In search of a new favorite African spot?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top African spots around Phoenix, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're on the hunt.
1. Abyssinia Restaurant And Cafe
Topping the list is Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe. Located at 842 E. Indian School Road in Encanto, the Ethiopian spot, which offers coffee and tea and more, is the highest rated African restaurant in Phoenix, boasting 4.5 stars out of 164 reviews on Yelp.
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Abyssinia offers beef, chicken, lamb or vegetarian main entrees. Yelpers raved about the doro wat, which includes chicken, onions, olive oil and berbera with a hard-boiled egg, as well as the shiro that is a vegetarian dish of chickpeas milled together with mild herbs and onions.
The restaurant also offers coffee and Ethiopian tea and honey wine.
2. Authentic Ethio African
Next up is Encanto's Authentic Ethio African, situated at 1740 E. McDowell Road With 4.5 stars out of 89 reviews on Yelp, the Ethiopian, gluten-free and vegetarian spot has proven to be a local favorite.
The menu includes combo sampler plates, which Yelpers agree is an ideal approach to eat Ethiopian food, especially for customers who are trying it for the first time. Reviewers opted for the veggie combo, the spicy beef stew and the split lentil and split peas.
3. Gojo Ethiopian Restaurant
Camelback East's Gojo Ethiopian Restaurant, located at 3015 E. Thomas Road, Suite 101, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the beverage store and Ethiopian spot, which offers desserts and more, four stars out of 162 reviews.
Named for the Ethiopian word for hut, where natives enjoy their time with family, Gogjo's cuisine consists of vegetable and spicy meat dishes served on top of injera, which is a large flat bread. The location is open for breakfast and dinner, and the menu includes meat and veggie dishes. Yelpers enjoyed the veggie combo and using the injera to scoop up chicken or beef platters.
4. Alzohour Market
Alzohour Market, an international grocery store and Middle Eastern and Moroccan spot in Alhambra, is another go-to, with four stars out of 38 Yelp reviews. Head over to 7814 N. 27th Ave. to see for yourself.
The location is a store with Middle Eastern groceries and clothing and a restaurant with a handful of tables. The restaurant serves up authentic Moroccan cuisine like Yelper-approved chicken couscous and bastilla, which includes chicken, almonds and many other ingredients cooked into a dough pie and cinnamon sprinkled on top.
