from “le détroit” · the strait
City officials and the owners of Baobab Fare broke ground on Oct. 27, 2026 on a second location at E. Warren and Grayton, a $2.5 million project. An opening date will be announced in the coming months.
On Oct. 27, 2026, city officials and the owners of Baobab Fare broke ground on a second location for the restaurant on E. Warren Avenue in the East English Village neighborhood.
The new restaurant will fill a vacant building at E. Warren and Grayton that used to be a video rental store. Owners Mamba Hamissi and Nadia Nijimbere plan to renovate it into an African dining room. The project represents a $2.5 million investment.
Construction is scheduled to begin right away. The city says an opening date will be announced in the coming months.
## From New Center to E. Warren
Hamissi and Nijimbere are East African refugees who founded Baobab Fare. The original restaurant opened in New Center. The kitchen is known for Burundi-style cuisine.
Hamissi was a 2024 James Beard award finalist. In 2023, he won an episode of "Chopped."
"Detroit welcomed Nadia and me and gave us the opportunity to build Baobab Fare," Hamissi said in the city's announcement. "Bringing Baobab Fare to East Warren is our way of continuing to invest in the city that believed in us."
He said the pair look forward to creating jobs and building "a place where neighbors and families feel at home."
The east side branch is meant to bring the same menu and experience as the flagship on Woodward at Grand Boulevard to residents of the East Warren neighborhood.
## A corridor that's filling in
Since the city invested in a new streetscape, the E. Warren corridor has seen a rush of new business and residential development. Recent restaurant openings there include Little Liberia, Savoy and a brunch spot called Twelve Flavorz.
Funding for the project includes support from Invest Detroit and the Strategic Neighborhood Fund. The fund is a partnership between the City of Detroit, Invest Detroit and neighborhood residents, set up to channel targeted investments into commercial corridors, parks, housing and streetscapes in the city's neighborhoods.
Derek Edwards, SVP of Lending at Invest Detroit, said in the city's announcement, "Their success in New Center has made Baobab Fare a beloved Detroit institution, and we’re proud to support their next chapter on East Warren."
Mayor Mary Sheffield said in the city's announcement that bringing the restaurant to E. Warren is "a huge win for Detroit and the east side."
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