Coffee is cheap at Café in T1
An espresso at Café in Terminal T1 usually runs well under USD $3, making it one of the more budget-friendly stops for caffeine at Addis Ababa Bole. It sits airside in the older T1 wing, so you only see it if your boarding pass shows a T1 gate, often used for some regional African flights and older narrowbodies.
Café keeps hours that generally mirror flight banks in T1, so expect it open from early morning departures around 05:00 through late-night movements near 23:00. Seating is basic counter stools and a few small tables, fine for a 20–30 minute stop while you watch the departure boards for your T1 gate call.
The menu leans on coffee, teas, and simple pastries rather than full meals, so think macchiato and a croissant instead of a sit-down plate. Prices stay moderate by airport standards, with most drinks under the equivalent of $4 and pastries in the $2–3 band, which helps if you are killing a long layover without lounge access.
Food is prepared behind the counter, and turnover tracks peak departures, so your best bet for fresher items is within an hour of the big morning and evening waves of flights. If your flight leaves from T2, skip this entirely since you cannot walk airside between T1 and T2 at ADD; you would need to clear security all over again.
Card payment acceptance in Ethiopia can be hit or miss, so bring some Ethiopian birr or a backup card if you plan to spend an hour at Café running through two coffees and a snack. One last tip: pull your boarding time from the printed pass, not just the screens, and aim to leave Café at least 20 minutes before departure since some T1 gates still use bus boarding.