At Suya Joint in Roxbury, dinner service is typically a vibrant scene. Customers filter into the West African restaurant specializing in Nigerian cuisine. They order dishes like jollof rice, fried plantain or goat pepper soup. Afrobeats flows through the speakers.
“It feels really good actually, just like coming from a tiny village in Nigeria to be able to showcase the flavors, hospitality, our culture,” said owner Cecelia Lizotte. The restaurant has been a neighborhood staple for 10 years and received multiple Best of Boston awards. Lizotte herself was a James Beard Award semifinalist.
But underneath that joy, Lizotte feels a ton of anxiety…