1. Bati Ethiopian Kitchen, Clinton Hill
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Bati is an Ethiopian restaurant in Clinton Hill that was voted Best African Restaurant 2023 by Best of Brooklyn and for good reason. While their Doro Wett (a hearty, spicy stew that is served with a piece of chicken thigh and an egg soaked in the sauce) is a crowd favorite, what Bati is most known for is the traditional vegan options. The Missir Wett (lentil stew) really takes the crown. It’s made with a base of red onion and berbere. It’s earthy and, not surprisingly, the most ordered item on the menu! This is not to ignore the Ater kik Alicha (turmeric-based split pea stew), the garlicky Gomen (collard greens), and many other legume-focused vegan bites.
Where: 1057 Fulton St
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2. Queen Of Sheba, Hell’s Kitchen
Located just a few blocks away from Times Square is Queen of Sheba, an Ethiopian eatery that is “perfect for sharing Ethiopian traditional meals, stories and culture with family and friends”. The rum cake is unbelievable! Owner and Executive Chef Philipos Mengistu is truly an Ambassador of Ethiopian food and has been profiled in several TV shows in the US. With a décor that takes you back to Ethiopia, the seating in the restaurant is deliberate to amplify a sense of community. And you cannot be ashamed to eat with your hands; the Queen of Sheba would not have it any other way!
Where: 650 10th Ave
3. Massawa NYC, Harlem
Massawa was one of the very first Eritrean and Ethiopian restaurants in the US, and has been an NYC staple since 1988. Their menu is quite well-ranging, spanning from Vegetable or Beef Sambuusa (two pastry shells stuffed w/ a choice of spicy minced chicken, or savory green lentils cooked in an onion and scallion puree) all the way to Tebsi and Zegini. Complete with their delicious Infera Bread with each meal, you can’t go wrong…especially if you add glass of honey wine or an Eritrean beer. See full menu here.
Where: 1239 Amsterdam Ave
4. Bunna Cafe, Bushwick
Brooklyn’s Bunna Cafe is an all-plant-based eatery. Since 2011, Bunna Cafe has been curating Ethiopian-themed food and music events around NYC. This fun, delicious, nutritious, and communal cuisine is inspired by the Habesha tradition of sharing. Meals are shared, coffee is shared, and homes are shared. Bunna also hosts Ethiopian Coffee ceremonies every Friday, Saturday and Sunday!
Where: 1084 Flushing Ave
5. Ponty Bistro, Harlem
Cuisine: Senegalese
Chef Cisse moved to the United States from Senegal in 1995, so you can expect an expert level of authenticity in his dishes. At Ponty Bistro, they have developed a three-star menu with a unique blend of African and French dishes. Menu items include traditional Senegalese foods such as Poisson Yassa (Fish) and others such as Le Tagine de Poulet (Chicken Tagine), a North African-inspired dish. In this recipe, Chef Cisse chose Le Tagine de Poulet (Chicken Tagine), which, combined with the spices, brings out the true flavors of the meat & vegetables.
Where: 2375 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd
6. Native African and Fusion Restaurant and Lounge, Bedstuy
Cuisine: Nigerian
Native Restaurant and Lounge is a new modernized nestled in the vibrant streets of Brooklyn. These culinary artisans have crafted a menu that blends traditional flavors with contemporary flair, creating a truly unforgettable dining experience. Native’s skilled chefs prepare authentic recipes that have been passed down through generations, ensuring that each spoonful captures the essence of Nigerian culinary traditions with their wide selections of traditional soups like the rich and robust flavors of Egusi and Ogbono soup. Enjoy the fiery depths of suya-spiced grilled meats to the comforting embrace of jollof rice, each dish tells a story of cultural heritage and culinary mastery. While you dine, sip on handcrafted cocktails inspired by the vibes and rhythms of Afrobeats and Afrojazz, while the rhythmic experience transports you to the heart of West Africa!
Where: 911 Broadway
More Nigerian food:
7. BUKA, Clinton Hill & Lower East Side
Buka specializes in Nigerian cuisine…or what they call “good old-fashioned Naija cooking.” Their food is as traditional and flavorful as you like, starting with the Suya (thinly sliced grilled lamb in Nigerian spices) as an appetizer before moving into one of their mains like the Edikaikong (Goat and tripe cooked in spinach with crayfish, dried shrimp and periwinkle, served with fufu) or Goat Pepper Soup (Spicy goat and tripe thin broth soup, made with fresh herbs and Nigerian spices). They even serve African beers and bitters too! Check it all out here.
Where: Brooklyn: 1111 Fulton St \ Manhattan: 137 1st Ave
8. Dept of Culture Brooklyn, BedStuy
Dept of Culture was born out of the IYA EBA popup dinner series hosted by Ayo Balogun of the Council Cafe. Steeped in the belief that we share more commonalities than differences, Dept of Culture was created to explore an evening of conversation in an intimate setting with a tasting menu inspired by north-central Nigerian cooking.
