Fifteen restaurants across the District, Maryland and Virginia are locked in for the three-week program, though the flagship festival day remains postponed.
At a glance
- Dates: September 13 to October 5, 2026
- Restaurants confirmed: 15, spanning DC, Montgomery County and Prince William County
- Format: Discounted menus, no advance tickets required
- Flagship festival day: Originally set for September 26, now listed as postponed with no confirmed new date
- Backers: DC United, Events DC, Destination DC, Ghana Tourism Authority
DC African Restaurant Week returns this fall, running September 13 through October 5, 2026, with fifteen restaurants across the District, Maryland and Virginia offering discounted menus for the three-week stretch. The event is organized under the Capital City Africa Week partnership, which pairs the dining promotion with backing from DC United, Events DC, Destination DC and the Ghana Tourism Authority, according to the event’s official page.
What DC African Restaurant Week 2026 includes
This year’s confirmed roster covers a wide geographic and culinary range. It includes Bukom Restaurant in Adams Morgan, Swahili Village DC near the West End, Mansa Kunda Restaurant in Takoma Park, The Continent DC, Hedzole, Appioo, Hajara’s Kitchen in Woodbridge, Eatopia Eatery, Lydia Restaurant & Bar, Disbe Good, Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant, Koite Grill in Silver Spring, Moi Moi, Spicy Water African Grill, and Hakuna Matata. Several of these names, including Ghion Ethiopian Restaurant, have previously appeared on AfroDMV’s roundup of the city’s best African restaurants, so the roster leans on established kitchens as much as newer entries.
The spread also lines up with neighborhoods AfroDMV readers already know well. Diners who stock up at the DMV’s African grocery stores and markets will recognize several of the same corridors in Silver Spring and Takoma Park hosting Restaurant Week kitchens this fall. For a lower-cost introduction to the scene before committing to a sit-down meal, AfroDMV’s earlier look at the DMV African food truck scene profiles several vendors working the same streets.
No advance tickets are required for the discounted-menu period. Participation runs restaurant by restaurant, based on which businesses opted in for the season.
The flagship festival day is on hold
In past editions, Restaurant Week has closed with a single festival day pairing food vendors with a DC United-linked soccer match, a DJ lineup and cultural performances. This year’s version was originally scheduled for Saturday, September 26, from noon to 7pm. As of publication, the event’s Eventbrite listing marks that specific date as postponed, with the venue still listed as TBA.
The three-week discounted-menu program and the single festival day are separate commitments from the organizer, and only one currently has a confirmed status. Anyone planning specifically around the festival day should check the Eventbrite listing directly before making arrangements, since that detail could change before September.
FAQ
When does DC African Restaurant Week 2026 start? The discounted-menu program runs September 13 through October 5, 2026, according to the event’s official site.
Is the DC African Restaurant Week festival day still happening? The single-day flagship festival originally scheduled for September 26 is listed as postponed on Eventbrite, with no new date confirmed at the time of publication.
Do I need tickets for restaurant week? No advance tickets are required for the discounted-menu period. Participation is restaurant by restaurant, based on which businesses signed on for the season.