From the South Orange Village Center Alliance
Walia Ethiopian Restaurant, located in downtown South Orange, has been named one of the best in America, according to Yelp’s list of the 100 Best Ethiopian Restaurants, according to the South Orange Village Center Alliance (SOVCA).
Walia is owned by the Yassin family of South Orange and has operated at its 11 Village Plaza location since opening in 2013.
“We’re thrilled to see Walia get the recognition they so deserve. As a long-time local favorite, South Orange residents have always known Walia is special, now the rest of the country does as well,” said Julie Doran, Executive Director of SOVCA.
Walia’s menu includes traditional dishes such as Misr Watt and Doro Watt, among many other favorite dishes served in the varied and colorful sauces of Ethiopian Cuisine, meticulously spread out on the Ethiopian bread, Injera.
“We are going on 7 great years in this community and we are thankful all our hard work has been recognized! This year has been especially challenging and we are more grateful for our customers now more than ever. They have shown us extraordinary support during this unprecedented time, and we have nothing but gratitude for our amazing community, stated Shewaye Yassin, one of Walia’s owners.
Yassin added, “We are looking forward to the day when we can open our doors back up to our loyal customers. Until then, we are open for take-out orders! We hope everyone is staying safe & healthy.”
About South Orange Village Center Alliance
The South Orange Village Center Alliance (SOVCA) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to making downtown South Orange a vibrant place to live, work and enjoy through events, beautification and advocacy for the downtown business district. SOVCA’s mission is to strengthen the vitality of the downtown business district by supporting existing businesses and attracting new ones to improve the Village’s retail mix; raising funds for improvement and public art projects; producing events that complement existing stores and services; maintaining a clean, safe, and pedestrian-friendly downtown; and helping our governing body manage new development while preserving the attractive architectural legacy of the downtown area. The organization is run by an Executive Director and a volunteer board of directors made up of property owners, business owners, residents and other stakeholders. For more information, visit sovillagecenter.org.
