Discovering Somali Cuisine: A Journey to Auckland’s Banaadir

A recent visit to Auckland’s Mt Roskill revealed the vibrant Somali culinary experience at **Banaadir**, a restaurant that stands out as a cultural gem in this low-income suburb. The restaurant serves as a focal point for the local Somali community, offering authentic dishes that reflect the rich heritage of Somalia. This visit was inspired by **Khadro Mohamed**, a Wellington-based author whose novel, **Before the Winter Ends**, is longlisted for the **2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards**.

The journey began on the **67A bus**, which took me through the lively streets of Stoddard Road. My mission was to taste the **beef injera**, a dish described enticingly in Mohamed’s novel. Set against the backdrop of a community deeply connected to its cultural roots, Banaadir serves as a reminder of how food can bridge gaps between different cultures.

In **Before the Winter Ends**, Mohamed writes vividly about Somali cuisine, particularly a dish of fried beef cubes served with injera. The novel has garnered attention, not just for its storytelling, but also for its culinary references, which have inspired **Jackie Lee Morrison**, a fellow Wellington writer. Morrison is developing a YouTube podcast series titled **Served With Rice**, where she prepares meals inspired by the works of writers of colour.

Morrison, a former chef with experience in prestigious establishments such as **Claridge’s Hotel** in London, plans to create Somali-inspired dishes featured in Mohamed’s narrative. “The goal is to deepen the discourse around books by writers of colour beyond tokenism and trend cycles,” Morrison explained. The podcast, co-hosted with Australian-Asian writers **Emma Pei Yin** and **Jacquie Pham**, aims to explore the intersection of food and literature, showcasing the stories behind the dishes.

For her episode featuring Mohamed, Morrison intends to make **injera** and **beef suqaar**, inspired by a particular passage that highlights the comfort of food. She described her cooking process, emphasizing the importance of fermentation in making injera, which often includes ingredients like **sorghum flour** and **masa harina**.

Upon arriving at Banaadir, I was eager to experience the flavors that Mohamed had so vividly portrayed. The restaurant is a quaint space located at the end of the **Tulja Centre**, a small arcade that opened in 2013, housing various eateries and shops. The atmosphere was inviting, filled with the aroma of spices and the sounds of laughter among patrons.

The dish I ordered, priced at **$23**, was a beef stew accompanied by flatbreads. It featured strips of beef cooked with a blend of spices, including curry powder and paprika, but lacked the cardamom and cinnamon that Mohamed described. While the meal was enjoyable, it did not fully align with the flavors depicted in the book.

Despite the slight disconnect between the literary portrayal and the dish served, the experience was enriching. The restaurant’s owner, **Abdulkadir**, and the cook, **Rohena**, a woman from Afghanistan, contributed to a warm dining atmosphere, despite language barriers. Conversations flowed slowly but were filled with a shared appreciation for the food and culture.

As I savored my meal, I recalled Mohamed’s words about the addictive nature of her character’s experience with food. “Asha finishes her bowl quickly,” Mohamed writes, capturing the essence of comfort that comes with familiar flavors.

On **April 14**, I plan to tune into Morrison’s podcast to witness her attempt to recreate the dish as it was meant to be—a celebration of culture, community, and the power of storytelling through food. The journey to Banaadir has not only satisfied my culinary curiosity but has also deepened my understanding of how immigrant stories are woven into the fabric of New Zealand’s identity.

**Before the Winter Ends** by Khadro Mohamed (Tender Press, **$30**) is available in bookstores across New Zealand, and it is an essential read for those interested in the intersection of culture and cuisine.