Springfield Restaurant Guide

"Merkamo".. the story behind the name

Merkamo is an all encompassing word in the Gurage language. The Gurage people are one of the major ethnic groups in Ethiopia widely popular for their exquisite cuisine. Merkamo, meaning beautiful when literally translated, is more than a physical beauty. It depicts a wholesome being radiating purity of heart and "Joi de Vivre" to all who come in contact with that beauty.

We chose the name "Merkamo" for our restaurant for this very reason. We intend to provide a joyful experience and feed the body and soul. Our hope is to replicate our parents' story where our mother earned the term "Merkamo" for the open house she kept and the delicious meals she served to friends and family. We are determined to capture our mother's passion for beauty in cooking and everything else in life. There is nothing like the real thing, and our mom whose love for life continues to inspire us, supervises our kitchen to keep us honest. There you have it: in English we are "Beautiful", in Amharic, we are "Konjo", the French call us C'est Joli, but we can only beautiful in the eyes of our customers. From our welcoming staff to our house decor; from our delicious food to our dining ambience; we aspire to earn the title of Merkamo, beautiful inside and out. Come join us and make our beauty complete. We promise to provide a unique dining experience you will not soon forget!!!