Listen to this article

The basics:

• Mesob has served authentic Ethiopian dishes in Montclair since 2003
• Sisters Berekti and Aki Mengistu opened the restaurant with no formal industry experience
• Restaurant overcame challenges brought on by Hurricane Ida and COVID

With over 100 restaurants across a range of cuisines, Montclair is easily one of the most diverse food scenes in New Jersey. The sheer variety of places to eat also makes it one of the most competitive.

So, how does one stand out from the pack?

It’s simple, according to Berekti Mengistu, the co-owner of Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant.

Since founding Mesob in 2003 with her sister, Akberet “Aki” Mengistu, they have turned it into an award-winning eatery known for its authentic Ethiopian fare, cozy vibes and friendly staff.

“It takes love and respect,” Berekti Mengistu said. “We have love for each other, love for our business and for our customers. I think that’s what got us here. I hear it from my customers, ‘I love your place. I had my birthday here. I had my daughter’s shower here.’”

Despite never having worked in a restaurant, the sisters were driven by a desire to share the culture and food of their homeland in a place where Ethiopian cuisine was still relatively unknown.

In the African nation, dining is regarded as a vibrant communal experience that is focused on wholesome ingredients, rich spices and bold flavors. Since food is traditionally shared from a large platter, a meal is not just about what’s on the table. It’s also about fostering a sense of togetherness.

That’s exactly the experience the sisters hope to replicate at their Bloomfield Avenue spot. Its 32 tables include a mix of seatings for parties of two, four and five, as well as a large center table that fits 15 guests.

“There’s a lot of misconception about what we eat because Ethiopia is seen as a very poor undeveloped country. But, cuisine-wise, Ethiopian cuisine is much, much better and much, much healthier than any other cuisine you can think of,” Berekti Mengistu said.

The menu is packed with options for vegetarians, vegans and meat lovers alike that are prepared with imported Ethiopian spices. Offerings include family-style dishes of lamb, beef, chicken, fresh vegetables and seafood, all of which are served with injera, a spongy flatbread that acts as both a plate and fork. There are also gluten-free items.

The casual BYOB features some traditional Ethiopian décor, such as tapestry and leatherwork. Additionally, the space showcases a few mesobs, which are handwoven wicker baskets that have traditionally been used as both a table and storage container for injera.

At Mesob, Berekti Mengistu handles business operations, while Aki Mengistu serves as chef. And relatives pitch in to help keep the family-owned business running smoothly.

“It’s just the whole family, whenever we need. That’s part of our success … I see some of my friends who have restaurants in town and sometimes when you don’t have enough staff, there is a stress. So, we’re very fortunate because we’re part of a huge family that we can call,” Berekti Mengistu said.

After growing up with a large family in a house where relatives dropped by all the time, cooking for dozens of people is hardly a challenge for Berekti and Aki Mengistu. In fact, Berekti Mengistu said she – and her sister – truly enjoy entertaining others.

“We were one of fortunate people in Ethiopia. We came from middle class family; we didn’t have to cook. But as a woman or a girl, traditionally there are things that you have to know how to cook and my mother made sure that we know how to make chicken because chicken is the major thing. And learned how to make coffee,” Berekti Mengistu said.

When Berekti Mengistu immigrated from Ethiopia in 1982 at the age of 16, she went to live with an older brother in Somerset County. Here, she continued to cook at casual weekend gatherings, preparing all kinds of cuisines, from Ethiopian to Italian to American.

In 1999, she was joined by her sister and the pair continued to play host to loved ones.

“I enjoy cooking and entertaining, and so does she,” she said. “All my brothers would come with their wives and kids, all of my friends come. And it’s like the place is just happy for the whole weekend. I know how it feels to be tired, but when you’re doing something that makes you happy, you don’t feel tired,”

“There were multiple things that we made us open a restaurant, but that was one of the reasons and everybody would say, ‘you guys should open a restaurant,’” Berekti Mengistu said.

‘Everything we had’

Although they didn’t have any formal industry experience, the sisters both had business skills. Berekti Mengistu has a background in engineering and has held positions with corporations including AT&T.

