In honor of Black History Month (BHM), we’ve curated a list that features five world-class restaurants and six extraordinary individuals. Each of our picks highlights chefs and entrepreneurs who are establishing a new legacy and sharing their lived experiences of the African diaspora.
Baobab Fare – Nadia Nijimbere Mamba & Hamissi Mamba
Detroit, MI
Website | IG | Menu | Shop Online | Catering
Bringing the vibrant flavors of East Africa to Detroit, Baobab Fare is an award-winning restaurant founded by refugees from Burundi that embodies the spirit of “Detroit Ni Nyumbani” — Detroit is Home.
In 2013, Nadia Nijimbere Mamba, while pregnant with twins, was forced to flee her home country of Burundi after years spent working as a human rights activist.
Her husband, Hamissi Mamba, was unable to secure a visa to the United States and had to stay behind. After being granted asylum in 2016, the couple began their restaurant journey by hosting pop-ups around the city.
Despite setbacks caused by the pandemic, the chef couple persevered and opened the doors to their restaurant, Baobab Fare, in March 2021.
In addition, they created the Waka by Baobab Fare food truck and Soko by Baobab Fare. Chefs Hamissi and Nadia Mamba are showcasing East African and Burundian culture and nourishing their community while paving the way for new business owners and entrepreneurs, regardless of their backgrounds or origins, to find success in Detroit.
Afro Deli & Grill – Abdirahman Kahin
Minneapolis, MN
Website | IG | Menu | Catering
Escape to an international destination at Afro Deli, a socially responsible restaurant that weaves together business with community and culture.
Owner of Afro Deli & Grill, Abdirahman Kahin was raised in Djibouti and emigrated to the United States in 1996, as an asylum seeker from war-torn Somalia. Here, he found a supportive immigrant community in Minnesota.
In 2010, after mastering his ESL and business courses, Kahin was ready to enter the hospitality industry.
In Afro Deli, he saw a vehicle to bridge cultures, build a successful business, and contribute back to his local community in a meaningful way. As a result, Afro Deli has an inclusive atmosphere where everyone from students to CEOs (and even Malala Yousafzai!) comes for a great experience. Their core offerings are pan-African dishes, but Kahin kept the menu intentionally diverse and approachable to meet people where they are.
Kahin is grateful for those that have come before him who made immigration possible noting, “We want to create more opportunities for others so they may pass it forward. When these businesses grow in our community, they hire more community members and everyone benefits. In this way, we support the growth of local economy and try to improve the lives of those we encounter every day.”
Flavors from Afar – Meymuna Hussein-Cattan
Hollywood, CA
Website | IG | Menu | Catering | Tiyya Foundation
Flavors From Afar is a Black woman- and refugee-led social enterprise restaurant serving global, indigenous recipes that are rarely found elsewhere.
Founded by Chef Meymuna Hussein-Cattan, an Ethiopian refugee, the restaurant operates on the belief that migration is beautiful. It provides a platform for refugee, immigrant, and asylum-seeking chefs through employment, professional training, and a clear path toward economic self-sufficiency.
Every dish on the menu carries a story. These are recipes passed down through generations and memories carried across borders. These traditions allow chefs to transform loss into love.
Now a three-time Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient, Flavors From Afar grew from a catering service designed to support the Tiyya Foundation.
Founded by Chef Hussein-Cattan and her mother, Tiyya assists refugees and immigrants in navigating the challenges of relocation, including language barriers, financial instability, and the social isolation often felt when starting over in a new country.
Elmina – Eric Adjepong
Washington, DC
Website | IG | Menu | Shop Online
Top Chef alum and “long-suffering NY Knicks fan,” Eric Adjepong brings a personal, contemporary perspective to West African heritage with Elmina.
As a first-generation Ghanaian American, Chef Adjepong uses the restaurant to examine the African diaspora through a masterful lens, presenting flavors that feel familiar and entirely new ways.
Elmina’s flawless environment, designed by Drummond Projects, is a warm and stylish three-story destination that mirrors this narrative. They successfully designed a space that evokes modern Africa while acknowledging the complexities of its past. For example, four rooms are themed for the prized commodities of the transatlantic slave trade such as indigo, tobacco, and sugarcane. Principal Jimmie Drummond describes the space as a response to Eric’s vision — a physical exploration of migration, resilience, and transformation.
This same depth carries through to Adjepong’s work as an author of two books: Ghana to the World, recipes and stories that look forward while honoring the past and Sankofa, a children’s book about resilience and belonging.
Overall, Elmina is a warm, artfully designed, sophisticated space where traditional Ghanaian cuisine is presented with a refined, global edge.
Berber Street Food – Diana Tandia
New York, NY
Website | IG | Menu | Catering
Welcome to Berber Street Food, a destination for diverse global flavors.
Chef and owner Diana Tandia grew up in Mauritania within a Berber, Fulani, and Sarakhole family with Senegalese roots. Her culinary education began at home, where she learned the tradition of preparing every meal from scratch.
After moving to New York City in 2001, Diana formalized her training at the French Culinary Institute in 2006. She then built an impressive career in some of the city’s most respected kitchens, including Per Se, Daniel, Spice Market, the Mandarin Oriental, and Gramercy Tavern.
In 2018, she opened Berber Street Food to bring these influences together. The menu features Afro-Fusion dishes from Mauritania, Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, prepared with French and Asian techniques.
While Chef Tandia comes from a fine-dining background, the restaurant remains a relaxed space to explore new flavors.
The menu is designed to be inclusive, offering a variety of vegan, halal, and gluten-free options.
Survival & Success
These entrepreneurs have built a life and a business out of the flavors they carried with them. Supporting these businesses helps to ensure this momentum continues, keeping the flavors and stories of the diaspora at the forefront of our communities.
