This place has a wonderful buffet with lots of options for a small restaurant. The food is Ethiopian-inspired but not all Ethiopian. This may be a turn-off if you are expecting specific dishes, but what we ordered each time going there was great anyway. The Chef seems really dedicated to the dishes he is serving. The location has a few free parking spaces for customers right in front. The prices are very reasonable and food was good so we will be going back.
Quite and Understated Yet Wonderful. Again I visit a place that gives me a good sense that my culture isn't the only one on earth.This one here in a way, can share a secret in earthly flavors of vegan Ethiopian styles masterfully made as diners and often a buffet. Again I also find a fantastic price of 8 or 9 dollars a buffet and if diner night its 4dollars a item.Now I'm not vegan or vegetarian but to make my wife and family happy I go.I'm not disappointed.They also have a Ice cream thats vegan but who cares,Its great. I like there vegan pizza. I always get two just for me.The place is also a small store of art and herbal Chinese medicines. I have never seen the coffee bar open and the bathroom is co ed.Besides that its good friendly small and enjoyable.Oh,and it taste good too.
Delicious Food!. The chef does a great job making everything taste wonderful, using fresh ingredients. The menu is very creative, and everything is vegan. My friend who is not a vegan, enjoyed every dish we ordered and left happy and full. We shared 4 entrees and dessert, and the total was only $21! Definitely a place I will keep coming back to.
Most amazing vegan food in the ROC. Vegans and non-vegans alike will love Natural Oasis. The Ethiopian lunch buffet is delicious, and very affordable at between $8-9 for all you can eat. For dinner, Nick prepares a menu of local and seasonal ingredients with flavors that meld together to create a really fine culinary treat! Again, each dish is $4 and the choices are quite extensive. Every single thing I have ever had there has been high quality and stellar. Nick catered my all vegan wedding and his culinary skills won over EVERYONE there, including hard core meat eaters. People are still talking about the food and it was a year ago. If you are in Rochester definitely check this gem out!!
Great dinner! This place has a great selection of all plant-based dishes. There are both Ethiopian options and other types of food. It's sort of a tapas style where each dish is 4 bucks. The dishes are well sized and super delicious. We'll be back!
Wonderful flavors!. I just ate at Natural Oasis Cafe for the first time tonight, and it was a revelation---the flavors in the dishes we ordered (and between us, my friend and i ordered just about everything on tonight's menu!) were outstanding!!! i am not vegan, altho i am a wanna-be vegetarian, but i didn't miss the meat at all---the clean, fresh flavors in the food were all that was needed...of particular quality was the sauteed swiss chard and kale with onion and garlic; i ordered 2 portions! the Ethiopian spiced green lentils were also excellent, as was the spaghetti squash. The only complaint i have was that they serve water from a Ball canning jar and use metal cups...i found it tasted like tap water, and the metal cup was off-putting. A small blip in an otherwise truly magnificent meal.
I was a little hesitant to check out Natural Oasis Cafe, not being familiar with Ethiopian food. However ... it was fantastic. The buffet was small, but the offerings were so tasty! My favorite was the soup, which was a bean based vegan soup with unbelievable flavor and texture. Natural Oasis is definitely worth a visit if you are a fan of vegan and vegetarian foods.
Update: Went there for dinner on a Saturday and it was unbelievably good. The lunch buffets they do 6 days a week are really awesome! It's all vegan and healthy. It's Ethiopian food so prepare your mouth for flavors you may not have had, and enjoy! This is a real hidden gem, just looks like they haven't remodeled in a while is all, but if you look past that you are in for a real treat.
This is a good place to get some healthy food that is homemade. Yes, the place itself it a little old, but the friendly staff and good food make up for it. Buffet is all you can eat. I found the cuisine to be similar to Indian food in some cases. The variety of options was limited, but what they had was alright. Price is also pretty reasonable. Note that parking is limited.
Very great vegan Ethiopian food! I'm not familiar with the cuisine but I really liked it. I can't wait to explore more dishes on their menu.
