Riziki Swahili Grill

Went with two friends and met Riziki, the owner of the restaurant. She’s absolutely welcoming and passionate about food recommendations as well as her answering our questions regarding culture and foods of Tanzania - as we were curious about it. Foods were DELICIOUS, and several of those cuisines were similar to what we used to have in East Asia and India (amazing comfort foods). The one that stood out was the Ugali - taste it for yourself for surprise! Keep in mind that this restaurant serves Zanzibar cuisines for their speciality mainly on Sundays. 10/10 will be back for more!

Because of my love for Tanzania, especially Zanzibar, I was looking for a Swahili restaurant near me. It was 2 hours from where I live, but I really wanted to try it. I loved my food and the people working there were lovely. What added to the whole vibe was having a Swahili playlist playing in the background. It wasn’t too loud making it a perfect atmosphere to sit and enjoy a meal with friends or family. Two hours away? No problem! I can’t wait to go again and try more food.

Decided to take take a quick trip to Columbus and try this spot. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY worth the drive. We will definitely be coming back to try more items on the menu. The owner was so kind, and the staff was attentive and friendly as well. Chicken & Beef Sambusa: 10/10 crispy and beautiful flavors. We had the regular and the spicy, and the spicy is perfection! Chapati: 10/10 I have had too many Chapati from all around, and let me tell you when I say these are the ABSOLUTE best Chappo ever, they are. Skumawiki: 10/10 This freshly made kale was cooked to perfection. Again, maybe the best skuma I've had! A must try. Goat Stew: 9/10 the goat was tender, and the stew was delicious. A little more curry and spice would level this dish to 10/10 for me. Ugali: 10/10 Perfectly made Ugali that was soft and playable. Made for a perfect bite when scooping it with our skuma and stew. Ginger Juice: Delicious and fresh with that kicked up spice you're used to when having ginger juice. Lovely! Mango Juice: freshly squeezed and not too sweet. Delicious!

The music set a great welcome vibe in the colorful, decorative space! The hospitality of the staff was truly a step above and we loved talking all things flavorful with Riziki. The Sambusa was crisp and the dipping sauce so good! We had the Zanzibar Special and the Zanjyro - chapati was so soft and fresh and all of the food is made to order but came to the table quickly! Finishing your visit with a hot chai is a must! Highly recommend checking out this hidden Columbus gem going 7 years strong!

I got the Zanzibar special with bone in goat meat, it was just okay for me. The goat meat was lukewarm so you know what that typically means. The sambusa with ground beef was really good.

Tucked into the center of a roundabout in a quiet Northland neighborhood, Riziki Swahili Grill might be easy to overlook—but don’t be fooled by its modest appearance. The food is bursting with flavor, and the hospitality is truly exceptional. We started with veggie and beef sambusas along with refreshing mango and watermelon drinks while we waited for our main courses. The sambusas were perfectly crisp and came with a flavorful dipping sauce that complemented them beautifully. For our mains, we had the beef ugali and the chicken chapati. Both were delicious, but the chapati dish really stood out—the pan-fried flatbread was so good we found ourselves wishing for more. The owner and chef was incredibly warm and welcoming, taking the time to chat with us about the dishes and answer all our questions. Her passion and kindness made the experience even more memorable. I can’t wait to come back!

I took my sister to get some sambusas and asked for 10. I asked for extra sauce. They only tried to give 2 sauces for 10. And the sauce cups were not even half way full. I asked for extra sauce and of course I dont kind paying for it. But those sauce cups were the same. Literally not even half way full. I have pictures of the sauce because I LOVE to get this product and the sauce is very good. If you are going to charge for the sauce or even have sauce at all, why not fill the cup at least half way? I have been plenty of times before and I always get taken care of by the owner and I've never had this problem.

