CALABASH AFRICAN CUISINE & BAR
Nestled quietly in the Van Dorn Station Shopping Center in Alexandria, Virginia, Calabash stands as a bold tribute to the power of West African cuisine. Chef Kafui Attakpah, who founded the restaurant with his siblings, stays true to tradition and timeless flavors. His generously portioned, beautifully presented dishes have resonated deeply with diners, who gather there to enjoy regional favorites, including his jollof rice, rich with tomato sauce, which won this year’ s D. C. Jollof Festival. Other popular dishes include thick, gravy-like groundnut( peanut) soup with a large, dumpling-like fufu that serves as an edible utensil, waakye( rice and beans), and spicy okra stew with smoked turkey and goat. Since most dishes are eaten with your hands, meals start with a bowl, water, and soap for handwashing before eating. The space, with its golden lighting and walls covered in greenery, is always lively, especially on Sundays when live music or a DJ is often present. 514-c S Van Dorn St, Alexandria, VA 22304,( 703) 823-1333
MANSA KUNDA
Takoma Park, Maryland, is quickly becoming one of the most exciting restaurant destinations in the D. C. suburbs. The progressive-minded city that feels like a small town is home to travel-worthy Mexican( Cielo Rojo, San Pancho), Vietnamese( Muoi Tiêu), pizza( Red Hound), coffee( Takoma Bev Co.), and West African cuisine at Mansa Kunda, the brainchild of native Gambian Hatib Joof. His extensive menu features dishes from his homeland as well as Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, and the Ivory Coast. Expect to find flatbreads topped with shito( a sauce made with dried fish and prawns, tomato, and seasoning), fried plantains, savory turnovers, jollof rice, plump balls of fufu, spiced chu stew, oxtail soup, and ablo( Togolese steamed rice cakes). Look around the 62-seat restaurant for many decorative touches from Joof’ s home country, including chairs made from traditional djembe drums, hand-woven light fixtures, and an array of musical instruments such as a xylophone-like balafon and a ngoni( traditional lute). 8000 Flower Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912,( 301) 589-8222
Elmina
Credit: Nico Schinco
Eatopia Eatery
Credit: DJ Phatsu
SWAHILI VILLAGE
The eastern part of Africa is highlighted at this welcoming restaurant with locations in downtown D. C. and Beltsville, Maryland. For over 20 years, chef Kevin Onyona and his wife, Lynn, have provided fine dining and warm hospitality. Look for elevated dishes like nyama choma( char-grilled cubed beef), mbuzi mchuzi( slow-cooked goat stew), oxtail stew, crispy fried whole tilapia in coconut sauce, Kenyan sausages, cornmeal fufu, bhajia( golden fried lentil battered sliced potatoes that resemble cottage fries), and, of course, jollof rice. When you visit the D. C. location, don’ t be surprised if you meet dignitaries and diplomats from across Africa and around the world; the restaurant has hosted Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the years. 1990 M St NW, Washington, DC 20036,( 202) 758-3384
FLYWASHINGTON. COM 38 AUTUMN 2025