Addis Ababa Shopping – Shops, Stores, Best Buys & Inside Tips

Addis Ababa Shopping

Addis Ababa is both the capital and the largest city in the country of Ethiopia. Boasting a population of millions and with a reputation as a tourist destination, it has numerous shops and stores where visitors can go shopping.

Bookstores

The Africans Bookshop looks a bit worn after years of operation, but it remains an old favorite among backpackers. They sell secondhand books, so their selection depends a lot on what people have brought in to sell. They are open from Monday through Saturday at various times. It’s located just north of the Piazza and across the street from the British Council.

The Mega Book Shop has an interesting stock of mostly English books. Their range of books varies from cheap romance novels to engineering and medical textbooks. They even have some guidebooks. The staff are friendly and helpful, and they have plenty to read that is both fiction and non-fiction. They have expanded over the last year and have at least three other locations. They actually have two locations in the Piazza area alone. Conveniently, they’re more than happy to also order books and textbooks for you.

Street Markets

The Piazza in Addis Ababa is an urban part of the city. There are many street stalls and small business along the narrow side streets and walking streets. If you would like to buy some clothes, you can also go to a market in Shero Meda, near the US embassy. It is an affordable area to visit when you’re hoping to spend the day shopping.

Coffee

While you can buy coffee in many places in the city, the Tomoca Coffee house in Addis Ababa blends and roasts only high-grade Harar coffee, the best that the country produces. This is a small shop set up like most US and European coffee houses that is usually full of people. Their coffee bar and shop is nearby the Canadian Embassy.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about shopping in Addis Ababa.