Came here for dinner on a week day with my husband. Let’s get into it. 1. The owner came out to greet us, brought us one of our items and checked in on us! She’s SO kind! 2. Our server— phenomenal! So kind also! Made amazing recommendations, taught us how to pronounce the food names and answered every question we had. She made us phenomenal drinks! (no alch). 3. The music is a vibe! The restaurant is clean! And the food is out of this world! Here’s what we got: (Pics included). If you haven’t been, get here and then keep coming back! These are the kinds of restaurants we need and want to see more of. Thank you!! ❤️❤️

Amazing food. Riziki Swahili Grill is the place to be for a good comfort meal. Just from a first visit, you can see how much heart and soul they pour into their food. It's real home cooked meal. The chicken sambosa is a burst of flavor with a light kick of spice. For the main, I got a chicken curry with a side of a spinach. Both SO good. Cooked in coconut oil, the spinach was unlike anything I'd ever had before. Paired with their buttery, flaky chapati, it's a meal fit for royalty. Taking a break from the spice, we got a freshly prepared ginger juice. The food isn't the only treat here. We were immediately greeted with kind service. Our waitress gave us phenomenal recommendations and a fascinating background on East Africa.

My family and I went to Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania in the fall so we were excited to hear that there was a restaurant like this in town! We ordered the chicken curry with rice, biryani, chicken curry with chapati, and the red snapper fish with a coconut sauce. We also got beef and chicken sambusas and decided to try the mango passion fruit juice. I so badly miss cheap fresh-pressed juice and this was delicious!! We LOVED the sambusas. Definitely something to order again. We didn't eat it with the sauce that came on the side. Didn't need them. We liked the food! The chicken curry reminded me of the West African tomato stew my dad often makes. It's not heavy on the curry and you get chunky pieces of meat. The food lasted us a while! I would come back to try some other stuff. We didn't exactly get to roam around Zanzibar to try street food, so there was a lot of the menu that interested me. I've been to Drelyse before so it's in this same area within a neighborhood. I'll be back!

My husband and I saw all the great reviews and decided to go here today for an early dinner. We were so lucky because they happened to be having a customer appreciation day. We were greeted by Riziki who is the owner/ chef and she explained that each year she does an appreciation day as it was with her customers' support that they've been in business for 7 years and through the pandemic. Her passion and generosity were evident not only from how she came and introduced herself but also the way the free food was set up. We were able to sample their juices (the Mango flavored was my favorite), beef and chicken Sambusa (both crispy and flavorful but I liked the beef one more) a fried potato appetizer and a perfectly spiced fish one. Unfortunately I can't remember the name but she said it could be special ordered. They had a cabbage and a mixed veggie dish with peas which she mentioned normally there is a bean dish on the menu which is prepared similarly with coconut flavors. I loved it. They had two different rice dishes both great. My favorite was the beef curry. The beef was tender & saucy with the perfect amount of seasonings. There was also a chicken dish and fresh chapati )fried bread). You can order on grub hub and door dash but we plan on coming back in person. The decor and music inside added to the festive mood. Highly recommend! 10/10

What a gem! Wonderful service Zanzibari food. We had super sambusas, chai, beef curry and pulso which was really good pickles cabbage warm kale salad and curried goat. Really yummy. But the stand out was the atmosphere it was so friendly we met the owner and the wait staff were both lovely. The decor was giving beach vibes in the dead of winter with positive messages on every wall. The exterior is humble-and it's next to a Tamarack circle carry-out but please do not let that dissuade you. This place is a unique Columbus experience.

I've been meaning to come here since I heard they had something like a Scotch egg, and today it was on my way. Of course it's on Tamarack Circle, which I hate. Someone thought this was a good idea. Circle with bumps, similar street names running off it, one-way streets; horrid. Still, I got here. Restaurant is in a small, very run-down strip mall; there is another African restaurant on the other end which I'm sure is good- but I wanted that egg. Inside it's small and bright. Super friendly service. A little awkward- had to duck down due to dry grass over the counter, and watch my step headed to the restrooms due to a bump on the floor. The egg app is donge la yai, a hard-boiled egg wrapped in a thin layer of seasoned beef. Not as thick as the sausage on a Scotch egg, and seasoned differently, of course. And delectable. Maybe I can make these in the air fryer. As an afterthought I picked almost at random from the entrees. I love goat, and pilau, so I got that. You can choose your protein. Bone-in, tender, savory chunks of goat, in a heavily seasoned but not spicy sauce. A mound of good, tender, tasty rice. Some pickled onions. Again, yum. Drinks are assorted juices, made there. I got tamarind. Sweet and spicy, very refreshing. I'll be back. I'll bring people here, and send people here. Worth navigating the Circle of Doom.