After they lost their father in the Red Terror genocide in Ethiopia during the late 1970s, Aki Mengistu managed the family’s trucking business that transported crude oil from the port of Assab to the capital area refineries.

Berekti Mengistu said, “When we decided to open a restaurant, I read some books on business and did a demographic study. I came up with nine towns that I should be looking to open a restaurant in because Ethiopian was not known there and Montclair was one of them.”

“When I mentioned this to a cousin of mine who is in real estate, he called me one day and said, ‘There’s a place in Montclair you should come and see,’” she said, adding, “The town wasn’t as vibrant as it is right now, but it was a beautiful town. I looked at the place and saw its potential … And the price was right.”

To get Mesob up and running, Berekti Mengistu said she sold her house and took an early 401(k) withdrawal. They also went without health insurance and lived lean for the first several years in business.

“It took everything we had, but I’m glad we did that to get here,” she said.

There’s a lot of misconception about what we eat because Ethiopia is seen as a very poor undeveloped country. But, cuisine-wise, Ethiopian cuisine is much, much better and much, much healthier than any other cuisine you can think of.
– Berekti Mengistu, co-owner of Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant

Along with earning spots on numerous best restaurant lists, Mesob was honored in 2011 with The National Restaurant Association’s Faces of Diversity American Dream Award.

The recognition is given to members of the restaurant industry of diverse backgrounds who, despite hardship, have achieved success through hard work and determination

Three years later, Mesob was among the ventures included in Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurship’s Annual New Jersey Family Business of the Year Awards.

Mesob was selected based on factors such as growth and economic impact, as well as how it has overcome challenges and future vision. The award also considered the restaurant’s community outreach efforts, such as sponsoring races/walks for charity, working in the local soup kitchen and participating in health & wellness events.

“We try to be involved with community fundraising and any kind of community gathering we try to participate and show our traditional coffee ceremony.”

Open to eat

Though New Jersey’s Ethiopian community is bigger than it was when Mesob first opened, Berekti Mengistu said that population alone is not big enough to sustain her business.

“And because of the income in the community – they’re lower middle income – they don’t go out to restaurants that much,” she said. “If you go to Washington, D.C … there is a large community and diverse financial income, so you’ll see restaurants filled with Ethiopians. But it wasn’t like that here.”

However, she went on to say Montclair’s reputation as a community that embraces diversity has helped set Mesob up for success.

“They like to go and discover new things,” Berekti Mengistu said. “I think we survived this long because the community is so accepting.”

Besides preserving through COVID, the restaurant made it through Hurricane Ida. However, she said the aftermath of the storm was “much worse” than the pandemic.

When Ida passed through New Jersey between Sept.1–2, 2021, as an extratropical cyclone, it brought torrential rain and sudden, overwhelming floods to many areas — including parts of Montclair.

At Mesob, 6 feet of water entered the basement, which is where it stored all food, made bread and had its refrigerators. Overall, the restaurant suffered over $150,000 worth of damage.

“The water came in from all directions, so the whole basement was floor to ceiling. We’ve lost everything,” Berekti Mengistu said. “We totally lost the restaurant. It took us six months to reopen … For us to make it through all of this, it’s because Montclair and the surrounding community supported us.”

As a female restaurateur and immigrant, Berekti Mengistu said she believes there will always be some who doubt her ability as a business owner. And, she said, that just makes her work even harder to make Mesob a success.

“I don’t react. I don’t get emotional. I don’t get physical. I try to stay dignified … I just make sure I stand my ground and don’t let anybody make me smaller,” she said.

Looking ahead, Berekti Mengistu said they’re working on publishing a cookbook within the next year or two on the basics of Ethiopian cooking. After that, there may be a second book focused on plant-based cooking, she said.

Berekti Mengistu is still incredulous Mesob has been open for over two decades.

“It feels like 20 days ago,” she said. “There were hard times and good times, but I think maybe because there were more good times is why it doesn’t feel like 21 years … it’s been a great ride with all the goods and bads.”