Enjoy Dama Pastry and Cafe

Dama Pastry and Café is one of those Columbia Pike institutions that defies easy categorization — part Ethiopian restaurant, part scratch bakery, part neighborhood gathering place. The family-owned establishment at 1503-1505 Columbia Pike has been serving the community since 1980, and its dual identity as both a full Ethiopian kitchen and a serious pastry operation makes it genuinely singular. The café’s baked goods range from bomboloni and pound cakes to elaborate custom cakes available in both traditional and fully vegan versions — a nod to the large plant-based community that has discovered Dama’s exceptional cooking.

The Ethiopian menu is the real draw for first-timers: hearty injera platters piled with tibs, lentils, yellow peas, and cabbage are made fresh and priced honestly, with an outstanding vegetarian combo that converts skeptics on contact. The coffee program is equally serious — the Ethiopian macchiato and cappuccino are cited by regulars as some of the best in the area. Dama operates seven days a week, with extended Friday and Saturday evening hours, and its warm, unhurried atmosphere makes it a place worth settling into rather than rushing through.