Swahili Spot

We recently had the pleasure of having Swahili Spot cater our company lunch in Palo Alto, and the experience was nothing short of phenomenal! From start to finish, the entire process was seamless, and the food was an absolute delight. Chef Priscilla Mkenda is a gem and a joy to work with. She was incredibly friendly, punctual, and went above and beyond to ensure all our needs were accommodated. She effortlessly catered to a variety of dietary considerations, providing delicious spicy, non-spicy, gluten-free, and vegetarian options that satisfied everyone on our team. The food itself was absolutely fantastic—delicious, fresh, and bursting with authentic Tanzanian, Ugandan, and Kenyan flavors. We received countless compliments from our colleagues, who all agreed that it was one of the best catered lunches we've ever had. The quality and portion sizes were exceptional, especially for the price. Swahili Spot is truly a unique find in the Bay Area, offering a taste of East African cuisine that is hard to come by. We would highly recommend Chef Priscilla to anyone looking for a memorable, delicious, and affordable catering experience and would absolutely work with her again in the future. Thanks, Priscilla and team!

Amazing restaurant run by Priscilla a woman with Uganadan and Tanzanian roots. Try the whole fish and the chapati. I also loved the tamarind juice. The food was super authentic and reminded me of my time in Kenya. Staff was super nice and music was great 😊 Will be back!

Took my Tanzanian exchange student there for a taste of home. Walked into a cozy place where the owner welcomed us and talked to my student and other customers as if they were good friends. We had the fried fish and curry dishes. Everything was so delicious--we enjoyed every bite. Especially the cabbage! Overall one of the best places I have eaten, perfectly authentic, with a wonderfully friendly atmosphere.

First time eating here. I got the Chicken Curry rice bowl with the sides and hot sauce. It was so delicious!!! Amazing. And? Next time I’ll ask for less rice and more food on top. It was pretty rice heavy and wished I’d gotten twice as many greens. And weird - I only got one piece plantain, and? regardless- the my meal was amazing. Service was kind and friendly. Love this place!!! Welcome to West Oakland!! 💕💕

Had this spot on my radar for months and finally stopped in one Sunday for a quick lunch and I wish I'd been by sooner!! Delicious, flavorful, and made with home cooking-style love! We shared the curry chicken with mung beans and veggie combo over rice n beans with plantains and mandazi (lightly sweet fried bread) and a side of hot sauce we put all over it all. So good. It's hearty, filling food (good for sharing) but not heavy or greasy. Can't wait to try more - get your butts down here and get a plate!

Fresh good authentic food ,home cooking and courteous service, really happy that I came here to eat . Highly recommended

I just now realized my photo is blurry :(((( Anyways, I believe this is my first time eating Tanzanian food. It was flavorful, with good ingredients, and cooked right there. The owner is a very kind and interesting person. She also runs a food truck. In fact, her most popular dish sold out yesterday when she took her truck to Oakland First Fridays. We had a great conversation about the food and Oakland. It is not super cheap. I ate the beef curry special (pictured) and a dessert (not pictured) for $25. But it's worth it. There aren't many Tanzanian restaurants around. If you want to try something different and have a real warm experience with the host, this is the place.

We had a catered lunch from Swahili Spot, and overall, it was a good experience. The Bongo Beef had nice flavor, but there was a bit too much fat for my liking. The Zanzibar Chicken also had good seasoning, though it came out a bit dry. I really enjoyed the fresh and tasty green salad, and the coconut rice was wonderfully aromatic. The Makande Stew was an interesting dish with firm and chewy ingredients—a unique first-time experience for me. The sautéed greens, however, were cooked down a little too much. All in all, it was a solid meal, though a few improvements would have made it even better.