This place is a gem! All of their menu items are delicious and flavorful. They had great friendly service as well. We went in as a large group of 15 and they put all the tables together to accommodate us. We did take up the entire dine in space. Their food has Indian flavors with an African twist. The portions are large and filling. The drinks are amazing too, our favorites were the ginger and tamarind. Very refreshing. The spicy beef sambusa is a great starter. They have chicken, beef, and vegetable option for the sambusas, which can be ordered spicy. They were yummy, crunchy, generously filled, and not greasy at all. I got the chapati with beef curry and kale side. There were two chapatis (similar to Indian paratha), which had nice layers and some nice crunch to the outer layer. The beef curry was very flavorful and had the perfect amount of gravy. All the dishes came with a habanero sauce on the side, which I appreciated. My husband got the Zanzibar special with jasmine rice and beans. The goat dishes were great. The goat meat had no smell to it (many times it's hard to avoid it) and was perfectly cooked. We all really enjoyed our meals. I asked about the taste of Africa platter and was told they serve that every 2-3 months on a special "Africa" day. I definitely would go back here again!

We ordered sambusas, a donge la yai (a bit like a Scotch egg but a little lighter) and the goat ugali. I'd never had ugali before! I'm sure white rice or pilau would've been great as well, but the ugali is like a warm, comforting pillow in the best possible way. The goat was perfectly tender and extremely flavorful. After we ate, the lovely chef came out to meet us! Absolutely excellent - we will be back.

This place is simple, cozy, and clean. Family owned and operated. I've been to Tanzania and I was so happy to find this place and be able to get some legit chapati. I'm vegetarian, and they don't have many options for me (which is the reality for authentic Tanzanian food). I got two veggie sambosas, a portion of chapati and the beans in coconut sauce. The sambosa was delicious and the great chapati was made to order as it should be. I had to add a little salt to the beans, but that was all it needed. All the other flavors were there. Since my order was a bit unusual, Riziki herself (the onwer) came to check if I didn't want to order the chapati platter instead, but I explained I didn't eat meat and she asked me if just the beans were really okay or if I would like to have the spinach too. She really wanted me to get the best out of my meal. We got to chat briefly, and she is very kind and attentive. I'm coming back with my husband soon. Then I might be able to provide some info about the meaty dishes.

This place is a gem. The reviews are high for a reason. The food was phenomenal to say the least. Everything was fresh, flavorful and delicious. The ladies working were extremely nice and offered us free chai tea and mandazis on the house. In addition they were tentative and excited to see us enjoy our food. I would highly recommend trying the sambusas, the mango refresher, and the lamb Biriani Platter......or anything. Try anything. Please do yourself the favor and go

An amazing mix of Indian and African fare. We had sambusa, chapati beef curry and Zanzibar special with chapati. The sambusa are eggroll thin, crispy and pipping hot. Filled with a savory ground beef that is delicious and impressive. The Zanzibar goat is crispy, chewy caked in spices cumin, pepper, that cut through the crispy laminated buttery chapati. A must have if you visit. Chapati beef curry was a fantastic mix of tomato beef akin to Shanghai style staple. Hosts were very amicable and available. Enough space for 5-6 parties of 3-4. Groups larger than 7 would be a bit cramped.

I came here visiting from out of town and was pleasantly pleased with the quality, taste, and service I received here. The samosa did not make it to my hotel as I ate it on my way. It was delicious. I highly recommend this place.

Wonderful and delicious food. Fantastic service. Their food is made with passion and a joy. The restaurants's back story is the heart-warming. Will 100% be back.

Best food ever fresh we drive from Cleveland to there just eat the food For the first I was surprised the food so Amazing.but y'all need big space for dining in The employe they so nice

I wholeheartedly recommend Riziki Swahili. The proprietor and her staff have wonderful customer service. I have ordered food from this establishment since 2021, and it always hits the spot! I live 2 hours away, but make it a point to go to Columbus to get the beef samosas, chapati, and fresh juice. It's cozy, simple, clean, and functional (no frills). On my latest order, I arrived 15 minutes after closing time. Any other place would stick to its closing policy, but they waited for me and served me with a huge smile. Can you believe it?

