Portland, Oregon, boasts a diverse culinary scene, and its West African restaurants are a testament to the city's rich cultural tapestry. With a growing community of African immigrants, Portland offers a variety of dining experiences that showcase the unique flavors and traditions of West Africa. It’s impossible to overstate the diversity of African cuisine - and the influence it’s had on food all over the world.
Here are some standout establishments where you can embark on a culinary journey:
Akâdi
Since its opening in 2017, Southeast Portland’s Akâdi has made a name for itself as Portland’s destination West African restaurant, featured on “Top Chef” and in the New York Times. Inside an eye-catching yellow building in Northeast Portland, chef Fatou Ouattara prepares flavorful West African dishes she learned to cook as a child in Cote d’Ivoire. Owner Fatou Ouattara hails from the Ivory Coast, and the country’s national dish - attieke, or grated cassava root - comes with a whole fish, a showstopping plate.
The menu also features dishes from Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria. If you’re a meat-eater, check out Akadi’s beef suya or the true West African specialty of slow-cooked goat meat in a spiced tomato stew. Vegan and vegetarian options are just as packed with flavor (the tofu suya plate features grilled tofu marinated in a housemade kankankan spice, along with a sweet fried plantain that could have you ordering seconds after the first bite). Sip on South African wine, or cocktails made with fruit like soursop and bissap (hibiscus).
Black Star Grill
Named after Ghana’s national soccer team, Black Star Grill is one of just a few Portland spots where you can find one of the greatest culinary gifts of West African cuisine: jollof rice. Add your choice of meat or veggies, carrot cabbage slaw, black-eyed pea stew or sweet fried plantain to any dish. If spice is not your friend, start with the simple brown rice option and pile on the flavor with added toppings. Black Star Grill’s Enoch Aggray serving Portland State University students.
Read also: West African Suya
Look for restaurants specializing in cuisine from Ghana or Ethiopia, and countries where immigrants settled, like Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba. You’ll also recognize many similarities in American soul food, which is rooted in West Africa.
Kabba’s Kitchen
Kabba’s Kitchen, which specializes in Senegalese food, has a food cart in Northeast and a food-court stall in Southeast Portland. Favorites include grilled lamb slathered in mustard and onions, and vegan cassava root with black beans in tomato sauce. Pair everything with hibiscus juice.
Other African Cuisine Options in Portland
Beyond West African cuisine, Portland also offers a variety of other African culinary experiences:
- Ethiopian and Eritrean Food: Indulge in Ethiopian and Eritrean food at Abyssinian Kitchen. There’s a wealth of Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants in town, particularly in Northeast Portland.
- Somali Cuisine: Alleamin African Kitchen is a staple at the Hollywood Farmers Market in Northeast Portland on Saturdays, serving giant, freshly fried Somali sambusas stuffed with lentils and veggies. At the newly opened Amaye International Restaurant in Northeast Portland, you’ll find Somali fried fish with cornmeal and goat stew with spaghetti.
- Moroccan Cuisine: Opened in 1989, Marrakesh is the go-to spot for a traditional Moroccan tagine in Portland.
Here’s a closer look at some of these establishments:
- Aberus: Aberus specializes in kitfo, Ethiopia’s version of beef tartare with butter and spices, but you’ll also find vegetarian platters.
- Abyssinian Kitchen: At Abyssinian Kitchen, order the shiro, a smooth, rich blend of spiced powdered chickpeas served in a clay pot, or the key sir, roasted beets with crumbled cheese.
- Bete-Lukas: In Southeast Portland, the white-tablecloth hideaway Bete-Lukas serves everything from fish goulash to weekends-only chicken tibs with spinach and ginger.
- Marrakesh: Tapestry-adorned walls and elaborate decor set the stage for a multi-course prix fixe menu. Start with the B’stilla Royale (puff pastry stuffed with beef or chicken, scrambled egg and crushed almonds), yellow lentil soup and fresh salad with homemade bread. Round off the meal with hot tea and a decadent dessert, like homemade baklava, fresh fruit salad or milk pudding. If the five-course Marrakesh Royal Feast Dinner feels like too much, you can also order à la carte.
- Enat Kitchen: A few blocks east of E’Njoni, Enat Kitchen is an Ethiopian spot distinguished by its wide variety of meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan options. For the flavor-curious, vegetable and meat combo platters provide a taste of everything. If you’re in the mood for a single entree, try the Enat Special: a plate of minced beef with jalapeño, butter, mitmita spice, ayib (cheese curd) and stewed collard greens.
Portland’s African food scene is alive, well and growing bigger each day. Although many of the sweetest spots are hidden in plain sight.
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Kann
Kann has been one of Portland’s most buzzed-about fine-dining experiences since the restaurant opened in 2022, led by James Beard Award-winning chef Gregory Gourdet. This is Gourdet’s gluten- and dairy-free take on modern Haitian cuisine, including Haiti’s national dish, griyo - twice-cooked pork with plantains - and vegetable sides like rich, peanut-creamed collard greens.
Haitian and Jamaican Cuisine
Portland’s Haitian scene is growing. Tap Tap Cuisine started as a food cart on North Williams Avenue but has expanded to a second location, a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Northeast Portland’s Hollywood District. Come for whole grilled fish with plantains, or diri djon djon (rice tinted black with mushrooms). At Yaad Style, a Jamaican restaurant in Northeast Portland, try saltfish and ackee, Jamaica’s national dish of oxtails in rich gravy.
African-Influenced Latin American Cuisine
In Southeast Portland, two food carts showcase African-influenced Latin American cuisine. At Brazilian House, get the moqueca, a stew made with coconut milk and palm oil.
Kee’s Loaded Kitchen
One of the city’s top food carts is Kee’s Loaded Kitchen, where the “Loaded Everything” plate gets you all the mains, all the sides, a drink and a dessert - enough to feed a family. You won't leave hungry after eating at Loaded Kee's Kitchen. The menu rotates frequently, but favorites include fried catfish, smoky turkey collard greens and mini sweet potato pies. For a vegan take, check out Dirty Lettuce, where you’ll find saucy seitan barbecue ribs and gooey mac ’n’ cheeze.
Updated Mar.
Read also: Explore West African Food
