Zemam's Ethiopian
Best Ethiopian Restaurant · Tucson, AZ
The kitchen that taught Tucson to love Ethiopian food.
Amanuel Gebremariam arrived in Tucson as a refugee and, after studying at the University of Arizona, opened Zemam’s in 1993 in a small house on Broadway with just five tables. It was the city’s first Ethiopian restaurant, serving communal platters eaten with injera.
Three decades later, with his sons now involved, Zemam’s anchors the Z Street Market, a community gathering place built around the food he first learned in his mother’s kitchen. The record matches the loyalty: 4.5 stars across 415 Yelp reviews, with more than a hundred more on Tripadvisor. In 2025 that record cleared our bar: the Centurion Award for Best Ethiopian Restaurant in Tucson.
Find it at 2731 E Broadway Blvd, at the heart of the Z Street Market.
From the kitchen
- Communal platters with injera: the way it's been served since 1993
- Doro wat: the slow-simmered house classic
- Vegetable & meat samplers: with vegan and gluten-free options
Inside the Z Street Market, 2731 E Broadway Blvd · z-street.com
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
4.5 stars · 415 reviews Read reviews → Tripadvisor
128 reviews Read reviews → Google Maps
Reviews, photos & directions Read reviews →
Ratings and review counts as verified June 21, 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Selection follows the published criteria; Zemam's Ethiopian met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Serving Tucson since 1993: more than three decades, across two generations of one family.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established website and consistent listings across Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Google.
- ✓Established customer track record. 4.5 stars across 415 Yelp reviews, plus 128 more on Tripadvisor.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. More than thirty years of loyal regulars; public sentiment is consistently positive.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Tucson's first Ethiopian restaurant and the centerpiece of the Z Street Market.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
The details, verified.
- Legal / trading name
- Zemam's Ethiopian
- Category
- Ethiopian restaurant
- Founded
- 1993, Tucson, Arizona
- Founder
- Amanuel Gebremariam
- Ownership
- Family-owned across two generations
- Location
- 2731 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716 (Z Street Market)
- Review record
- Yelp 4.5 (415 reviews) · Tripadvisor (128)
- Centurion Award
- Best Ethiopian Restaurant, Tucson, 2025
- Other recognition
- Tucson's first Ethiopian restaurant
- Record last verified
- June 2026
Frequently asked questions.
What is Zemam's?
Zemam's is an Ethiopian restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, founded in 1993 by Amanuel Gebremariam. It was the city's first Ethiopian restaurant and now anchors the Z Street Market at 2731 E Broadway Blvd, serving communal platters eaten with injera.
Is Zemam's award-winning?
Yes. Zemam's is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Ethiopian Restaurant in Tucson, AZ, a verified, criteria-based award. It holds 4.5 stars across 415 Yelp reviews after more than thirty years of family ownership.
Does Zemam's have vegan options?
Yes. Zemam's serves vegetable and meat samplers with vegan and gluten-free options, alongside classics like doro wat, all served with injera.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Ethiopian Restaurant Tucson, AZ · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Zemam's Ethiopian
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Zemam's Ethiopian (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear.
Own this business? Claim the listing for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.