Some of the best Nigerian food can be found just outside the District in suburban Maryland, where there’s a a healthy population of African residents. Jodeem cooks its jollof with long grain parboiled rice, which results in a less starchy consistency. Save room for an extra serving of fried plantains.

This addition to Takoma Park is ideal for diners looking to enjoy brunch or dinner in peace (without the sudden movement of tables to make way for a band). The food is a healthy mix of Gambian, Senegalese and influences from other western states. A more high-end approach brings an extravagant version of jollof, called benachin or chep bu jain. In this version, proteins (tofu/paneer cheese, beef, or fish) are cooked with the rice to lend more flavor.

This Ghanaian hideaway in one of the city’s bar-heavy neighborhoods encourages patrons to eat their jollof rice with oxtail stew or on a vegetarian plate that includes black eyed peas, greens, and plantains. A live reggae band often adds to the atmosphere.

Located by Ninth Street’s slice of Little Ethiopia, Appioo prides itself on preparing some of the best Ghanian food in Washington. Customers can order jollof rice with a choice of croaker fish, goat, beef, oxtail or chicken. After a meal, it’s a smart idea to stick around. The restaurant transforms into a nightclub on Fridays and Saturdays with traditional Afrobeats from DJ Swing pumping until 2:30 a.m. 

At his Afro-Caribbean restaurant in the InterContinental hotel, chef Kwame Onwuachi’s uses Nigerian red sauce as the base of several dishes. His jollof rice is served with crab and trout, making it pescatarian friendly.

Naija boasts some of the best jollof in the area, but that’s not all. The Clinton, Maryland, destination claims spicy grilled goat asun as a specialty dish that’s ubiquitous in Nigerian home cooking. Getting jollof and asun on the same plate offers a nostalgic taste of a grandmother’s cooking.