Banadir Somali Restaurant
East African restaurant · Inglewood
137 Arbor Vitae St, Inglewood, CA 90301
Highlights
Halal Somali cuisine with generous portions of goat & lamb
Halal Somali cuisine with generous portions of goat & lamb
"As the only official Somali restaurant in Los Angeles, this halal restaurant in Inglewood has some highlights, like slow-roasted lamb or stir-fry goat served with basmati rice and a simple salad (those going for a lighter meal can order the roasted salmon or tilapia). Breakfast dishes in the morning are mainly composed of anjero, a pancake-like bread that’s prominent in Somali cuisine, and beef, chicken, lamb, or shuka shuka, a tomato-based stew. There’s ample public parking across the street, but give yourself enough time for the kitchen to put ample care into dish preparation." - Mona Holmes
"As the only official Somali restaurant in Los Angeles, this halal restaurant in Inglewood has some highlights, like slow-roasted lamb or stir-fry goat served with basmati rice and a simple salad (those going for a lighter meal can order the roasted salmon or tilapia). Breakfast dishes in the morning are mainly composed of anjero, a pancake-like bread that’s prominent in Somali cuisine, and beef, chicken, lamb, or shuka shuka, a tomato-based stew." - Eater Staff
"Somali food isn’t common in Los Angeles, but Banadir Somali has been going strong for more than a decade. The restaurant prepares halal meats that are marinated, slow-roasted for three hours, and served with rice, salad, and a bright and spicy bas bas sauce made with basil, jalapeño, and cilantro. The small dining room has less than a dozen wooden tables topped with patterned blue tablecloths, making the experience even more intimate. Find metered public parking across the street." - Mona Holmes
"Banadir Somali is a family-run restaurant and community institution just south of downtown Inglewood. The bare-bones space feels like you’re in the basement of a neighborhood rec center, and everybody inside treats it as such. Big groups gather around large tables, eating massive platters of tremendous Somali food. Goat is the house specialty here, and it’s so packed with flavor it’ll ruin most other versions you’ve ever had. If you arrive around 11am, you’ll be able to order from both their breakfast and lunch menu, which is ideal, because the shakshuka, ful (bean stew), and crepe-like anjero bread are all just as good as the goat." - garrett snyder, sylvio martins
"As you walk into Banadir Somali in Inglewood, you’ll realize quickly that you aren’t just eating at a restaurant, you’re experiencing life inside a bona fide community center, where everyone from the neighborhood congregates on a daily basis. The fact they’re also serving some of the best Somali food in LA is merely a reason to always show up hungry. Banadir has a super-small menu of breakfast and lunch/dinner options, but if you arrive around 11am, you’ll be able to order from both sides of the menu. Our favorite dishes are the goat and rice, ful (a hearty bean stew), and as much anjero - a slightly sweet, crepe-like bread - as we can get our hands on." - brant cox
