Staff here is amazing! Before I placed my order, my waitress brought out a bunch of items for me to try since this was my first time at the restaurant. I liked every sample but I ended up with the Efo Riro (pronounced eh-faw ree-raw) or the "vegetable soup" with goat and a side of fufu. It comes from the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria. "Efo" means greens/spinach, and "Riro" means to stir. So, it literally translates to "stirred greens." I choose this because it has a deep, savory, earthy, and slightly pungent flavor, that is the secret ingredient called Iru (fermented locust beans). It acts like umami (similar to how soy sauce or miso works in Asian cuisine). The greens are cooked down in a rich sauce made of red bell peppers, Scotch bonnet peppers (for heat), onions, and Palm Oil. The palm oil is what gives West African food its distinct richness and often a reddish-orange tint. Instead of rice, I got the Fufu (The "Swallow"). It's a white ball made from real yams, not sweet potatoes or fermented Cassava. In Nigeria, this category of food is called "Swallow." It isn't meant to be chewed on its own like bread; it is meant to be swallowed along with the soup. My waitress brought out a bowl of water and taught me how to eat the Fufu. She told me to pinch off a small piece of the Fufu, roll it into a ball with my fingers, make a small indentation with your thumb (to turn it into a spoon), scoop up the Efo Riro and meat, and swallow it. Texture is like sticky dough. It is a blank canvas designed to balance out the intense spice and saltiness of the Efo Riro. I wish I had more time but I had a flight to catch. Otherwise, I would have taken advantage of their Sunday buffet and try all the other dishes they have to offer! Oh, did I mention how amazing their entire staff is? Right before I left, another waitress gave me a puff puff to try. It's like a chewy fried doughnut and that was delicious! Will be back for their buffet when I'm in the area. read more

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Beautiful! It was such a beautiful experience. Shout out to Sid, our hostess/ waiter for coming through. The service was great - everyone was great! The food was tasty. For me as an American it tastes really close to Caribbean food, just a little more potent or stronger. Not salty or super spicy .. just.. super flavorful. Fu fu taste like mash potatoes with no salt or butter lol. Do I recommend ? Yes. Would I go back? Yes. read more

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I've been dying to have African food for some time and on my __st birthday, i finally had it. It's in a plaza tucked on Waters Ave. Not much parking available, we found some on the side of the plaza. I quite enjoyed the vivid colors inside the restaurant. Sela, our server was amazing. It was out first time and she was very sweet and patient with us. She even bought us samples of soups to try ( such a great touch). We tried Egusi with chicken and Fufu, beef stew with jollof rice, fried goat and puff puff. Everything tasted great. Only complaint, i was missing the spice. It was tad too bland for my Indian palate. With more of a kick, that egusi would've been amazing. read more

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I tried this food truck out thanks to the too good to go app. It was good. The portion size could have been a little bit bigger but either way, it was a good deal. I highly recommend this place! read more

Steaming Pots - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

This place was delicious!! My son and I went and had our first African dishes and we were both very happy with the dishes. He had the chicken jolof and I had the egusi and fufu. It was all delicious!! My son can't wait to come back and he wants to bring friends. Service was polite and helpful. The decor was great as well! read more

Steaming Pots - Jolof and Egusi w/ fufu both with fried chicken and it was so crispy and perfect! Totally recommend!! - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Food: I tried the peanut/tomato soup fufu with chicken and the jollof rice. It was INCREDIBLE. Service: Our server was very knowledgeable and friendly. Overall speed of service was relaxed. The owner took time to speak with us and she is a wonderful person. Ambiance: The outside of the restaurant is unassuming but when you step inside, you know you've struck gold. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and clean. You can do take out, dine in, or patio. They have very good African music playing throughout the restaurant to set the tone. I plan to come back soon! I am interested in their buffet offerings. read more

Steaming Pots - Menu - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I came here with my boyfriend for his birthday dinner. There's a small lot out front to park in and inside is very clean and nicely decorated! We were seated immediately and our waitress was so warm and welcoming and helped explain the menu to us. We decided to get Egusi with a side of fufu and jollof rice. We also got a couple of Jamaican Red Stripe beers. The portions were generous and everything was so flavorful!! Egusi is more of a stew (kind of like an Indian sabzi) and it was so delicious. We used the fufu (sticky ball that you can break off to create little scoops to eat the Egusi). The jollof also was yummy and I loved how tomato-y it was. Overall, really cool spot and so delicious!! read more

