Columbus eats West African, Somali, and Nigerian food across the same corridors that carry the city's Ethiopian and Bhutanese-Nepali kitchens, and this guide covers the ten storefronts and plazas doing it best. The Morse Road and Cleveland Avenue lane still leads, but Gahanna and the gas-station counters earn their spots too.
№ 01
Drelyse African Restaurant
$$
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Jollof rice anchors the menu at this Columbus room, alongside fried snapper and a spinach beef stew served with fufu or pounded yam. The kitchen also runs a goat option worth ordering alongside the jollof. Portions run generous and the room reads bright and clean rather than dim or cramped, a rarity worth noting in this cuisine's Columbus footprint.
What to orderjolloff rice, fried snapper, spinach beef stew with fufu
№ 02
AFRA GRILL | AFRICAN & SOMALI CUISINE
$$
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The lamb shank meal is the order to build a takeout run around, paired with Afra chicken, chicken sambusa, and mango lemonade. This Somali kitchen on Morse Road packs orders tightly for pickup and keeps a colorful, casual dining room with plenty of seating for anyone eating in rather than carrying out.
What to orderlamb shank meal, Afra chicken, chicken sambusa
№ 03
Foodateria Kenyan & Nigerian Kitchen
$
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Suya and a goat meal lead a Kenyan and Nigerian menu that also runs moi moi and jollof rice with plantain, plus a deep vegan and vegetarian list. The room aims upscale for the price point, and the kitchen has built a following among diners new to Columbus looking for a first real meal in the city.
What to ordergoat meal, suya, moi moi
№ 04
🇳🇬🇳🇬Intercontinental African Nigerian Restaurant🇳🇬🇺🇸
$
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Egusi stew is the dish that defines this Nigerian kitchen, a melon-seed stew built for pairing with jollof rice and fried plantains. It runs a plaza storefront with easy parking, and the fish stew carries real depth. The jollof can vary between visits, but the plantains land hot and reliably well fried.
What to orderegusi stew, jollof rice, plantains
№ 05
AFRA GRILL EXPRESS @ Easton | AFRICAN & SOMALI CUISINE
$$
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This Easton counter is the express arm of the Morse Road original, built for a faster Somali and East African order near the shopping center rather than a sit-down meal. Expect the same grill-driven menu built around chicken and lamb preparations, scaled for quick pickup instead of table service.
№ 06
Go Go Gyro and African Grill
Gahanna $
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The gyro platter and a grilled chicken Greek salad carry this Gahanna counter, which pairs Mediterranean standards with African grill options in a small storefront room. Two tables inside make it built for takeout, and the souvlaki travels well for a park lunch or a quick weekday meal.
What to ordergyro platter, grilled chicken Greek salad, souvlaki
№ 07
Safina World Restaurant
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Chicken on jollof rice with a side of plantain is the order at this counter attached to a gas station on the west side. The kitchen cooks to order rather than holding trays, which shows in the timing, and the price sits low for a plate this fresh. Service moves fast and stays friendly.
What to orderChicken on Jollof Rice, Plantain, Fresh Juice
№ 08
African Paradise Restaurant
$
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Sambusa and biryani open a Somali menu built around a lamb dish that draws repeat customers. The dining room runs quiet most hours but fills up at peak times, and parking around the building can be tight. Worth the plaza parking lot for diners new to Somali cooking or looking to expand past it.
What to ordersambusa, biryani, lamb dish
№ 09
Darbo Restaurant
$
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Sambusas and injera share the menu with shawarma at this Somali kitchen, and portions run large enough to split between two people comfortably. The room has operated as takeout only at times, so a call ahead beats a long drive expecting table seating. First-timers to Somali food find an easy entry point here.
What to ordersambusas, injera, shawarma
№ 10
Ginevra Cafe
$$
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Rice with chickpeas rounds out nearly every plate at this Somali and Mediterranean counter, served alongside chicken and sambusas. Portions run generous for the price, and the room works well for groups splitting several dishes. Consistency has been an issue on the chicken, so diners should ask about doneness before ordering.
What to orderchicken, sambusas, rice with chickpeas
Frequently asked
What is the best African restaurant near me in Columbus?
It depends on which corridor is closest. Morse Road and Cleveland Avenue carry the deepest Somali and East African options, including Afra Grill and African Paradise Restaurant, while West African kitchens like Drelyse and Foodateria sit in other parts of the city and Gahanna. Each entry above lists its own Insider Score, and no restaurant paid to appear on this list.
What is the difference between the West African and Somali kitchens on this list?
West African rooms like Drelyse, Foodateria, and the Nigerian restaurant on this list build menus around jollof rice, egusi stew, suya, and fried plantains. Somali kitchens like Afra Grill, African Paradise, Darbo, and Ginevra Cafe run sambusas, biryani, lamb, and rice with chickpeas. They are distinct culinary traditions, not one category.
Are any of these restaurants chains or multi-location operations?
Afra Grill has a second location, Afra Grill Express at Easton, which is included separately since it operates as its own counter with its own hours and format. The rest are single-location, independently run restaurants.
How is the Insider Score for each restaurant determined?
The Insider Score reflects the review record for each restaurant, weighing volume and consistency of customer feedback. No restaurant pays for placement or for a higher score on this list. The score appears next to each name on the page and is separate from the ranking order shown here.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Amina Warsame
Staff Writer · Top of Columbus
Amina Warsame is a Staff Writer at Top of Columbus. Born in Mogadishu and raised in Northland, she grew up between her mother's kitchen and the grocery-cafes of the Somali malls. She writes the guides, sweeps the whole Outerbelt, and covers the Somali and East African tables as the beat she knows best.
