Eat · Harnet Avenue & Cinema Impero
An Italian-era pastry bar on Harnet Avenue
A stand-up espresso bar in the Italian colonial style: order a macchiato at the counter with a cornetto or biscuit; the fastest, cheapest way into Asmara's café culture.
- A genuine piece of living Italian colonial-era culture
- not a recreation
- Cheap and fast — a five-minute stop between sights
- Order: Macchiato and a pastry
- Counter seating
- Vegetarian options
- Menu with prices on Voykit
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
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More
Map & directions
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Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Hours not published
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Per person
ERN 20–602026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian / allergies · Pastries usually contain milk and egg; plain espresso is dairy-free. · say: “Ask staff directly.”
Paying
- Prices are usually posted or well known to regulars; ask if unsure.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- Counter service
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
The pin marks the centre of Harnet Avenue & Cinema Impero: this place has no exact point on file.
More places in Harnet Avenue & Cinema Impero
Eat in Harnet Avenue & Cinema Impero
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
No shared language? Point at the dish or a photo of it. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Ken`meli ilu do? | ken-MEH-lee EE-loo do |
| The bill, please | Sirat habuni | see-RAHT hah-BOO-nee |
| Hello | Selam | seh-LAHM |
| Thank you | Yekeniele | yeh-keh-nee-EH-leh |
| Delicious | Tafeat | tah-feh-AHT |
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Prices are usually posted or well known to regulars; ask if unsure.
Paying, diet and allergies
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarian / allergiesask
Pastries usually contain milk and egg; plain espresso is dairy-free.
Show: Ask staff directly.
What is in the dishes
- Cappuccinodairy
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site
- Seating
- Standing or a shelf: no proper seats
Hygiene
- Standard café service; no particular concern reported.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Counter service
- Capabilities
- food · toilet
- Getting there
- On Harnet Avenue · ~0 min walk
Cons
- Standing room only at some bars — limited seating.
- Menu is coffee and light pastry
- not a full meal.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Macchiato | Espresso "stained" with a small amount of milk foam | — |
Price check
- rule
- Prices are usually posted or well known to regulars; ask if unsure.
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is this a sit-down café?
Some have a few tables; many are stand-at-the-counter, Italian bar style.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
If it is closed or full
All places to eat in Asmara, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Asmara in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Asmara
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.