Shopping in Ethiopia

Eight years after being founded by designer Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu to help talented artisans in her neighbourhood, soleRebels Footwear's shoes are made using locally sourced natural fibres, hand-made fabric and,...

One of the best shops in northern Ethiopia, St George has that rare combination of simple tourist items and fine pieces of art and antiques, although the quality tends towards the latter. Religious paintings...

Here the Berhan Taye Leprosy Disabled Persons Work Group produces and sells beautiful handbags, pillow covers and wall hangings, each emblazoned with vibrant embroidery. The items are so Ethiopian. The shop is...

Of all the shops/stalls north of Haileselassie Alemayehu on Churchill Ave, this gallery has the biggest selection (if you ask to see the back room) and the best-quality pieces, including a fine range of Ethiopian...

One of Addis Ababa's classiest places to shop, St George has everything from antique silver crosses and contemporary textiles to wide-ranging books about Ethiopia and designer jewellery. Everything here, both...

This gallery and restaurant has an excellent, carefully selected collection of high-quality furniture and paintings created by around 70 emerging and well-known Ethiopian artists.

If you’re interested in blankets, Ethiopian wedding attire or traditional clothing like a shamma (shawl worn by highlander men), head to this group of stalls lining Entoto Ave, a few hundred metres north of...

This centre in Wolleka is helping disadvantaged women rekindle local pottery traditions, along with traditional Amhara weaving and basketry. You can watch the women working Monday to Saturday and buy the...

The one shop that stands out from Lalibela’s throng of souvenir shacks. Inside are beautiful watercolour and sepia paintings created by local artist Tegegne Yirdaw. He’s often around outside normal shop hours.

This child-sponsorship charity has a small store selling baskets, banana art and beads made from recycled magazines. Some items are also sold at Lodge du Chateau.

Set up to help local artisans market their work, this modest collection has some textiles, basketry, figurines and paintings. You can sometimes see some of the weavers at work in the courtyard.

You can buy fresh, export-quality Ethiopian coffee at this well-stocked shop on the main drag in Megala. It sells 1kg (Birr90) and 500g (Birr46) packets of excellent whole and ground beans.

One step inside and the swoon-inducing scents will have you hooked. It sells 1kg and 500g packets of excellent whole and ground beans, and you can watch the sorting, roasting and grinding.

Stocking local, naturally produced honeys with not a chemical in sight, this place is as good for your breakfast as it is for an unusual but authentically Ethiopian gift.

City-centre branch of Addis' best bookshop chain, with a small but good selection of books on Ethiopia.

Has a good selection of old triptych paintings as well as a few silver crosses.

Branch of Addis' best bookshop chain, just north of the city centre.

You'll find a handful of small stalls selling fairly standard souvenirs here, a block back from the lake's edge, but you may also find the makers of the delightful agelgil (goat-skin lunch boxes).

This small, dusty shop has little to inspire but it does offer a handful of birding and other natural history books, which is quite the rarity here.

Has a range of products, including fruit and vegetables.