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Injera. Photo By Jforauer –

10 Best African Restaurants in New York   

Traditional African cuisine is unique and diverse, varying from region to region. It is also rich in spices and it is healthy with whole and almost no processed ingredients.

Most traditional African dishes contain starchy items, meat, fish, and a variety of spices and herbs! The dishes consist of cornmeal and center around curry dishes, beef, and broths.

Here are the 10 best African restaurants in New York. 

1. B & B 

B&B is a halal buffet-style African food place. There are large pans of food kept warm in warmers. Most of the dishes are stewed and a bit on the greasy side.  

They have a salad bar and offer a wide variety of delicious African American dishes like the popular Jerk chicken, Baked Chicken, Fried Chicken, Beef Stew, Mac & Cheese, and much more.

The food is fresh and tasty.

Location: 165 W 26th St, New York, NY 10001, United States 

Open: Daily 10 am–4 am 

2. Pikine 

Photo By T.K. Naliaka –

Pikine is an intimate African restaurant with just 6 tables plating generous portions of Senegalese cuisine. The food is very good and the ingredients are high quality.  

It is a small six-table establishment run by three Senegalese women. Two running the dining room and a chef in the kitchen. They have a few selected meals on their menu per day but the food is outstanding and inexpensive. 

Their very tasty fish & rice (Thieboudiene) and the dibi lamb are awesome and so is the pineapple ginger beer.  They have good customer service.

Location: 243 W 116th St, New York, NY 10026, United States 

Open: Daily 12 pm–12 am 

3. Safari 

This cafe creates authentic dishes based on family recipes and spices that they ship from Somalia. This East African gem stands out as the first and probably the only Somali restaurant in New York City. 

The goat hilib ari, the chicken sabaayad wrap, sambussa, and chapati here is delicious.

They have very aromatic sweet Somali tea made with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves topped with steamed Goat Milk.

Location: 219 W 116th St, New York, NY 10026, United States 

Open: EVERY DAY 9 AM-10 PM 

4. Lagos Restaurant and Lounge 

Pepper soup. Photo By Daderot –

Lagos Restaurant and Lounge is a New York City restaurant that blends West African and American food, music, and culture.

Their menu has jollof rice, fried chicken, pepper soup, chicken and beef suya, Peri Peri wings, Lagos salad, fish tacos, and more.

Their customer service is great.

Location: 727 7th Ave New York, NY 10017 

Open: Daily 10 AM – 10 PM 

5. Berber Street Food 

This place has original dishes from Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, and many more African countries with a French and Asian twist. The meals are created from family recipes with no shortcuts. 

Berber street food is set up in a cozy, intimate, and homely ambiance. The cuisine is healthy and flavorful made with the finest quality, freshly prepared, mouthwatering seasonal fresh produce filled with an aroma to awaken your African spirit.   

Location: 35 Carmine St New York, NY 10014 

Open: Tue – Fri 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM and Sat 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM 

Closed: Sundays and Mondays 

6. Brooklyn Suya 

Photo By Touzrimounir –

Suya is a spice mix of peanuts, various aromatics, and peppers ground together. Brooklyn Suya has taken this dynamic spice and made it the star of every meal.

They use it on all their various protein and vegetable options. They even use it to traditionally marinate beef that is later skewered and grilled to perfection.

Accompanied with fresh onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes, the skewered beef is the most popular Nigerian street food loved by all and  Brooklyn Suya offers that.

Location: 717 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238, United States 

Open: EVERY DAY 12 noon – 9 pm 

7. Kaia Wine Bar  

Photo by Louis Hansel on

Kaia is a spot you’d probably walk right by without noticing. It is a South African wine bar that is more like a home than a restaurant.  They serve over 50 wines from South Africa and they pour massive glasses of them. 

Everything here is tasty and different plus they change the menu often. Try the elk tartare, lamb burger, and kale salad. All their meals are awesome.

If you’re a parent seeking an hour of alone time, dinner for one at the bar is a great idea. This place is ideal for first dates, couples’ outings, or even for friends looking to catch up.

Location: 1614 3rd Ave New York, NY 10128 

Open: Mon -THUr 4 PM – 10 PM, Fri 4 PM – 11 PM, Sat 1 PM-11 PM, Sun 12 PM- 10 PM 

8. Massawa  

Massawa is one of the very first Eritrean and Ethiopian restaurants in the U.S. and has enjoyed a large following of patrons since its opening in 1988 in New York City.

Everything served here is natural, fresh, and of the highest quality. They have exotic dishes, some very spicy and others with mild flavors plus they will customize any dish to the exact spice level that you wish. 

Even though Massawa is known for its hearty vegan and vegetarian fare, They also serve fish, beef, lamb, chicken, and shrimp. Many of the dishes are served on large platters accompanied by fluffy injera bread.

This restaurant is perfect for both intimate dinner dates and a large family dinner. 

Location: 1239 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10027 

Open: Everyday 11:30 am – 10 pm 

9. Voilà Afrique 

Voilà Afrique restaurant offers African, Caribbean, and Latin American cuisine, with Halal, Vegan, and Organic options. 

Among the items on the menu include rice and beans, red and green cabbage, bell peppers, spiced diced plantains (Kelewele), diced beef, and sour cream with corn tortillas. 

They also have Jollof Rice served with veggies (vegan) or chicken and beef.

Location: 844 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10017, United States 

Open: Mon to Fri 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM 

Closed: Saturday and Sunday 

10. Teranga Harlem 

Beef, Gizzard, and Chicken Suya. Photo By WhisperToMe –

Teranga’s menu has a wide range of dishes from Nigerian beef suya to Moroccan chermoula and ancient grains eaten all over West Africa. There are plenty of vegan and gluten-free options to choose from.

One can order from the curated list of specialty combinations or take the mix-and-match approach and combine protein bases with hearty stewed black-eyed peas and okra or spicy-sweet fried kelewele.

Another amazing choice is Teranga’s jollof rice. It’s fiery, herbaceous, and super tasty.

Location: 1280 5th Ave New York, NY 10029 East Harlem 

Open: Thur and Sun 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Fri and Sat 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM 

Closed: Mon, Tue, Wed