Steaming Pots - Egusi - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Excellent first time dining experience having West African cuisine! Sid was great with providing excellent service and helping us to make the best choice since everything looked and sounded so delicious. We chose the Egusi soup with fufu and beef and the jollof rice with goat. We added the pufpuf sliders served with a side of pepper soup to start us off. From the first bite of the sliders I knew we were in for a culinary treat. The mango and guava juice were soo good to bring some sweetness to our spicier dishes. I loved that the jollof rice was coupled with a sauce-- it really drew out the flavors of the rice. A side of cabbage and plantains were a great addition as well. I would absolutely recommend you visit and try ALL the dishes. Its a perfect vibe for small intimate dinner or a small gathering of friends or family. I'm already planning my next trip back. read more

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Just writing this review is making my mouth water. I've been to Steaming Pots several times and have tried 2 of their dishes. One being the Egusi and Fufu! The flavors in this dish satisfies every tastebud. The portions are great, the service is excellent and the ambiance is more of on the relaxed side but can turn up with live music too! I would definitely say give them a try! It's worth it. read more

Steaming Pots - Egusi with Goat - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Finally tried egusi and fufu Tomato flavor and that lowkey funky smell I remember from Nigerian food Fufu dipped in the sauce was a cool experience but probably a one-time thing lol read more

Steaming Pots - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

When I say this took me back to my krio mom's cooking I MEAN IT . Even di pepe, was bringing tears to my eyes and I loved every minute of it (iykyk). I remember eating my mom's food back home and sweating through it due to how good it tasted. I'll definitely be back. Post gym meal for sure. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go take a mean nap after this one. read more

Jennifer was such an amazing server and helped us navigate the menu. And everything was just delicious with the right of spice for a native. Definitely try the Puff Puff sliders and native Jollof rice. Clean and Art on the wall was gorgeous. read more

Steaming Pots - Puff Puff and Peppered Beef sliders - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The atmosphere is very welcoming and clean. Our server was Eli and he was very polite and attentive. The food was AMAZING. My fav place to come while in town. 10/10 read more

Steaming Pots - Pepper Soup - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I came in and only got their pineapple ginger since I was spending quite a bit of money at Pedritos next door but the ladies helping were super sweet and kind and I def have to come back next pay day. It smells insanely good in there and everything was super clean. Ambiance was amazing. read more

Steaming Pots - Ginger Pineapple - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Amazing food! Picked up take-out. Fufu was amazing and so was the beef stew and goat efo riro.

This place blew me away. From the first sip of their pepper soup with goat to the last bite of puff puff, every dish was bold, rich, and deeply authentic. We tried a little of everything -- most of it with goat -- and each preparation was spot-on. The egusi with fufu was hearty and soulful, the jerk chicken smoky with a perfect crust, and the whole snapper was so good the kids cleaned the plate down to the bones. You can feel the pride in every bite here. The owner personally checked on us, sharing how each dish was made and where the ingredients came from. That kind of care is rare, and it shows. If you want the real taste of West Africa in Tampa -- with flavors that stick in your memory -- Steaming Pots is it read more

Steaming Pots - Snapper - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Exploring restaurants in Tampa with friends, we decided to start with this spot. While I was waiting in the car for my friend, I noticed a steady stream of people going in--which made me wonder if we'd have to wait for a table. Turns out, I was wrong--it's spacious inside! And honestly, quite cute. Jennifer was incredibly helpful. I almost went with the beef stew, but she challenged me: "You don't come to a place like this just to get something you can cook at home!" She was right. So I eventually tried something I'd never heard of before--egusi soup. Jennifer even taught me how to eat it properly--with my hands! It was such a unique experience, and the food was absolutely delicious. read more

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First time trying African food, I think it's good in general. The shop needs to work on the A/C, it was too hot. Need to provide both spoon & folk for the meal; I got a rice they gave me 1 folk, my gf had a fufu w/ soup they gave her 1 spoon. Staff were friendly. read more

Steaming Pots - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Customer Service good. Food was okay. I've discovered I'm not a fan of African food. I've tried don't have the desire to try again. Prices are a little pricey. read more

Steaming Pots - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The food and atmosphere are so fun and festive, and the service is great. However, considering it's a dine-in place, I was really disappointed they don't have tap/free water available to drink, which is pretty standard at restaurants. read more

....soooo....I had to pick some items near by knowing the restaurant was right behind me. I just gave in, went inside and explained to the young woman I had never eaten Egusi soup before. She began to share whats in it as there are foods I can't eat...then she shows up with a sample. I've eaten foods from the Motherland before...but man oh man...this soup is so off the chain!!!...absolutely love for the palette...plans have already been made to return but this is food one doesn't need company for...go...delight the palette...it'll give you appreciation for hangin with yourself... read more

