Ben Abeba is the most distinctive restaurant in Lalibela, perched on a hillside above town with views over the rooftops toward the surrounding escarpments. The building itself is a sculptural landmark: organic forms in steel and local materials create a series of covered terraces at different heights, some of them jutting out over the slope. Watching the sunset from the upper terrace with a tej in hand is one of the better moments available in Lalibela.
The menu mixes Ethiopian standards with Western dishes cooked reasonably well. The firfir (torn injera cooked with berbere spice and clarified butter) is particularly good. The tej — honey wine served in the traditional flask-shaped berele — comes from a local producer and is better than the commercial version sold at most places in town. Staff are friendly and the kitchen moves slowly, which is fine in the context: you are there for the view as much as the meal. Book ahead during Timkat.