Update: we went in for dinner and got to meet Miss Riziki herself! What a lovely woman and excellent food. Going to be one of our regular date night spots.

The food was amazing but the fact that they are giving you literally 8-10 cubes of beef for $17.00 is insane. They gave me more starch than meat. It's stingy and literally a waste of money. The beans are bland with no flavor not even salt! Chapati was buttery and super good. Sambusa we're good as well. Overall the flavor was amazing but the fact that you don't even get a full portion of meat is ridiculous. I probably will not order again.

Y'all, go here for a fantastic TZ-Kenyan (and really East African) selection of great food! The Zege with whole chicken anything with goat and the flakiest of chapatis are some of my faves. The samosas + juices (try the tamarind and mango!) are also fantastic. 12/10

Riziki Swahili Grill is named after the beautiful, friendly owner & chef, Riziki. This is the first and only Tanzanian restaurant in Columbus. It's truly a hidden gem with one of the best flavors I've had here. I got to speak to Riziki before ordering and she gave me so much info about questions I had. Which entree I should choose and informed me that Zanzibar food is heavily influenced with African, Arab and Indian spices and flair since their island is a melting pot. I opted for an appetizer of a chicken and a beef sambusa and chapati. Omg I loved the sambusas but the chapati that's made with ghee butter was so rich, flaky and my favorite!! My entree was the deep fried fish of the day (tilapia) covered in a savory coconut cream sauce blanketed on a bed of pilau rice. For $14.99 it was definitely about 3-4 meals. I had so much leftover but she cooked it perfectly with thick pieces of fish after I deboned it. I can't wait to come back here with friends next time! I want to try it all on the menu. The best East African spot in Columbus!

Incredible. I'm looking for excuses to be near by just to try more of the menu. Front staff is incredibly nice and gave me excellent recommendations for the palette I described to them. I'm not a spice chaser or anything but believe me when I say listen to the labels that say "spicy" the spicy vegetable sambusa left a lingering hotness that was both delicious and fun. Go to Riziki, ask questions if you've never had this kind of food and see for yourself this gem hiding in your own back yard.

This is the first time that I've had this restaurant food. Our cable rep Simon brought me and my property manager some food for lunch. Let me tell you. This is THEE BEST food ever! I never seen so much food in the big aluminum tray he brought. It was full of yellow rice, plantain, fresh salad and curry goat. That goat was so tender. It's wasn't gamy or harsh at all. The seasoning in everything is IMMACULATE! There nothing that I didn't like at all. So tasty, fresh and AMAZING! I truly recommend this restaurant

Delicious food and even more wonderful service! We stopped by after reading about the place in Columbus Monthly. The juices are delicious (we tried mango and watermelon) and made in house. The server gave us some sambusas on the house--absolutely delicious! Flaky and fresh out of the frier, served with a spiced mayo dipping sauce. For entrees we had the chicken curry with chapati, biriani platter with goat curry, and Zege platter with beef kebabs. Our favorite was the chapati, though the Zege was a close second. Afterwards I had a delicious homemade chai tea which was perfect to finish up the meal. The server was incredibly helpful and friendly, and Riziki herself came out after the meal to chat. Highly recommend a visit, was well worth the drive!

This place needs to close down and reorganize itself before reopening again. They are not able to support the clientele demand and do not say no to what they aren't able to do. The average wait time for a meal is 2 hours but they say 30 minutes. I won't be coming back here again.

Excellent! Don't walk, RUN to enjoy the delicious food at Riziki! We are so lucky in Columbus to have an actual Zanzibari Tanzanian restaurant. These sambusas are LEGIT and the chapati is the flakiest in town. The spices and coconut sauces are incredible, definitely try the pilau and the beans! The fish was perfectly cooked and everything is really authentic. If you haven't tried Swahili food- you must!

This is a great little restaurant in the middle of Tamarack Circle. The staff was extremely friendly! They threw in a free drink when they realized it was our first visit. It was a ginger beverage that contained real ginger. We ordered the chapati with beans and chicken curry and sambusas. Everything was flavorful and delicious! We ordered carry-out, and there was plenty of parking to make it easy to run in and pick up. We are certainly looking forward to visiting again.

