The Bronx · Est. 2019
From the spice markets of Lagos to the kitchens of Accra, we bring the soul of West Africa to your table. No fusion. No shortcuts. Just honest, fire-kissed food that demands attention.
"The jollof here changed my life."
— A regular since opening night
Our Menu
The debate rages on—Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria—but ours is cooked over open flame with a tomato base that takes six hours to reduce. Served with grilled chicken and fried plantain.
Thinly sliced beef, coated in yaji—a peanut-spice blend passed down through three generations—grilled until charred at the edges. Served with sliced onions, tomatoes, and cabbage slaw.
A velvety soup built from ground melon seeds, bitter leaf, and a medley of proteins—cow foot, stockfish, dried fish. The pounded yam is hand-stripped, not machine-processed. You can taste the difference.
A broth so intense it wakes something primal. Made with catfish or goat, infused with calabash nutmeg, uziza, and African pepper. Served with a side of fufu for dipping. Not for the faint-hearted.
Cassava flour cooked to the perfect consistency, paired with a rich, nutty groundnut soup loaded with leafy greens and tender beef. Comfort food at its most honest and unpretentious.
Our lounge bar features palm wine cocktails, hibiscus gin fizzes, and small-batch spirits sourced from across the continent. Every drink is a conversation starter.
Our Story
African Food Bar Restaurant Lounge was born from a simple conviction: the food of West Africa deserves to be taken seriously on its own terms. No shortcuts. No dilution. Just the real thing, prepared with the same care and intention it receives in the neighborhoods where it originated.
Our recipes come from family kitchens—grandmothers who measured by instinct and cooked by memory. We source the spices directly from importers who know the difference between fresh and stale. Our jollof is smoked, not just spiced. Our egusi is ground the old way, not processed.
Located on Washington Avenue in the Bronx, we've become a destination for people who want to eat somewhere that feels alive—where the music is right, the drinks are strong, and the food makes you close your eyes for a second.
100%
Authentic recipes
Daily
Fresh from the market
360°
Full lounge experience
The Experience
Afrobeats, highlife, and soul—our soundtracks shift with the energy of the room. DJs on weekends.
Our lounge can be reserved for celebrations, corporate gatherings, and intimate dinners. Full catering available.
Kitchen stays open until 11 PM. The bar runs until midnight on weekends. Good food, good hour.
Find Us
African Food Bar Restaurant Lounge
1141 Washington Ave
New York, NY 10456-6990
Ready?
Whether it's a quick lunch, a date night, or a full celebration—African Food Bar is where the Bronx comes to eat like it matters.