We ordered the combination plate with tilapia and chicken, plus 2 types of rice, we also had egusi with fufu, and got pufpuf. It all has wonderful flavor and is delicious! read more

Food is absolutely amazing and the owners are even better! What a wonderful experience, everything was so good and we already are planning our next trip to go back! Loved it all! read more

Service was great but the jollof was not the best in flavor coming from having plenty different African jollofs I was disappointed. Also the the chicken was fried not what I was expecting . read more

Steaming Pots - Jollof Rice & Chicken - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Steaming Pots can have every dollar every time I come ! The costumer service was good and Syd helped us ordered. We knew what we wanted from TikTok but in person we started to question the concept of how it actually would taste.... But when I tell you the portion size down to the texture of the meat, to the flavor !!! Whheeewwww weeeeee!!! Im coming back next week ! Thank yall so much! read more

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The Egusi is great, especially with the goat meat. It made the meal all the more better. If you haven't had fufu before, this would be the place to try it for the first time. Also, the mango juice they had was smoother than ones I had from previous restaurants. The server (Julz) gave us a warm reception and made our night end on a high note. Definitely support this place if you're in the area. read more

Steaming Pots - Egusi (goat) with fufu - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Wow!!!!!! This restaurant blew my mind!!! I loved the groundnut soup. The flavor was incredible!!! It's creamy and nutty and the fufu tastes amazing dipped in the soup. The chicken drums were so tender and flavorful and it came off the bone very easily. The fufu was delicious with the Egusi. I loved it on its own too! The flavor was so much fun to experience. I'm excited to have tried this place. 10/10 highly recommend! read more

I have never ordered African food because I have friend who would cook for me. . I grew up on Nigerian and African food in general I've eating from different country. I have never ever ordered African food more so because I feel like people Americanize it but with the reviews here I was like oh okay this place might be authentic. Yea lol it's not. The jello rice is bitter and sour like , the stew aftertaste was weird like spoilt the white rice was the only decent thing lol . The cassava leaf I was so disappointed I've never seen anyone mess up on it , thank goodness I ordered online to taste I was thinking of dinning I would not read more

The food was great, but needed way more spice. We asked for it medium spicy, but the Egusi was mild at best and the ground nut soup had no spice. Everything came out super fresh, and I liked the ground nut soup better out of the two. It tasted like peanut sauce with tomatoes. We got goat in both which was cooked perfectly. The service was good, but everything was a bit slow since they don't have many staff. 2 fufu entrees, rice, and a soda came out to be $65. A good meal overall, but nothing crazy for the price. read more

Steaming Pots - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

First, ordering with an app is a little complicated (door dash) because two of the things we wanted weren't on the app menu. However, we chose from what was on the app menu, and then went to pick it up. The reception by Jennifer was exceptional! She was warm, friendly, and very attentive. She checked on our order and returned with an eta. Once it came, she brought it right out and explained everything to us. We had Egusi soup with beef, and it was delicious! We also got Efo riro with goat, which was also delicious. And finally, we had the beef stew, which was gorgeous. She added two different hot sauces in- a light orange one and a dark brown one. The light orange one was super hot- go lightly with it! The dark brown one was delicious, and not painful. We also had fufu with our dishes. For dessert we had puff-puffs, which Jennifer explained are like beignets. They are, but they're a little more dense and have a unique flavor- something slightly citrus? They were yummy!! This was our first time eating West African cuisine, and we all really enjoyed what we had. It was take-out simply due to our time constraints, but next time we will dine in. The vibe in the main restaurant dining room was fun and casual! Everything looked clean and bright. All in all we had a wonderful meal at Steaming Pots! But the best thing about it was Jennifer- she's a warm and welcoming bundle of smiles and warmth!! We highly recommend! We'll definitely be back. read more

Hands down one of the best dining experiences we've had thanks to our waitress. On top of providing fast, professional service, she provided us with samples of food to try, explained the dishes and flavors to us, and offered helpful dining suggestions. Overall it made our experience perfect, because the food was absolutely delicious. Very flavorful dishes that taste like a warm hug. Fresh, flavorful food and an overall great experience. 10/10 read more

Food was very good and fulfilling... will definitely be bringing my friends here! Jennifer was very helpful and sweet, she definitely made the experience all the more enjoyable! Don't pass this place up! read more

