In search of your new favorite African restaurant?
Hoodline crunched the numbers, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce, to produce a ranked list of where to find the most popular African-inspired restaurants around Philadelphia, most of which are Moroccan and Ethiopian.
1. Marrakesh
Topping the list is Marrakesh. Located at 517 S. Leithgow St. in Society Hill, the Moroccan spot is the highest rated African restaurant in Philadelphia, boasting 4.5 stars out of 485 reviews on Yelp.
Popular menu items include the spicy chicken in cumin sauce, the marinated beef kebabs, the lamb with almonds and honey, and the cooked eggplant in tomato sauce.
2. Almaz Cafe
Next up is Rittenhouse's Almaz Cafe, situated at 140 S. 20th St. With four stars out of 340 reviews on Yelp, the Ethiopian eatery is a proven local favorite.
Not only does the restaurant offer Ethiopian coffee, salads, soups, and wraps, it has chicken marinated in lemon, sauteed in seasoned butter and stewed in red pepper sauce, beef cooked with onions, hot peppers and rosemary, and chopped prime beef seasoned with spiced butter.
3. Figs
Fairmount's Figs, located at 2501 Meredith St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Moroccan spot four stars out of 249 reviews.
"The staff was very nice — very attentive but not intrusive or pushy," Yelper Felicia C. noted. "The ambiance is lovely. It's a small restaurant, but cozy too, with beautiful art and decor on the walls. The bean dip that came with the bread was delicious and very unique."
4. Kilimandjaro Restaurant
Kilimandjaro Restaurant, an African restaurant in Spruce Hill, is another go-to, with four stars out of 212 Yelp reviews. The eatery is located at 4317 Chestnut St.
Look for dishes like Chicken Yassa, beef kebabs, grilled fish, roasted chicken and grilled lamb chops.
5. Kaffa Crossing
Over in Spruce Hill, check out Kaffa Crossing, which has earned four stars out of 163 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Ethiopian spot, which offers coffee and tea, at 4423 Chestnut St.
In terms of tastes, you can expect things like cabbage and carrots cooked with onions and ginger, ground chickpeas and collard greens cooked with onions, and chicken seasoned with spiced butter, onions and tomato.
