Craving African food?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top African restaurants around Dallas, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to satisfy your cravings.
1. Medina Oven & Bar
Topping the list is Medina Oven & Bar. Located at 2304 Victory Park Lane in Victory Park, the Moroccan and Mediterranean eatery is the highest rated African restaurant in Dallas, boasting 4.5 stars out of 473 reviews on Yelp.
On the menu, you'll see dishes like the merguez lamb sausage skewer with oregano and fennel over couscous, the Marrakesh chicken breast with lemon-saffron sauce and roasted potatoes, and the lamb chops tagine with herbed potatoes and goat cheese. (See the full menu here.)
Yelper Rick M. said, "Small quaint Moroccan restaurant. Ample pita bread for any dips/dishes that need bread. Basmati rice and couscous all done perfectly as accompaniments to meat dishes. Everything well played and tastes great."
2. Baboush
Next up is Uptown's Baboush, situated at 3699 McKinney Ave., Suite 160. With four stars out of 406 reviews on Yelp, the Moroccan and Mediterranean spot has proven to be a local favorite.
Offerings include the Fez chicken tagine (saffron braised chicken with Moroccan green olives, potatoes and preserved lemon), grilled Moroccan kofta (ground black Angus beef with onion, parsley, cilantro, cumin and paprika) and Moroccan wings with spicy apricot glaze and harissa lebna. (Check out its full menu here.)
Jennie V. wrote, "This Moroccan/Lebanese/Egyptian restaurant was such a pleasure, both aesthetically and to the palate. It is a gorgeous restaurant, very romantic. We got the sampler, which contained a sweet tomato sauce, baba ghanoush, hummus, olives and harissa; they were all amazing, like I'd never had before."
3. Yenat Guada
Lake Highlands' Yenat Guada, located at 7015 Greenville Ave., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Ethiopian spot 4.5 stars out of 91 reviews.
The menu features dishes such as lamb simmered in broth, which is flavored with onion, garlic, ginger and kibbeh butte; kitfo (tenderloin beef tartare seasoned with mitmita and niter kibbeh butter); and the timatim fit-fit (small pieces of injera tossed in lemon juice and olive oil with diced jalapeños, onions, mustard, tomatoes and crushed red pepper). (See the full menu here.)
Darin P. said, "Very good Ethiopian food. Kitfo was right on par, as well as a few vegetables on the veggie plate. Other meats were not as flavorful, but still very good. Chicken comes with homemade cheese, which is delicious."
4. Arif Cafe
Arif Cafe, an Ethiopian spot in Lake Highlands, is another much-loved go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 80 Yelp reviews. Head over to 8367 Park Lane to try it for yourself.
On the menu, look for the beef tibs and veggie combo, banatu (injera with beef and cheese), doro wat (chicken stew) and gomen besga (beef, collard greens and niter kebbeh butter).
"Arif Cafe is hands down my favorite Ethiopian hole-in-the-wall restaurant," wrote Yelper Amy B. "My go-to meal is the beef tibs and veggie combo, which is freshly made and brought out with injera. If you love spicy, ask for some mitmita to dip your injera into before scooping up some food. It's extra spicy, but totally worth the extra kick!"
5. Desta Ethiopian Restaurant
Finally, over in Lake Highlands, check out Desta Ethiopian Restaurant, which has earned four stars out of 209 reviews on Yelp. You can find the Ethiopian, vegetarian and vegan spot at 12101 Greenville Ave., Suite 105.
On the menu, you'll spot dishes like the kitfo (minced beef or tuna seasoned with mitmita powder and ayeb cheese), doro wat (spicy chicken made with hot berbere sauce flavored with onion and garlic) and the sambusa pastry puff stuffed with minced beef or lentils and jalapeños. (You can see the full menu here.)
Liz T., who reviewed it on April 30, said, "Delicious, authentic Ethiopian food. Service was great, portions were large and the prices were quite reasonable."
