How to Write a Good Bilingual Menu in Amharic and English

Sudo Menu Editorial · 3 November 2026

A menu is the most-read piece of writing in any restaurant. Guests read it carefully, often more than once, and it shapes what they order and how much they spend. In Ethiopia, where diners may prefer Amharic, English or a mix of both, a well-written bilingual menu is one of the simplest ways to make every guest feel welcome.

This guide gives practical advice for cafe and restaurant owners on writing a menu that is clear in both languages.

Start with structure

Before you write a single description, organise the menu:

Group dishes into clear categories such as Hot Coffee, Tea, Fresh Juice, Breakfast, Fasting Dishes, Meat Dishes and Pastries. Guests scan by category first.
Keep categories short. Five to twelve items per category is easy to read. If a category is much longer, consider splitting it.
Put your best sellers first within each category. Most guests choose from the first few items they see.
Make fasting easy to find. A separate fasting section, or a clear fasting label on each dish, saves guests and waiters time, especially on Wednesdays, Fridays and in Lent.

Name dishes the way guests say them

The name is the most important line. A few principles:

Use the name guests already know. Shiro tegabino, doro wot and kitfo are understood by Ethiopian guests and recognised by many visitors. Do not invent a fancy name for a classic dish.
Write Amharic in Ethiopic script. ሽሮ ተጋቢኖ reads naturally for Amharic speakers; transliterated Latin spelling does not.
In English, keep the Ethiopian name and add a short explanation. “Shiro Tegabino” with a description works better than a translated name like “chickpea stew in a pot”, which loses the identity of the dish.
Be consistent. If you write tibs in one place, do not write tebs in another.

Write short, useful descriptions

A description should help the guest decide, not decorate the page. One or two sentences are enough. Mention:

The main ingredients: “Minced beef with mitmita and spiced butter, served with ayib and gomen.”
Heat: whether it is spicy (wot) or mild (alicha).
Anything surprising: raw or lightly cooked meat, nuts, a large portion meant for sharing.
What comes with it: injera, bread, rice or a side salad.

Avoid empty words such as “delicious” or “amazing”. Guests trust specific details more than adjectives.

Translate meaning, not words

The Amharic and English descriptions do not have to be word-for-word translations. Write each one so it reads naturally in its own language. An Amharic description can assume the guest knows what ayib is; an English description might add “(fresh cheese)”. What must match is the information: ingredients, heat, allergens and price.

Mark what guests need to know

Clear labels answer the most common questions before they are asked:

Fasting (ጾም): no meat, dairy or eggs.
Spicy: so guests can choose their heat level.
Vegetarian and vegan.
Contains nuts, and any other common allergens.
Raw or lightly cooked meat, where relevant.

Be careful with fasting and allergy labels. A dish marked fasting must truly be made without butter, and a dish marked nut-free must be free of nuts. A wrong label damages trust much more than no label.

Price clearly

Show prices in birr without unnecessary decimals: “ETB 85” is easier to read than “85.00 ETB”.
State whether VAT is included, and whether a service charge applies, once on the menu.
Price sizes and extras clearly: “Regular 85 · Large 110” or “Extra shot +15”.
Avoid surprise charges. If injera, bread or a side has an extra cost, say so.

The biggest problem with most menus is not the writing but the age. Prices change, dishes run out and seasonal juices come and go. A printed menu with crossed-out prices, or a waiter who has to say “that one is finished” again and again, frustrates guests.

A digital menu helps because it can change instantly. On Sudo Menu, every dish has an Amharic and an English name and description side by side, and the editor warns you when the Amharic is missing so the two languages stay in step. Sold-out dishes can be switched off with one tap, and changes go live when you publish.

A checklist before you publish

Every dish has a name and price in both languages.
Descriptions mention ingredients, heat and what comes with the dish.
Fasting dishes are clearly marked and really are fasting.
Sizes and extras are priced.
VAT and service charge rules are stated once.
Someone who reads each language fluently has checked the text.

In short

A good bilingual menu is organised, honest and specific. Use the names guests already know, write short descriptions with real information, label fasting dishes and allergens carefully, price clearly and keep both languages up to date. Your guests will order faster and with more confidence, and your staff will answer fewer questions.