He came to New York alone. No family. No support system. Just the belief that West African food belonged here, in a borough that at the time had very little of it.
Mohammed Abdullah Senior arrived in the Bronx and found a food desert. The community around him had few options and none that reflected home. So he made one. He started small, cooking from an apartment, selling from a gas station, learning what it meant to build something from nothing in a city that does not slow down for anyone.
Nearly four decades later, Accra Restaurant on Burnside Avenue is still standing. The family grew around it the way his son Mohammed Abdullah Junior describes it: like an octopus, each child controlling a different tentacle of the business. But there is one head driving all of it. His father.
What nearly ended Accra Restaurant was a fire. It took down the store, and by any measure, that should have been the end. Mohammed Senior did not see it that way. He kept selling from home, keeping the food moving, keeping the community fed. His daughter Ayesha Abdullah, who manages Accra Express, remembers how her father received it: God gave and God took away. They accepted it as part of life, and rebuilt.
Today Accra operates multiple locations, including the original Bronx restaurant on Burnside Avenue and Accra Express in East Harlem, the location that earned a place on the New York Times’ 100 Best Restaurants in NYC list for 2026 with its jollof rice singled out for praise. But Burnside is where it all started, and Burnside is where the roots run deepest.
“Thirty-something years later, here we are sitting in an establishment that has served so many leaders from the continent of Africa. He’s well known. He’s been given awards throughout the city. His legacy carries on.” - Ayesha Abdullah, Accra Restaurant
Accra Restaurant was born out of a community need, and it has never forgotten that. In a neighbourhood that was once classified as a food desert, the Abdullahs made it their policy that no one leaves hungry. Walk in without money and you still get food. That is not a marketing line. It is how they have operated for nearly four decades.
Accra Restaurant has been part of the Dishout family since 2018, one of the earliest restaurants to join the platform. In the years since, the relationship has grown well beyond delivery. Dishout has led and supported several community initiatives across the years, and Accra Restaurant has been beside us for most of them. Community Comes First. The Yaya Connect sponsorship. And many more.
“There are not a lot of restaurants in Harlem that give food to homeless people or people who are hungry. We made sure we had that policy of no one left hungry, especially in our community.” - Ayesha Abdullah, Accra Restaurant
Walk through the streets of Accra in Ghana today and you will find more shawarma and pizza spots than you will find Tuo Zaafi with Ayoyo or Fufu with Kuuka soup. Fast food culture has spread fast, and some of the most traditional Ghanaian dishes are quietly disappearing from the streets they were born on.
In the Bronx, Accra Restaurant stays true to their roots. Mpotompoto, Kuuka soup, Ayoyo, Koko, and Pinkaso sit on the menu alongside the more familiar jollof, waakye, banku, and more. For the diaspora, that means something. Not just nostalgia, but access to a Ghanaian food culture that is becoming rare even in Ghana itself. Accra keeps the light on.
“When your food is authentic, good, and consistent, and your customer service matches, your customers will continue to come.” - Ayesha Abdullah, Accra Restaurant
What Accra Restaurant has built over nearly four decades is not just a business. It is a standard. The family understands the legacy they have inherited from their father, and they are deliberate about how they carry it forward. The recipes are guarded, the ingredients are sourced directly from Ghana, and every dish is tasted before it reaches a customer. That is the standard Mohammed Senior set, and not one of his children intends to let it slip.
African Dishout is proud to have been part of this journey. The values that drive Accra, community, authenticity, and the belief that food should connect people to home, are the same values that Dishout was built on. That alignment is why this partnership has lasted, and why it continues to grow.
In September 2026, African Dishout will be part of Savor the City: A Night for Nourishment and Hope, a culinary gathering in New York City celebrating the city’s diversity while raising awareness around food insecurity. Accra Restaurant will be there with us.
How long has Accra Restaurant been operating?
Accra Restaurant has been operating for nearly four decades, founded by Mohammed Abdullah Senior after he arrived in the Bronx and saw a community with very little access to authentic West African food. It is one of the longest-running Ghanaian restaurants in New York City.
How long has Accra Restaurant been on African Dishout?
Accra Restaurant has been on the African Dishout platform since 2018, making it one of the earliest restaurants to join. The partnership has grown consistently over the years, extending well beyond delivery into community initiatives and events.
What traditional Ghanaian dishes does Accra Restaurant serve?
Beyond the well-known jollof, waakye, banku, and fufu, Accra Restaurant carries traditional Ghanaian dishes that are increasingly hard to find even in Ghana, including Mpotompoto, Kuuka soup, Ayoyo, Koko, Tuo Zaafi, and Pinkaso. The menu is one of the most extensive Ghanaian menus in the Bronx.
Can I order Accra Restaurant on African Dishout?
Yes. Accra Restaurant is available on the African Dishout app. Order traditional Ghanaian meals including their award-winning jollof rice and rare dishes like Pinkaso and Mpotompoto, delivered to your door.
Because home should be just one tap away
