WORCESTER, Mass. - A Worcester restaurant is bringing the flavors of Liberia to the city.

Taste of Monrovia held a ribbon cutting for their Pleasant Street location Friday night. Owner Niomi Kpou recently brought on a new chef who grew up in Liberia. They offer everything from Liberian food to tacos to Italian food. Kpou says Taste of Monrovia is the only Liberian restaurant in the area. She says her restaurant is a hidden gem and hopes people will give it a try.

Dishes include chicken, meat, seafood, and things like fried okra, cassava leaf, and palava sauce. 

“Don’t be shy, come on down,” Kpou said. “We have great stuff. You can always try it before you buy it. We do give little samples for people who have never tried Liberian food before so you’re not just walking in forced to buy this huge plate of something you’ve never tried before.”

The restaurant derives its name from the capital of Liberia: Monrovia.

It is open Monday through Saturday.