T2’s generic “Restaurant” sits landside before security
This spot is literally named “Restaurant” on signs in Terminal T2, and it sits before security, so plan extra buffer time for passport checks and screening afterward. It mainly serves Ethiopian and basic international plates, with prices higher than central Addis but typical for the airport.
You’ll find it along the public concourse used for T2 departures, a few minutes’ walk from the main Ethiopian Airlines check-in islands serving flights like ET 500 and ET 701. It works if you’ve arrived early for a long-haul and want to sit down before the crowded security queues. Once you clear security up to the gates (D, E, F zones), options thin out even more.
Menu line-up usually includes injera with wot, simple pasta, burgers, and eggs. Expect mains in the range of about 300–600 ETB, depending on meat vs vegetarian. Coffee runs more than in town but still reasonable for an airport; a macchiato will cost several dozen birr, not hundreds. Portions lean on the modest side, so don’t arrive starving between back-to-back flights.
Service speed swings a lot: a plate of tibs and injera can show up in under 15 minutes on a quiet afternoon, but you could wait closer to 30 minutes when multiple evening departures bank around 22:00–01:00. Build that into your schedule if you’re on a tight connection out of T2. Staff usually take payment at the end, and many travelers report paying in cash birr first, with card machines sometimes down.
Hours aren’t clearly posted, but the restaurant tends to track T2’s long-haul wave, opening early for morning departures around 05:00 and staying active into the late-night bank. One simple tip: if you have lounge access in T2, grab your main meal there and use Restaurant only for a quick coffee or soft drink before you head through security.