"Hedzole is the rare fast-casual spot that feels slow and intimate, like a friend’s Sunday dinner party. Inside the Brightwood space, chef and owner Candice Mensah weaves between tables, chatting with diners, delivering bowls of jollof rice, and occasionally stepping outside to greet neighbors. The West African restaurant started as a farmers market stand and Tysons pop-up but is now a full-fledged brick and mortar, dishing out deeply flavorful and fall-apart-tender oxtail and rich spinach-agushi bowls to diners sitting on kente cloth pillows or around a black tin communal table. The space is small and fills up fast, so unless you’re cool with balancing your waakye bowl on the sidewalk, do yourself a favor and make a reservation beforehand." - Omnia Saed
