The thought of getting access to authentic African food in Korea might’ve seemed impossible some years back, but fortunately African restaurants have been emerging over the years, making it easier to have a taste of various delicious traditional African cuisines.
Below is a list of some African restaurants in South Korea for when you yearn for a taste of home or you want the African food experience.
Braai Republic | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Braai Republic is a South African-run restaurant that serves traditional South African food with a specialty in lamb chops, sausages, and freshly baked meat pies. They have a main branch in Itaewon and another branch in Pyeongtaek. Not only do they serve food but they also deliver fresh meat, sausage, and other ingredients when ordered online or you can pick it up at the store. For Southern Africans who want a taste of home and anyone who wants to experience South African food, make sure to visit Braai Republic to experience a true South African vibe and hospitality.
Happy Home African Restaurant | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Happy Home is a Nigerian-owned restaurant that serves West African food including Nigerian, Liberian and Ghanaian food. They serve food such as fufu made with pounded plantain/yam and has a soft chewy texture, jollof rice, egusi soup made with melon seeds, palm oil, vegetable and meat/fish, fried plantain and others. For West Africans and anyone who wants to experience a taste of authentic West African cuisine, make sure to visit Happy Home African Restaurant.
Jollof Africa Korea (JAK) Restaurant | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
JAK restaurant specializes in Gambian-style cuisine and serves particularly Gambian and Senegalese dishes. They are known for their delicious jollof rice and chicken yassa with a refreshing juice made with hibiscus. They are located in Itaewon and open their doors to anyone who wants a taste of African food.
Pie Republic | Mapo-gu, Seoul
Pie Republic is a South African pie shop run by the owners of Braai Republic. They serve meat pie for 11,000 Won, sausage rolls for 5,000 Won, lamb chop, desserts, and they also have a combo menu and side dishes. You can stop by for a delicious pie on the go or enjoy lamb chops with fries as you hangout with friends.
Club Zion | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Club Zion is an Ethiopian restaurant and bar that serves Ethiopian food from meat dishes to vegan dishes including beye aynet — which has peas, carrot, cabbage; awaze tibs — which is lamb sautéed with onion, green pepper, and served with injera, an Ethiopian flatbread. They also serve Ethiopian coffee, tea, beer, and other beverages and you can play pool or darts in the bar while dancing to popular African music.
Casablanca Sandwicherie | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Casablanca Sandwicherie is a Moroccan restaurant that specializes in a wide range of sandwiches, salads and soups at an affordable price. They have a minimal and simple menu including Moroccan salad, spiced carrot salad, lentil soup, Moroccan chicken sandwich, veggie sandwich, lamb chili sandwich, and others which you can take to go or eat at the restaurant.
Morococo cafe | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Morococo cafe is a cafe and restaurant run by the owners of Casablanca Sandwicherie that offers authentic Moroccan food. They serve light food including lamb ras el hanout kefta, which is made of lamb in a spicy red sauce sprinkled with herbs, lemon chicken with olives, a sweet and tangy carrot salad with and caramelized plums. They also have vegan dishes so you don’t have to worry if you don’t eat meat. Their minimal menu is everything you’d need whether it is a light brunch or a filling dinner.
African Port Restaurant | Yongsan-gu, Seoul
African Port is a Cameroonian-owned restaurant that serves jollof rice, peanut butter soup, rice with vegetable beef stew, and more. They are known for their calm and pleasant atmosphere, hospitality, and neatness. Their prices range between 10,000 Won to 20,000 Won. A quick trip to African Port restaurant in Itaewon will give you an African experience of a lifetime.
*African Port restaurant is temporarily closed due to the current COVID-19 pandemic but they will be back in business soon.
Africa Kitchen | Yeonsu-gu, Incheon
Africa Kitchen serves Ghanaian local dishes such as tuo zaafi, waakye, plantain/yam and palava sauce made with cocoyam leaves, palm oil, vegetables and meat/fish, gari and beans with fried plantain, jollof rice, sobolo with meat pie and other West African cuisine. They are located in Incheon and a taste of their authentic African food makes you feel like home away from home.
CousCous (꾸스꾸스) | Jongno-gu, Seoul
CousCous Tunisian Home Kitchen specializes in traditional Tunisian dishes that ranges from 16,000 to 35,000 Won. It is a place where you can get the chance to taste unusual home-cooked Tunisian meals and the staff explains to the customers which meat is halal and which is not so if you specifically want halal food, you can ask the staff for assistance.
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