The South End eatery serves traditional Ethiopian fare and draws diners who want a taste of home.

A couple of starstruck waitresses tentatively approach Gebremariam and say, “Selam,” hello in Amharic. At the far end of the main dining room, a group of Ethiopian coffee promoters recently arrived from the capital Addis Ababa spot Gebremariam and shout the same greeting. Before the night is over, the waitresses, the coffee promoters, and a handful of other patrons will pose for pictures with Gebremariam and wish him good luck in the Boston Marathon on Monday.

With a personal best of 2 hours 4 minutes 53 seconds, Gebremariam, 28, is among the favorites for the men’s title. He should challenge defending champion Wesley Korir from Kenya for the win. In his marathon debut, Gebremariam won the 2010 New York City Marathon, then finished third in the 2011 Boston Marathon six months later. He boasts a résumé filled with impressive 10,000-meter performances on the track (personal-best 26:52:33) and international cross-country wins, proving his speed, strength, and versatility.

“To win a major marathon is very big, especially Boston,” says Gebremariam. “I tried to win Boston two times. Last year, it was too hot. I want to win this race because I know the benefit of winning this race. In Ethiopia, if an athlete wins New York City and Boston, they put him in very high regard.”

Already his accomplishments garner extra attention on the streets of Addis Ababa and at Addis Red Sea. And he embraces it all with his gregarious personality. At one point inside the restaurant, Gebremariam shakes so many hands he seems like a one-man welcoming committee. When competing in his home country, Boston-based agent Mark Wetmore says Gebremariam is treated like a rock star.

It doesn’t hurt that Gebremariam is one half of the first couple of Ethiopian distance running. His wife, Werknesh Kidane, is a sports star in her own right. When they met, she was the more accomplished, better-known runner. Kidane will compete in the BAA 5K on Sunday. Asked if she has given her husband any marathon advice, Kidane, the tiny, soft-spoken opposite of her tall, talkative husband, says, “Yes, train well and rest well.”

“In Ethiopia, we have a very nice tradition with everybody cheering for you,” says the 6-foot, 132-pound Gebremariam. “You can walk down every street in Addis and they ask for your autograph and your photo. They have a big place [in their hearts] for famous runners there.”

Waitress Edele Mekonnen agrees and adds, “[Gebre] is very popular. You can ask anyone from Ethiopia and they know him. I know him and I don’t even follow running.”

Sitting down, Gebremariam remarks how the restaurant reminds him of Addis Ababa where he lives and trains. He is speaking of the food. All around generous portions of spicy lentils, chickpea paste, marinated chicken, and cubed beef rest atop a spongy flatbread called injera. The place smells of garlic, ginger, and onions. But Gebremariam easily could be talking about the way other diners recognize him and excitedly greet him during his meal.

Gebremariam quickly drew national attention with his gold medal at the 2002 World Junior Cross Country Championships in Dublin. An inexperienced, barefoot, 18-year-old Gebremariam showed unexpected race savvy in his first major, international competition, patiently waiting to make his move for the victory. Back home, his barefooted triumph drew comparisons to countryman Abebe Bikila, who won the 1960 Rome Olympic marathon running without shoes.

“He kind of burst on the scene,” said Wetmore. “Then, he won with no shoes and that was his last race with no shoes. But the thing you could see in that first race [was his savvy]. Usually at that age, the gun goes and all the best guys go to the front. Watching the race unfold, the best guy outlasts the other guys. That’s a cross-country way of running. He was 30th after the first lap and I thought, ‘Is he sick?’ Usually younger guys don’t have that will to come through, but he had it at a very young age.”