This is my absolute favorite place to eat in Rochester. The food is so tasty. So good for you. Prepared with love and is priced very well. Small intimate dining area, perfect for a date.
First time in, I was struck by the calm, eclectic atmosphere. It was clean and interesting without being pretentious. The host/waiter/cook was friendly, calm and quiet. As I sat down to eat, the food smelled great. The injira bread was nutty and tangy and held together well. The lentils were perfectly seasoned, and the collard greens were AMAZING! (and I usually dislike collards) there were other dishes offered, buffet style. There was water on hand to pour as one wished, which I thought refreshing instead of having someone come ti the table.
All in all, it was a very homey atmosphere, like going to a favorite relatives or friends house, knowing you could just help yourself.
The cost was really budget friendly and economical! I was very happy to pay their price as cost is usually prohibitive to eating out.
I loved my experience, and will do so again weekly!!
Natural Oasis is absolutely legendary. You can't eat this well anywhere else in Rochester and especially for the price. Picture this, a 10 item menu, 5 dollars a dish and actually every single plate is like a joyride for your taste buds. Eating here is an experience you hope to have everytime you go out, but even the most expensive or trendy places around here do not even touch the genius of how Natural Oasis marries spices and flavors together to create healthy, REAL whole food superstar meals. The Chai and desserts are bonuses. Truly the best of the best.
I had dinner with my friends at this restaurant and it was a great experience. All of their food is vegan and you can try as many as you want for $5 each. They were very accommodating considering the size of the group and provided fast service. All the dishes tasted wonderful, they have amazing spices. I will definitely return in the future and highly recommend it to everyone who is interested in experiencing vegan Ethiopian food.
Best vegan food I’ve ever had! Absolutely delicious!
I LOVE this spot!! Incredible food, I’ve been for both lunch and dinner. This is actually the only restaurant I’ve gone to alone, because the food is that good- it’s inspired me to stretch my comfort zone, and savoring each bite at my own little table was a wonderful experience, that I plan to repeat. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Love the (well distanced) yet cozy vibe. Very welcoming, great experience.
Wholesome flavorful vegetarian cuisine. Solomon is a very gracious host.
I just got the lunch buffet takeout, and it was AMAZING. Everything was delicious, including the beets. BEETS!? who knew there was a way to make those taste good? 100% putting this on my regular lunch list.
This is the best restaurant I’ve even been to, by far
Also no cork fee for dinner
A college friend brought me to this spot and now I bring everyone here. The food, the service, the peaceful atmosphere, everything is wonderful! Tapa-style selections are great prices and portions and I love that you can try a little bit of everything for such an affordable price. The taste of everything is amazing and I've always had a pleasant experience here. 10/10 recommend.
If you are reading this and still have not been to this place, Head there now! Super cool vibe, and absolutely fantastic food. Had lunch here, and at a quick glance, the food looks simple, but the flavor is extremely complex and I am eager to return. Service was fantastic as well
Always so extremely delicious. The nicest service too. 10/10
Visited Rochester with my partner and a couple of friends - together we have a lot of dietary restrictions being vegan, gluten free, and allergic to a handful of common gluten free alternative ingredients. The staff was very informative about the menu and we were able to eat everything but two items that contained gluten. We ordered the entire menu of small plates and shared with one another - each plate distinct and delicious! We spent the rest of the weekend agreeing that this is one of the best meals each of us have had. So grateful for this experience!
The food was very delicious, although there weren't a whole lot of options and it seemed to be mostly vegetable side dishes. Today at the lunch buffet they had two kinds of bean dishes, rice, fermented gluten free bread, potatoes & beets, three veggie dishes, and tomato soup. The people were friendly, although the setup for the lunch buffet was kind of weird and you had to basically figure it out yourself. It's honestly like a little hole in the wall place, but if you are looking for some really tasty & healthy ethnic food, then you'll love it!!
Whether you’re vegan or just love great, wholesome food at a great price, Natural Oasis Market is not to be missed. Really friendly staff. We come here every time we’re in Rochester and have never been disappointed. Can’t recommend it enough. If you come for dinner, the gnocchi is especially great.
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