Minneapolis-St. Paul's Best Spots for African Food

Brooklyn Center has a significant African population, particularly from West African countries such as Nigeria and Liberia. African Deli has met the needs of this growing demographic since 2009. Specializing in Liberian, Nigerian, and Ghanaian dishes, it is one of the few places where you can find egusi — soup made from the seeds of green melons, served with a side of fufu — and Ghanaian waakye, a distinctly red dish made with rice, beans, sorghum leaves, and powdered limestone.

Bolé is named after a neighborhood in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where co-owners Solomon Haile and Rekik Abaineh were born and raised. It originally opened in Minneapolis and has since expanded to St. Paul and Maple Grove. Their spicy awaze tibs (beef simmered in berbere seasoning) and delectable miser (split lentils simmered in berbere, onions, garlic and ginger) are a few items worth trying, especially with family or friends.

Located in the Camden neighborhood of North Minneapolis, City Afrique offers a taste of Liberian cuisine and delicacies. Check rice made with jute leaves and many different fufu dishes (a stretchy ball of starch made from cassava, served alongside pepper soup) are just a few of the items one will encounter on City Afrique’s menu.

Chef Beko Tufa opened Dilla Ethiopian in Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in 2012, drawing many of the diners who fell in love with her food at Red Sea. Dilla has been a staple experience for Ethiopian fare within the West Bank neighborhood on the University of Minnesota campus ever since. Whether it’s the Yechala combo, which comes with injera and several stews to dip it in or choosing one’s own adventure by ordering the ethnic combination, there are countless entrees and endless injera to go around when dining at Dilla.

Located right around CHS Field and the heart of downtown St. Paul, Erte Ale has called Lowertown home since 2022. Owned and run by Amy Tsegaye and Dereje Wudmatas, items such as the doro wat offer a different twist, with spices that are layered and reveal a new complexity with each chew. Their tibs firfir — lamb chunks cooked in stew with onions, garlic, and tomato — is savory without tasting too gamey. Stop by on Saturdays for their vegan buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Gedi Grill is situated within Hopkins Halal, a community-oriented grocery store catering to the East African population in the area. Items such as their waslad (lamb shank served over Somali-style basmati rice) and their hilib ari made with steamed goat meat and sautéed vegetables warrant multiple visits, whether you’re rolling solo or bringing the whole family along.

Open since 2019 on Payne Avenue in the Eastside of St. Paul, Karibu Grocery & Deli specializes in East African and Afro-Caribbean cuisine dishes like nomad’s ari (fried goat meat cooked with onions, garlic, green peppers and cilantro) and their twist on the chopped cheese sandwich. Don’t forget to wash it all down with a Karibu chai, made fresh to order.

Lulu EthioVegan was born when Tigist Feyisa’s daughter Lulu became vegan. Opened in 2023 off Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis, it offers a variety of vegan and gluten-free options to enjoy Ethiopian cuisine, such as dulet (minced mushrooms, onions, and jalapenos, sautéed with a blend of seasonings) and a veggie platter that provides a good sampling of the menu items Lulu EthioVegan has to offer.

Safia Munye opened Mama Safia’s Kitchen in 2018 on East Lake Street, near Karmel Mall, at the Minneapolis Coliseum Building, to deliver a taste of Somali and Kenyan cuisine to patrons. Fuol canjero, a spiced fava bean stew with herbs and vegetables, and beef ugali, a polenta-like dish paired with beef suqaar, are just a few of the rich and earthy dishes one may find.

Sagal Restaurant has catered to the Somali community in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis since 1998. It reopened to the public after undergoing renovations in 2024. Sagal’s offerings showcase the spices and delicacies Somalia has to offer, such as a flavorful goat dish with rice and shawarma served on chapati.