This place is a gem! It's a small little spot from the outside but probably a much bigger restaurant than expected inside. It's decorated wonderfully and the decor aids to the overall experience. Today I got the Jollof Rice with fried beef. It was flavorful, fried to perfection, and tender. I've had many dishes here in the past and the 3 pepper and ground nut soups are both also amazing. I've never had a bad meal here. I highly recommend!! read more

Steaming Pots - Jollof Beef - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

My first time trying west African food & they have set the bar very high. I am excited to try more things on their menu so I will definitely return. Everything was amazing: cool inviting restaurant atmosphere; friendly & patient service; and delicious food. Pepper soup might be my new favorite food. The goat meat was so tender. The broth was spicy but not overwhelming to my tastebuds because I could still taste a lot of great flavor. It was fulfilling without leaving me feeling heavy. The fufu was also nice. I liked it better the next day when I didn't have goat meat, I just ate fufu with the broth. Sorrel juice wasn't too sweet and nice contrast for my spicy meal. Puff puff- It was almost like a donut. It had coconut and cinnamon. It would go great with a warm drink like coffee. It was a little dense (not too much- it's still delicious) so one is enough for one person. read more

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I could eat the shito and banku all day, and the boiled egg and hot sauce complement each other well. Adding the pepper stew to the snapper for an extra $2 was a great decision. The snapper and tilapia options are priced the same at $7, with tilapia being the default choice if not specified. However, the whole snapper with banku meal has some drawbacks, including the fish being fried but not seasoned, and having a bitter taste near the gutted area. This issue applies to both fish entrees. read more

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How they managed to take a third of the largest continent in the world and fit it inside a restaurant on Water St. in Tampa we will never know. As an African American eating the dishes from Steaming Pots makes our need for spices and flavor make sense. The flavors are layered to perfection and everything compliments each other. Not gonna lie I wasn't expecting much from the fried meat pie, you know every culture has them empanadas, patties, and pasties.... I was so surprised by the depth of flavor in the pie! Then I tried Efo Rio for the first time DELICIOUS. I've had Puff Puff from them before but the addition of the coconut and spices took it to another level. The staff literally walked up to each table and were on standby in case anyone was new to eating West African cuisine. You can legitimately feel the love they put in the food and the collective pride the owners take in their establishments through the decor. This to me is another Tampa Gem! read more

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This place was amazing cuisine for African food. The Ambiance was very beautiful. The owner came out periodically to check in on guests to ensure they were taken care of. The Garden Egg Stew was very good. Efo Riro was amazing, had to be my favourite. The fries went well with either stew and was good by itself Both drinks were excellent, my favourite had to be the pineapple and ginger. If you don't like spicy drinks then i recommend the mango. Overall everything was more than enough for two people. I highly do recommend this place if you haven't already!! They did only have one bathroom. read more

Steaming Pots - Cassava Fries - metal tin left side / Efo Rio - right side / Garden Egg Stew - left side / Fufu / Ginger Pineapple - left / Mango - right - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I love the whole atmosphere. I travel from St Pete just to eat here. It's well worth it. read more

Steaming Pots - Erosion, it's amazing. - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

This place is a hidden gem in Tampa. From the outside, it doesn't look like much but the minute you step foot inside it is so nicely decorated, and it has a great ambience. The staff were welcoming and provided excellent service. The food was out of this world. It was so flavorful and delicious. I had the Egusi with Fufu, Jollof Rice and mango juice. I will definitely be going back to try more items on the menu. Thank you Sid for the awesome hospitality. read more

Steaming Pots - Egusi with beef and Fufu and mango juice. - African Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I had such high hopes for this place because of the reviews and my friend who's Ghanaian has cooked for me so I've always enjoyed West African cuisine. However this was a total flop. First of all, I didn't realize if you call in the restaurant to do a takeout order, it's like $5 cheaper than ordering online from their website. I spent $90 when it should've been $70 had I just made a phone call. When I came in 30 mins later, I expected my food to be ready but they didn't even see my order. So I had to wait another 20 mins at the restaurant for them to prepare my food. The jallof rice was the only dish I liked. The chicken was okay but I don't really enjoy eating fried foods so wish it was baked or grilled instead. The fufu was so bland and didn't taste like anything. I know you're supposed to eat it with the soup but it was not good. The puff puff was okay. A little dry. I didn't get any plantains... even though it said the jallof meal came with plantains. The okra soup wasn't good. It was a little too fishy and slimy for me. The egusi was gross! I didn't like the taste of texture. I also picked out some fish bones from it. Overall, the rice was my favorite but that meal should've been no more than $50. For $90, I could've gone somewhere much better. Oh well, at least I know. read more

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