Welcome to Around the World in 50 States, a new series exploring the thriving international
communities that populate America through the lens of food. No matter where you are from in the world, you eat, and these communities have adapted their traditions to fit their new country. Their plates represent more than just taste preferences, but also cultural customs.
BOOMING VOICES CAN BE HEARD as soon as the door swings open. Groups of Somali men, some wearing the koofiyad, a traditional East African cap, and others accessorizing with bluetooth headsets are tightly packed around wooden tables. They look up only to greet and shake hands with friends who continue to arrive. It’s Saturday morning and the seating space is getting scarcer by the minute.
“I come an hour drive for this action,” a man says before heading in their direction. “They’re going to flood in later.” And he’s right. As the morning turns into afternoon, the size of the groups has doubled and so has the volume of their conversations. There are no parking spots left, but there is plenty to talk about -- preferred topics include Somali clan politics and the ongoing saga of President Trump.
Their boisterous discussions, which alternate between good-natured banter and heated arguments, have earned the men the nickname “Sitting Warriors.” https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/somali-starbucks-minneapolis/food-and-drink
