Fine dining restaurant to bring pan-African cuisine, including Ghanaian, Nigerian and Senegalese specialties, to downtown Easton

Jollof rice, kelewele and other popular African dishes are coming soon to downtown Easton.

HOZA African Restaurant, a fine dining restaurant serving specialties from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and other African countries, is expected to open in mid-July at 349 Northampton St., owner and chef Sibu Mafundikwa said.

The restaurant, a few doors down from the Easton Public Market, will be Mafundikwa’s second Lehigh Valley dining establishment. She opened Braai Hut, a fast-casual eatery specializing in traditional Zimbabwean cuisine, last August on East Broad Street in Bethlehem.

“Since I opened Braai Hut, I’ve had a lot of people requesting other African foods,” Mafundikwa said. “So, when I got the opportunity to open a new restaurant in Easton, I decided to offer pan-African cuisine, or African fusion. We’ll be incorporating dishes from several African countries.”

HOZA, offering seating for around 70 customers, will offer Ghanaian favorites like kelewele, fried plantains seasoned with spices; Kenyan dishes like nyama choma, a platter of grilled goat, beef and other meats; and Nigerian specialties like egusi soup, a rich and savory soup made with ground melon seeds.

Jollof rice, popular in Nigeria as well as other African countries, also will be featured. The rice is cooked in a tomato base stew and “comes out with a reddish color and packed with flavor,” Mafundikwa said.

Other menu highlights will include Senegalese grilled lamb, known as dibi, featuring onions, mustard, garlic and spices; South African boerewors sausage, served with chakalaka beans (spicy baked beans with mixed vegetables) and pap (cornmeal side dish); Zimbabwean chicken with peanut sauce, served with rice or sadza; and Braii Hut’s most popular dish, flame-grilled peri peri chicken, available as kebabs, wings and half and whole chickens.

“We’re also going to offer Senegalese-influenced fish,” Mafundikwa said. “It will be tilapia fish, which is marinated in a nice blend of African spices and then fried and served with onion that is caramelized with a bit of Dijon mustard. It’s really popular in Senegal and other French-speaking countries.”

Mafundikwa, a native of Zimbabwe who moved to the United States in 2012, began learning how to cook alongside family members around age 10. The hobby quickly evolved into a passion, and since then her professional life has mirrored her personal interest with stints at restaurants and hotels in Stockholm, New York and other major cities.

In recent years, she’s also held management positions at Renaissance Allentown, Kutztown’s Hampton Inn and other area hotels.

HOZA, which will be BYOB, takes its name from a celebratory term equivalent to TGIF (thank God it’s Friday) in Africa, Mafundikwa said.

The restaurant will serve several dishes family-style as that is how many cultures enjoy their meals in Africa.

“I also believe people would rather try a few different things than just one because, in many cases, the person may have never eaten the food before,” Mafundikwa said. “So, when you come in with a group of people, it’ll be a great way to taste different things.”

HOZA will occupy a renovated space that previously housed Gino’s Pizza for decades. Improvements include new flooring, wall paint, kitchen equipment and more.

“We’re giving the whole space a facelift,” Mafundikwa said.

The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner, but exact hours are still being finalized.

“We’re still figuring out some details, but overall, I’m excited to be in Easton because the city’s really become a hub for restaurants,” Mafundikwa said. “It’s a restaurant destination, for sure.”

Individuals can stay up-to-date on the restaurant’s progress by following the business’ Instagram page, instragram.com/hozaeaston.