Jambo Cafe on Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe has been one of the most distinctive restaurants in a city full of distinctive restaurants since chef Ahmed Obo opened it, building a menu around the East African and Kenyan cooking traditions of his homeland — slow-cooked stews, coconut-spiced seafood, and the fragrant, complex flavors of a culinary tradition that most Santa Fe visitors had never encountered before walking through Jambo’s door. It appeared in Season 18, Episode 6 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Sammies and Stew,” which aired October 28, 2013. Guy Fieri found a Santa Fe kitchen doing East African cooking with the authenticity and depth of flavor that earns a restaurant its national food media reputation in a city already known for exceptional food.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Jambo Cafe
City: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Cuisine: African / Kenyan
DDD Season: 18
DDD Episode: 6
Episode Title: Sammies and Stew
Original Air Date: October 28, 2013
Address: 2010 Cerrillos Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: 505-473-1269
Website: https://jambocafe.net
Status: Open
What to Eat
The Lamb Stew with Coconut Curry — slow-braised lamb in a fragrant East African coconut and spice broth — is the signature that earns Jambo Cafe its Santa Fe reputation and the dish that most regulars consider the best thing on the menu. The Chicken Tikka Masala with the East African spice profile that distinguishes it from the Indian version most Americans know is the crossover dish that converts first-timers into regulars. The Sambusa — the East African fried pastry stuffed with spiced meat or lentils, the cousin of the Indian samosa — is the appetizer that earns its own devoted following. The Mango Lassi is the drink that belongs alongside any Jambo meal. Find a Santa Fe hotel on Travelocity.
Plan Your Visit
Check the website for current hours.
Address: 2010 Cerrillos Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: 505-473-1269
Website: https://jambocafe.net
Status: Open
Triple D Essentials
Stream the Sammies and Stew episode on Amazon. Jambo Cafe is one of the most genuinely unique restaurants in the Triple D catalog.
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Jambo Cafe appeared in Season 18, Episode 6 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Sammies and Stew,” originally aired October 28, 2013.