From Jollof rice to Suya, West African cuisine consists of influences from sixteen individual countries. All of the regions have their own rich cultures, yet a few factors are similar between their dishes: unmatched flavors, spice, and grains. Interested in indulging in a West African meal? Add the top 25 West African restaurants to your list of places to explore and enjoy.
Methodology: This is an all-time list of the Top West African eateries in the US according to Yelp. We identified businesses in the food and restaurants category on Yelp, with a large concentration of reviews mentioning “West African”, then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews.
1. Kendejah Restaurant – San Leandro, CA
2. Akadi PDX – Portland, OR
3. Drelyse African Restaurant – Columbus, OH
4. ChopnBlok – Houston, TX
5. Bantaba African Restaurant – Lynnwood, WA
6. Chez Dior – Hyattsville, MD
7. Mansa Kunda Restaurant – Takoma Park, MD
8. Nneji – Astoria, NY
9. Teranga Harlem – New York, NY
10. Yassa African Restaurant – Chicago, IL
11. Fannie’s West African Cuisine – Kansas City, MO
12. Voilà Afrique – New York, NY
13. Cafe Songhai – Peachtree Corners, GA
14. Bukom Cafe – Washington, DC
15. Chaima’s African Cuisine – Omaha, NE
I’ve never had African dishes before, this was so delicious. Right amount of sweet, spice and savory. If I could fly back to NOLA just to eat at Bennachin again I would.
– Yelp Elite Janani S. at Bennachin Restaurant
16. Kilimandjaro Restaurant – Philadelphia, PA
17. Bennachin Restaurant – New Orleans, LA
18. Ike’s Cafe and Grill – Norcross, GA
19. Ruth’s Buka – Oakland, CA
20. Moi Moi – Washington, DC
Phenomenal. I was craving West African food, so I decided to check this place out on a work trip. I asked for what was more traditional Ghana cuisine, and he pointed me to the Joyful Jollof and the Waakye (Rice and Beans).
– Yelp Elite Benjamin C. at Yendidi Restaurant
21. Yendidi Restaurant – Norfolk, VA
22. Badou Senegalese Cuisine – Chicago, IL
23. KG’s African American Grill – Garden City, MI
24. Calabash African Kitchen – Las Vegas, NV
25. Suya Suya West African Grill – Philadelphia, PA
