East African Community in Minneapolis

Get to know the East African community in Minneapolis by exploring the city through curated articles and itineraries. Taste East African cuisine and experience coffee traditions, visit cultural enclaves Cedar-Riverside and East Lake Street, shop for traditional items, and more. Plus, learn how the East African community settled in Minnesota and its important contributions to Minneapolis' culture.

Explore Cedar-Riverside & East Lake Street

Cultural districts Cedar Avenue South, also home to the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, and East Lake Street are home to some of the largest East African communities in Minneapolis and the nation. Plan your day exploring both areas, then take a deeper dive into each cultural district below.

East African Cuisine in Minneapolis

Minneapolis is filled with locally-owned restaurants to try food from Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and beyond. From casual delis to comforting cafes, here's where to find the best East African food throughout the city.

Visit East African Coffee Shops in Minneapolis

In East Africa, coffee is more than a drink—it's a ritual of hospitality and community. Now that spirit is showing up in Minneapolis, where East African-inspired cafes are blending tradition, food and culture into some of the city's most welcoming gathering spots.

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History of the East African Community in Minnesota

With its long winters, freezing temperatures, and heavy snowfall, Minnesota may seem like an unlikely destination for people from the Horn of Africa. Yet for thousands of East African families, the state offered something more important than warm weather: opportunity, stability, and community.

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Page Contributors

Khalid Moalim

Writer

Khalid Moalim split his childhood between Minneapolis, Minn. and Portland, Ore. He’s a graduate of The Ohio State University. He’s worked as a journalist and is a television writer.

Said Shaiye

Writer

Said Shaiye is an Autistic + ADHD (AuDHD) Somali multidisciplinary artist. He is a MacDowell Fellow & Minnesota State Arts Grant recipient (Melanated Autistic Writing Workshop). The second edition of his Minnesota Book Award Finalist memoir, Are You Borg Now?, was released by Noemi Press in 2025. He has published poetry & prose in Indiana Review, Texas Review, Obsidian, Brittle Paper, Pithead Chapel, 580 Split, and elsewhere.

Website: http://www.saidshaiye.com/