The Ethiopian chef behind Oakland’s Mela Bistro offers health-conscious inspiration

Punchy green lentil berbere hummus. Citrus-dotted honey wine. A homey ambiance sweet enough to feel like that special “third place.” None of this is accidental at Mela Bistro, an Ethiopian restaurant where chef Adiam Tsegaye balances warmth with complexity all while paying homage to her Northern Ethiopian and Oakland roots.

“It’s a safe place to eat,” Tsegaye says of the gluten-free and vegan-friendly menu. Guests don’t have to worry about allergies or dietary restrictions when they enter the sunlit dining room at the heart of downtown Oakland – and that’s by design.

When Tsegaye opened Mela Bistro in 2019, her goal was to create an establishment that her son, who has severe food allergies, would be able to enjoy.

“I think the menu is inspired a lot because of him. Twelve years ago, I could not find anything gluten-free, dairy-free,” she says. “So I started going back to my roots, experimenting with ingredients.”

Among these was teff, a gluten-free grain found in Africa that’s the star of Mela’s chocolate cake ($8). Surrounded by Bavarian cream, raspberries and vegan whipped cream, the cake is a delectable, layered dessert without the usual guilt. Experiments such as these were common in Tsegaye’s household, while her family learned to accommodate her son’s diet and as a result, encouraged her to open a restaurant that put gluten-free and vegan menu options at the forefront.

This meant providing traditional offerings with a modern approach, too, Tsegaye says. Main dishes are served with crunchy, ginger-soaked purple cabbage instead of ubiquitous green cabbage, for example, and house-clarified olive oil replaces the ghee. Mela’s vegetables are organically grown and sourced from other local Black businesses, too. This all works in service of elevating the familiar to devise a healthy, colorful menu appealing to novice and experienced eaters of the cuisine alike.

The beloved asa kitfo ($24) depicts the best parts of Mela Bistro, featuring wild-caught, sushi-grade ahi at the center of tender yellow split peas, mellow collard greens, rosy beets with potatoes and gingered purple cabbage atop injera. It’s a dish that mimics the vibrancy of its surroundings – illuminating a warmth akin to its sun-kissed interior and amicable chef.

“I love the presentation, and I love the freshness of the vegetables, the color,” Tsegaye says. “I just want to send a message… I want my food to brighten your day.”

The veggie platter ($17), another popular dish and vegan alternative to the asa kitfo, generates the same oohs and aahs from guests, immediately lighting smiles across people’s faces.

Born and raised in the northern Ethiopian state of Tigray, Tsegaye thinks of her mother when pinpointing her passion for the culinary arts. “I think my first love for food is, of course, from my mom,” she says. “My mom is an amazing cook and inspired me to go to culinary school.”

At culinary school in Italy and the United States, Tsegaye learned to dance between paying homage to her family’s cuisine while also brainstorming ways she could revitalize it. She moved to California and ran a “hole-in-the-wall” cafe in downtown Oakland from 2005 to 2010, but after the birth of her second child, the chef decided to open a restaurant dedicated to her history. Here, she’s built a tribute to her native country, her children and to Oakland all through the visionary luminescence of health-driven Ethiopian meals.