We had the sambusas for appetizer -- best I've ever had and enjoyed the sauce too. And a plate of delicious plantains for a side dish. I had urojo, served on Sunday, a sort of potato stew described as 'Turmeric potato soup with toppings of sumbusa, bajia, mishkaki (skewers), and cassava chips (Only available on Sundays)'. Anyway it was delicious, I enjoyed the chips, skewers, and potato slivers in the hearty soup. We also had the Pilau with fish, Chai, and Tamarind juice. We went mid-afternoon so no crowd, everything was made fresh, and owner even gave us extra Sambusas to try for our first visit and was very friendly and explained the menu. We will definitely visit again. I like flatbreads and want to try the Chapati in future.

I have been craving a good chapati ever since moving to Columbus, and Riziki delivers! Paired with delicious plantains, beans, and chicken curry; you have a very filling meal! Love supporting this woman-owned business!

The owner there is so welcoming and nice , clean place , great service and food. Will definitely go back.

I was very happy with my order. Swahili grill is the place to go for authentic Tanzania/Swahili food. I got chapati with beans with a side of beef curry the 1st time. Second time I tried bilau with chicken. If you must try anything it would be the wild sambusa they are so good. I love your hot sauce riziki. I would recommend takeout.

This is one of the best-kept secrets of Columbus. It is my favorite restaurant in town and offers the best authentic Swahili cuisine. The owner and her team work very well together and the food is exceptional. Not only can you taste the flavors in it, it's obvious how fresh it is. If you haven't been here, I would highly recommend it. My favorite food there include sambusa, chicha, chapati, and chips mayai! For drinks, be sure to try the Ginger Juice, which is made with real ginger!

Read about this restaurant in Columbus monthly so I felt I had to make the drive. Spectacular! The decor is warm and fun. Our waitress was so enthusiastic and made us feel so welcome. We let the waitress pick our platters. Our favorite was the Chapati with chicken curry. The others were worth getting again. We can't wait to go back. The chef /owner came out and thanked us for coming. Recommended some future dishes. We can't wait to go back. What a gem!

Amazing food. Amazing server. Fantastic cook. Superb cuisine. Go to this place. Enjoy their hospitality. Enjoy their energy. Taste the passion in the cooking. The homemade juices are excellent. Fried red snapper was seasoned and cooked to perfection. Try the goat -- it's divine. I would come back for the sides any day -- kale, spinach, cabbage. All cooked to perfection and remarkably seasoned. Break out of your comfort zone and try this place!! It's worth it.

Wow! What amazing food and people! My bride brought me here for our 36th wedding anniversary and I am so glad that she did! So many memories of our trips to Africa and the Middle East. We had samosas and sweet plantains for the appetizers and goat Palau and mishkaki entree's. We also tried their chicken curry (amazing!) as well as their fresh made ginger and mango juices! The owner Riziki is such a joy as were all of the staff! Highly highly recommend this for authentic fresh food that was also Gluten Free (except for the samosas!!!).

Home-cooking is a term that is often misused to describe restaurant food. But not in the case of this restaurant. The very nice woman who runs the restaurant (unfortunately I didn't get her name) really does create home cooked dishes of the very best kind. My wife and I shared a huge grilled fish with a coconut sauce on top with pilau rice and spinach while my son had chicken in a curry sauce also with pilau rice. We had beef filled sambusas to start and crisp, flaky chapatis on the side. The owner gave us extra coconut sauce to dip the chapatis into. It's a very simple looking restaurant and the food takes time to cook, the way it should. It really was a great meal...and yes, exotic too since the cuisine is Swahili from the island of Zanzibar off Africa.

One of the best places for authentic, African food at a great price. Customer service is also very good. Im now a frequent customer!

Absolutely phenomenal! The food and the staff. You must go to Riziki's! The next time I am in Columbus I will go to Rizikis's.

The food is delicious and the service is even better!! Please check this place out and don't forget to try a few sambusas!!! You won't regret it.

