Baobab Fare
East African restaurant · North End
6568 Woodward Ave Suite 100, Detroit, MI 48202
Highlights
East African cuisine, goat shank, passionfruit juice, James Beard recognized
East African cuisine, goat shank, passionfruit juice, James Beard recognized
"Baobab Fare is an East African restaurant in Detroit. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation
"An East African–inspired restaurant and three-time James Beard Award semifinalist known for hearty, comforting dishes such as mbuzi, a succulent goat shank stew served with rice and plantains that’s especially fitting for colder months." - AFAR
"Baobab Fare is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Nadia Nijimbere and Hamissi Mamba, who fled Burundi for the United States in 2014. The restaurant serves dishes like mbuzi (slow-roasted goat shank paired with corn salad, plantains, yellow beans, and rice), juicy pan-fried chicken in a tangy mustard-onion sauce, and Ji, the restaurant’s signature bottled passion fruit juice. Baobab Fare has expanded its reach to include a food truck, Waka, and a line of packaged food items available for retail at several local grocers and cafes under the brand Soko. Its owners have ambitions to launch a line of dishes that can be served in public schools. Online ordering is available. Must try: For a unique offering, stop by on Tuesdays when Baobab Fare offers ugali — a traditional East African dish comprised of a dense corn flour ball, served with savory okra stew, and can be ordered with chicken or fish." - Serena Maria Daniels
"What began as a seasonal food-truck operation will become a brick-and-mortar in Eastern Market, taking the space previously occupied by Russell Street Deli. The menu translates Burundian street food for a sit-down setting, featuring items like chapati (a doughy griddled flatbread with stewed meats and vegetables) and charcoal-grilled brochettes, and builds on the brand's start during Noel Night in 2022. The parent team is also planning an additional location on the city's east side in coming years." - Serena Maria Daniels
"Projected opening: June 2025. What began as a food truck that launched during Noel Night in 2022 from Nadia Nijimbere and Hamissi Mamba is becoming a brick-and-mortar in Eastern Market in the space formerly occupied by Russell Street Deli, with plans for a second location at 16900 E. Warren Avenue. The menu will highlight street-food-inspired East African dishes such as Burundian chapati — described as a flaky flatbread with South Indian origins, filled with stewed meats and vegetables — as well as other East African-style delicacies like brochettes (skewered meat kabobs grilled over charcoal)." - Serena Maria Daniels
