Ekiben was born in 2014, when college friends Ephrem Abebe, Steve Chu, and Nikhil Yesupriya (who left the restaurant industry for a saner career in 2019) decided to start selling their unique spin on Asian + Ethiopian cuisine out of a hotdog cart at the Fells Point Farmers Market.

Since those early days, Ekiben has been fortunate to find a loving and supportive community that has helped us grow across Baltimore, where we now have 3 brick and mortar locations (one each in Fells Point, Hampden, and South Baltimore) and a thriving catering operation.

But the most meaningful growth has been in the Ekiben team. Without these talented, hard-working, big-hearted, fun-loving people, Ekiben simply wouldn’t be possible. They’re truly the soul of this company, and we’re so lucky they’re on this journey with us.