Where: 327 Nostrand Ave
9. Lagos TSQ, Midtown
As you can probably guess, Lagos specializes in Nigerian dishes that are influenced by the African city. It’s a high tempo restaurant/nightclub combo that serves a menu curated under the watchful eye of chef Ayodeji Adeosun. Their atmosphere is always filled with “food, music, and culture with a Nigerian pulse” and that reflects in their West-African fused menu.
Highlights include the Jollof Rice, Roasted Shawarma Chicken Sandwich, Suya Wings, and a whole lot more. Check it all out here.
Where: 727 7th Ave
10. DÙNDÚ, Midtown
Right in the heart of Midtown is DÙNDÚ, a Nigerian restaurant and takeout spot that serves delicious and authentic West African food. Their small counter-only style spot is where you can assemble your own lunch bowls with Jollofrice, Peppered Grilled Chicken, Moinmoin, and a whole lot more! If you’re looking for a deliciously compact meal you got to give this place a try! It’s just steps from Grand Central Station.
Where: 140 E 41st St
11. Voila Afrique Catering Company, Midtown Manhattan
Cuisine: Pan-African
Voila Afrique Catering Company is a Pan-African eatery founded on a vision of shifting boundaries in African cuisine. “Voila Afrique” means “here is Africa” in French, a nod to how the restaurant affirms the resourcefulness of the continent through its colorful and sometimes untapped spices, roots and grains. At Voila, you’ll feel totally at home with a variety of tasty, homemade street food and standout items like Plantain Fufu, Goatmeat Pepper Soup and Peanut Butter Stew (peanut butter, sweet peppers and tomato sauce). You will be welcomed to the warm and aromatic atmosphere of the sights and smells of authentic food from different parts of Africa. Whether you prefer organic, gluten-free, vegan, or halal – Voila Afrique Catering Company is the place for you!
Where: 844 2nd Ave.
12. Tara Kitchen, TriBeCa
Cuisine: Moroccan
Now on its fifth location, Tara Kitchen is taking Moroccan food to new heights and has been declared “the city’s best Moroccan restaurant to have opened in years” by Eater in March 2023. Vibrant, not fiery, the dishes at Tara Kitchen are seasoned with spices that reflect Morocco’s history as a cultural crossroad and celebrate Chef Aneesa’s talent for building beautifully balanced flavors out of unexpected combinations. Tara’s is known for their signature Tagines (stews featuring chicken, lamb, or seafood, and a variety of vegetables) that are fragrant with earthy cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and other spices, fruits like dried figs and apricots, as well as prunes and local blueberries, that add subtle sweetness, and olives, a salty pop and herbs like mint, fenugreek, and parsley add the finishing touches, and it all comes together in a magical way that’s outright addictive—like a culinary hug.
Where: 253 Church St
13. Makina Cafe, Long Island City & Fort Greene Park
Cuisine: Ethiopian/Eritrean fusion
Born in Ethiopia to parents of Eritrean descent, Makina Cafe founder Eden G. Egziabher was raised amidst a vibrant mix of Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Italian cultures. She prides herself on being the first Eritrean-American female entrepreneur in NYC with a food truck serving “Habesha” food – a term of pride used to eliminate the distinction between different tribes of Eritrea and Ethiopia and celebrate the unity of people of the same region. This food truck offers a dining experience familiar to New Yorkers with unique flavors. First, you pick your base between Injera and yellow rice, then the fun begins. Create your personal platter with protein options like Chicken Tibs (cubed chicken marinated with berbere, onions, garlic, parsley, and spiced oil), Siga Wot (tender beef stew slow-cooked for hours in carmelized onions and berbere spiced sauce), and more, second, you choose two out of the six veggie add ons then pick a sauce out of the lemon & olive oil or Awaze (berbere chili pepper blend sauce).
14. Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, Lincoln Square
Cuisine: Nigerian/Caribbean/American fusion
Celebrity chef (Top Chef) Kwame Onwuachi is behind this stunning Lincoln Center Plaza restaurant, which serves flavors, aromas and textures inspired by his childhood in The Bronx. The Afro-Caribbean influence on the menu is evident and even overflows into other cultures too like Nigerian, Chinese, and more. We’re talking all sort of fun concoctions…from the Egusi Dumplings to the Shawarma Roasted Chicken to even the Hamachi Escovitch. Check out the full menu here.
Where: 10 Lincoln Center Plaza
15. Teranga, Harlem & Midtown
Cuisine: West African
At Teranga, every meal is inspired by traditional African home cooking. Their menu highlights like the Yassa, Yassa Super Bowl (Grilled Chicken topped with Yassa Sauce over African Red Rice, ‘Kelewele’ Spicy Plantains, ‘Ndambe’ Black Eyed Pea Stew) focus on ancient, nutrient-dense crops that have been cultivated in Africa for centuries. Their two cafes in Harlem and Midtown are great places to go and customize a rice bowl with your choosing of meat, veggies, rice, and more. Check out the menu here.
Where: Harlem – 1280 5th Ave / Midtown – 601 Lexington Ave