African Restaurants near Bloomington, MN

“The restaurant served authentic, flavorful Somali food, and I really enjoyed it. The portions were generous, and the prices were very affordable. The staff were wonderful and welcoming, and there was no wait time, which made the experience even better.“

“Great little spot, when we came in we were greeted by Marco, Marco took our order with a smile and we had our food in less than 3 minutes, Marco threw in a free drink for us and took a moment to ask us all our names and formally introduce himself, it was overall kind genuine and warm, we had the (sambusa's?) With some great (really hot) hot sauce. Fantastic price, delicious goat haneeth, and even better rice. 10/10“

“I had a long layover in Minneapolis and wanted to try Somalian food. The food was very good. I explained to the man working the counter that it was my first time trying Somalian food, so he was helpful explaining the dishes and making recommendations. I felt very welcomed. Would recommend“

“Fantastic food. I found this gem on DoorDash and it is hands down my favorite vegan option in the Cities. The food is fresh and delicious!“

“I loved the food Ms.Grace was really nice and I loved the painting I would highly recommend this place“

“Timely delicious & a great atmosphere. The staff is wonderful and the Chef JoJo knows how to add a special touch to every meal.“

“I was staying in the University of Minnesota and this place was a life saver when I did not want to eat in the dining hall. Their falafel sandwich was genuinely some of the best falafel I have ever had and their fries were undoubtedly the best fries I have ever had. The service was super quick and we got our food in under 10 minutes consistently. The staff was super friendly and the restaurant had a great atmosphere to it. Would strongly recommend if you are in the area!“

“I just got dinner from this cute hole in the wall Somali restaurant and it was soooo good! Just Don’t use “ZING” link to order. Call them instead or use Uber Eats. The ZING page doesn’t communicate with the restaurant so my order never got placed. They were SO helpful when I got there and made my food so quickly ! The Best sambusa’s I’ve had in a long time and the beef and rice was also so tender and flavorful.“

“Exploring different cuisines from across the world is always an adventure- but sometimes you stumble across a refreshing new world of flavors. That is what this place did- everything was so good- the waitress was friendly and helped us with ordering. The food was delicious and had so much flavor. We plan on going again soon!“

“Had a get -together with my cousin and decided to try a new restaurant. This is a hidden gem!! I tried the Chicken Suqaar. YUM!! The chicken and sauteed vegetables had great seasoning! Nice that the dipping sauces were on the side...and fun to try them all!
Great portions. Had to bring the rice home as I could not eat that much! Also tried the beef sambosas. LOVE IT! Another fun dipping sauce to try and was great with it. Friendly staff answered our questions. Fast service. Really enjoyed our experience and trying new food. Thanks. We will be back!“

“First time trying Somali food. I’ve had Indian and Arabic food before, so I figured Somali food would be somewhere in that family. After overthinking the menu like it was a final exam, I landed on the Oodkac… and yo, that was low-key fire.

The real MVP though was the Malawax. Soft, buttery, slightly sweet, and easily my favorite thing on the table. If you’re new here, order that.

We stopped by in the evening after some heavy rain. The spot was quiet, but the guys working there were super welcoming and took good care of us. I was hoping to get a banana with the meal (apparently that’s a thing), but no worries.

Solid food, good people. 9/10. I’d definitely come back.“

“This was my second Somali meal while visiting Minneapolis, and I’m really glad I came.

This is a well loved neighborhood hole-in-the-wall type restaurant with a steady stream of customers, and that’s exactly what drew me here. Even the Lyft driver who picked me up from there said it was one of his favorite spots and that he had a meal there earlier that day!

The staff were incredibly welcoming from the moment I walked in. I was asking about different dishes, originally hoping for something with goat (which I hear is some of the best in town), and when I asked about the sukar they told me it was typically a breakfast dish, but they were happy to make it anyway. Everyone I interacted with was kind, patient, and genuinely excited to share their food and a piece of their culture.

I ended up ordering a fish sambusa and the lamb shank with rice. The portions are generous, and the flavors were warm, comforting, and deeply satisfying. My only critique is that the lamb could have been braised a bit longer to achieve that true fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Even so, I found myself happily eating the leftovers later that night.

If you’ve never had Somali food before, be sure to ask for a banana with your meal. I learned earlier in the week that it’s traditionally eaten alongside savory dishes, and it adds a subtle sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the rich and savory flavors.

I’m still thinking about this meal days later, and I’d be happy to come back the next time I’m in Minneapolis.“

“Embetito Dnish at Snelling Café

I keep coming back for this.

They call it Embetito Dnish—potato sandwich. Nothing fancy. Just warm sliced potatoes, fresh tomato, romaine, green senstro peppers, olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt, all wrapped in toasted bread.

What makes it hit? The contrast.

The warmth of the potatoes and bread. The cool bite from the romaine and tomato. The salty edge mixed with olive oil. A slight heat from the green pepper. And that twist of lemon—it wakes everything up.

Then there’s the tea. Hot, simple, spiced with Aforki’s touch. You feel it in your chest.

No menu can explain this. You just know when it’s right.“

“The best East African restaurant in the Twin Cities hands down! I go to Kalsan at least once a month to get the Chicken Suqaar with rice, it's one of my favorite dishes in the city. They recently remodeled the interior too so I tend to sit down instead of ordering take-out now. Great place!“

“This was easily one of best restaurant meals I've had in the last year, maybe ever. I had hulbat marakh, and the owner brought out sambusas (on the house!) for us to share. I have enough leftovers for 1-2 more meals, after eating my fill. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. I will definitely be back!“

“Delicious. Had the chicken sandwich, it was so juicy and creamy. Their house sauce is amazing. Had to get 2 to savor the flavor.“

“best somali food in state...their food literally put quruuxlow or whatever that overhyped restaurant is called“

“Best food in town Mashallah degdeg“

“The resturant is not much to look at on the inside. That said, Never judge a book by its cover. The food was very good. I had possibly the best gyro I have ever had. Friendly and fast service as well. A must try. Honestly, a hidden gem this place. I will be returning on a regular basis for the great food.“

“The quantities and quality are very good. Glad to find this diamond in the rough. Perfect for takeaway lunch.“

“Caano kitchen is the best restaurant in Karmal Mall hands you can't spell the best without the ES will be there with my family and my loved ones this weekend see you soon the employees are awesome the food is great the service is one those tres it's awesome. I want to give a shout to the young owner Caano kitchen Food Truck ??? coming soon can't wait keep up the great work...“

“The steak suqaar was amazing. The chicken KK was too bit bland and sweet for me. A half size plate is still really big and filling! They gave us bananas for free as an appetizer which was super nice! The staff was so nice and we got everything despite our language barrier. Would 1000% recommend for the suqaar!“

“I've never liked coffee before, though I'm open to trying new things. There's was the first coffee I ever liked.“

“the best jollof rice ever. big pieces of beef. best portion size I've seen. definitely recommend 5/5. only problem is can't order on GrubHub, Door Dash or Uber Eats“

“I've never liked coffee before, though I'm open to trying new things. There's was the first coffee I ever liked.“