Sharing is at the core of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. A plate full of saucy stews and deeply flavorful greens is eaten with a spongy, tangy flatbread, injera, used in place of utensils. Whether beef tibs or vegan tum’tumo, with large portions and lots of dishes to taste, more than two hands digging into one plate is always better.

Paolos and Eden Kidanemariam had no idea that sharing — the concept at the core of the food they grew up with — would become central to their business model. 

Makeda’s Cuisine, located in the Cedar Tree Food Truck Pod on 6th Avenue in west Eugene, has become a hub for the pair to share Ethiopian and Eritrean food with Eugene locals. Since beginning their business seven years ago, it has become the only place in all of Lane County to try the cuisine.

After owning Zagwe’s, a brick-and-mortar location on Blair Boulevard, for more than two years, in April 2025, the owners returned to their roots: a food truck. As they’ve shifted menu options and prices due to tariffs, the truck has become a reliable and accessible option that helps them share their food with a broader audience. 

“Most of the things fell on us,” Eden says of their time at the restaurant on Blair. “We were just on the go — working nonstop for almost three years.” 

Things have become more seamless for the pair while maintaining a smaller operation. According to Paolos, it felt familiar to return to the truck, “more like a transition” than closing the doors completely. 

Now, with a scaled-back operation and some adjustments to their menu, they’ve found newfound success in sharing their cuisine. They’ve adjusted their model to focus primarily on rice bowls, considering the difficulty tariffs have caused for their sourcing of teff, the grain used to make injera. 

Serving rice bowls is popular with customers in addition to being an economical option for Makeda’s. “In this area, most people are on a budget. We’re trying to find ways to keep it affordable,” Eden says. 

Vegan and vegetarian options are plentiful at Makeda’s as well, with several lentil and root vegetable dishes laden with spices. “People were really happy about that, right? Blown away by the texture of the food, the fermentation,” Paolos says. 

When the Kidanemariams first opened the original Makeda’s Cuisine food truck seven years ago, they were driven to build careers around cooking. The pair had been living in San Jose, California, after moving to the U.S. from Eritrea when they were young. 

Paolos’ mother owned a restaurant for many years in San Jose, and Eden’s mom was always cooking at home. “We come from that, where eating and cooking is part of the culture,” Eden says. 

At first, after coming to the U.S., Paolos didn’t think a restaurant would be a worthy endeavor. It seemed to him like there were other parts of their lives to prioritize, and assimilating felt like the obligatory thing to do. “But then, once we came here, we understood the importance of the food — it keeps you grounded, especially when you leave, we don’t have family here,” Paolos says. 

A ground-up venture once they moved to Eugene was difficult at first, but has proved to be nothing but rewarding. “There was no market when we came here, so we had to establish everything,” Paolos said. “It’s been a journey.” He says that about 60 percent of guests at Makeda’s have never tried Ethiopian and Eritrean food.

Honoring and sharing their culture extends beyond the food they serve. Music plays a significant role in the joy and community-building that the Kidanemariams strive for at Makeda’s. They host live music every other Saturday in the plaza where the truck is parked and always have music playing in the truck. 

“Music and food, that’s what brings people together,” Paolos says. “We decided to use that as a tool, bring the culture along with it.” 

They hope to eventually open another restaurant, this time with better circumstances and potentially with an investor. “Sometimes something has to be done in order for it to come back something better,” Eden says of the brick and mortar idea.

For now, they continue serving Eugene as the only Ethiopian restaurant for miles. Makeda’s has become essential for its loyal customers, such as runners visiting Hayward Field from Ethiopia and Eritrea who seek injera before competitions.

“It’s important that you bring the food and the culture to the people,” Paolos says. “The avenue can always change and improve.” In Eugene, they’ve found a way to honor their traditions while building something new — one shared plate at a time. 

Find Makeda’s Cuisine 11 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday, at 1591 West 6th Avenue, MakedasCuisine.square.site, 541-948-8442.