little crazy to the Western visitor. You’ll be stuck in a line of traffic because a shepherd is herding goats across the street on the same road you’re passing a nightclub and historic churches. Addis is the third highest capital in the world at almost 8,000 feet.
Because Addis, often called the political capital of Ethiopia, hasn’t been highly publicized in travel media, it’s only through the local guides like Kelly, who works for Travel Ethiopia, that we’ve been able to pick out the hidden gems and discover the best parts of the city- one of which is coffee.
We’d heard that this Café Choche had great Ethiopian coffee, something I had to sample while in Addis. Café Choche did not disappoint.
Escaping the bustle, I entered the courtyard of Café Choche, a sort of oasis amid the busy sprawl of Addis. There’s nice outdoor seating amid colorful flowers and inside is even more interesting. The walls are lined with old black and white photos of Addis through the years.
Rahel Zewdie-Sleeuwagen, the owner, was there to greet us and grant us permission to film. I ordered a macchiato and breathed in the scent of fresh roasted coffee. My macchiato was really tasty and a good respite from the traffic and chaos Addis.
Learn more about travel to Ethiopia at Travel Ethiopia, who can help you plan a travel adventure and vacation to Ethiopia.
