Demera opened in Uptown in November 2007, founded by chef and owner Tigist Reda, who was born and raised in Ethiopia and learned the cuisine from the elder women in her family before opening the restaurant with her former husband.
The food centers on the communal, family-style tradition of Ethiopian eating — injera serving as both plate and utensil for scooping up stews and spiced meat dishes. A sampler plate lets a table work through several dishes at once, with cardamom, clove, and cinnamon running through the spicing, and honey wine on the drinks list.
Demera also caters weddings, celebrations, and company events off its regular menu. Reda launched Hope 4 Tigray Women, a nonprofit tied to the restaurant, in 2021.
Demera has appeared on the Michelin Guide's Chicago Selected list in 2019, 2021, 2024, and 2025.
The food centers on the communal, family-style tradition of Ethiopian eating — injera serving as both plate and utensil for scooping up stews and spiced meat dishes. A sampler plate lets a table work through several dishes at once, with cardamom, clove, and cinnamon running through the spicing, and honey wine on the drinks list.
Demera also caters weddings, celebrations, and company events off its regular menu. Reda launched Hope 4 Tigray Women, a nonprofit tied to the restaurant, in 2021.
Demera has appeared on the Michelin Guide's Chicago Selected list in 2019, 2021, 2024, and 2025.