Riziki's Swahili Grill is an amazing small restaurant! Even before you taste the food, the general aesthetic of the restaurant already gives off authentic East African vibes. The walls are painted in the color of the Tanzanian flag, which is where Riziki is from. There's beautiful art and she plays East African music videos on her TV. You can dance and put together a playlist while you wait for the food. The food is served on beautiful plates and/or bowls. Even the pottery is beautiful! Finally, you take the first bite and the food taste amazing. Every bite is well-seasoned with the unique spices, that make Swahili food intriguing. The food is splendid! If all of that wasn't enough, Riziki is a kind and talkative owner, who creates a welcoming space. I recommend this restaurant for East Africans to get a taste of home and Americans who wish to explore other cultures!

The fish of the day is amazing and the coloring of the restaurant is great. I highly recommend this place! They also deliver if you do not want to eat in.

We had an awesome first time visit here! The food was amazing. Riziki gave us some good suggestions and was so nice! Her children brought out our food and it came out hot and fresh! So so good! We will definitely be back and are excited to try more of the menu. They offer delivery through grub hub or DoorDash (I can't remember which one so search both to find it if you live in the area!). If you're in a hurry, Riziki suggested calling ahead to order. She makes everything fresh so the food takes a bit of time, but well worth the wait!

Amazing food. The owner Riziki is also really nice. Best swahilian food. We bought chicken curry with chapati and rice. Nice sambusas and fried donuts. Give it a try.

Best spicy beef and chicken sambusa in the city .... definitely worth the drive from out East

Came here on a whim. The sambusas were out if this world amazing. Great appetizer or lunch snack. I had the beef (spicy and non spicy). The owner is lovely, the customer service is excellent. I will definitely be back! Can't believe I'm just finding this place.

We've gone to Riziki a couple of times over the last two weeks, once just me and my son, then again this weekend after my husband tasted our leftovers during the week and insisted we go back. The sambusas are the great smaller and crispier version, and both chicken and beef are quite good. You can get them spicy or not. We also tried the donge la yai both times, and it's amazingly delicious and juicy for something as simple as boiled eggs wrapped in sausage! The Zanzibar special is perfectly seasoned roasted goat pieces, with two sides. I got mine with chapati (a flatbread a little like a tortilla, but flaky and lighter) and cabbage. The chicken curry was what brought my husband back in, and he got the beef curry this time, with ugali (a corn meal dough) to soak it up. The curry has a really nice flavor, kind of a cross between a stronger Indian curry flavor and a nice beef stew. My son got the zege, essentially pieces of pan fried potatoes with eggs poured over them, with brochettes of grilled meat (mishkaki) on top. He said the grilled chicken was really good, but he ate it before I had a chance to taste! We've also tried the great housemade drinks. We've had mango drinks before, but the tamarind drink was a great surprise, it tasted very much like a well-balanced lemonade due to the sourness of tamarind, and that's what I'll be having when we go back, really refreshing. I can't wait for return trips to try the mishkaki that I missed out on, and branch out into Riziki's stews, pan fried fish, and I've just seen online that they have plaintains that I missed!! We may start ordering ahead for takeout, since it seems like this is the standard routine for Riziki's as it is for many small African restaurants in Columbus. But Riziki (the owner) always makes us feel very welcome when eating in, has helped us learn the menu and suggests great combinations, so it will be hard to resist the great hospitality.

This is some next level food. You can taste the love. Something outta somebody's grandma's kitchen. The levels of flavor are epic. Everything was phenomenal but the sambusas might seriously be the greatest thing I've ever eaten. So glad to be able to enjoy the authentic passion right here in little old central ohio. Shout out to the staff for putting your heart into everything.

Soooo good! Had goat on my platter and it was delicious. Really nice people as well. They were out of the egg chop but replace it with the wild sambusa (plus extra). Must try fo sho!

The food was amazing, I had the Chapati platter with spinach and goat curry, I met Riziki the owner, what a wonderful woman visiting this place brought back sweet memories of Zanzibar...loved it!

Authentic & Delicious! If you're looking for authentic, flavorful Swahili food this is the place! The owner is gracious & warm, and the food is superb. Don't let this place pass you by--it's well worth the trip.

I love the food here and super friendly staff. The Sambucas are awesome beef or chicken. Both great.