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West African restaurants in London: Toyo Odetunde shares her favourite insider spots

• Toyo Odetunde

Published: July 10, 2026 at 10:46 AM

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From elegant upscale affairs to casual everyday venues, read this Londoner's guide to the best West African restaurants in the capital.

Going out for West African food was a cherished part of my childhood. We Nigerians don’t mess around when it comes to our traditional fare. However, West African cuisine has only entered the UK's wider dining discourse relatively recently. Home to a multitude of ethnic groups, the region's food encompasses multiple local cuisines, though the label 'West African cuisine' reflects the overlapping techniques, flavour profiles and ingredients that transcend colonial borders.

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London’s West African restaurant scene has diversified over the past decade. Restaurants reflecting contemporary stylistic approaches and diasporic and third culture cooking complement longstanding community pillars. Owing to its larger diaspora, London's West African restaurants have historically leaned towards Nigerian influences but we're gradually seeing broader representation from across the region.

Want to know about the hottest new spots in the capital? Check out our guide to the best London restaurant openings.

Meet the expert

Toyo Odetunde is a London-based writer and culinary enthusiast, specialising in hospitality and the connections between food, travel and culture for titles such as Condé Nast Traveller, National Geographic and Vittles. Her work has earned awards from Fortnum & Mason, The Guild of Food Writers and TravMedia.

Akoko, Fitzrovia

In Yorùbá culture, names are prophetic. It’s therefore fitting that Akoko translates to ‘first’ or ‘time’, reflecting the restaurant’s pioneering journey. One of the UK’s first Michelin-starred West African restaurants, this is where to go for faultlessly executed, innovative – and most importantly – resoundingly flavourful reimaginings of West African dishes.

The tasting menus draw from Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and The Gambia, so expect dishes like a delicate ọ̀jọ̀jọ̀ (Nigerian water yam fritter) combining vegetables, hints of mint, tangy baobab and peppery yaji spice into one carefully layered, harmonious bite. Or a take on ebunuebunu, a vibrant, vegetal green seafood soup from Ghana’s Akan community, with ribbons of silky squid. I especially love how West African spices are masterfully harnessed here. For instance, the ice cream perfumed with sweet/smoky uda (grains of selim) makes for a truly memorable dessert.

The diligent service and elegant artworks create an easygoing but sophisticated atmosphere, appropriate for a treat or special occasion, whether solo at the counter, or in a pair or group. From the moment you’re guided through the luxurious hand-washing ritual, you’ll know that you’re in good hands. akoko.co.uk

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Sikatiô, Brockley

There aren’t many places to dig into Ivorian cuisine in London, but thankfully Sikatiô offers an excellent introduction. Head to this casual, relaxed neighbourhood restaurant for classics such as sauce arachide (an indulgent peanut stew packed with tender cubes of beef – and a personal favourite) and grilled or fried tilapia or croaker, covered in sweet onions and tomatoes. I’d pair these with their typical Ivorian sides like attiéké, a couscous-like carb made from cassava, or abolo, springy and faintly sweet steamed rice cakes, designed to soak up richer, well-seasoned mains. Their grilled lamb is a hit too, succulent and pleasantly charred.

I’d advise coming both 1) hungry and 2) in a pair or group, as the plates are suited to sharing and big appetites. Oh and do try the bissap, a hibiscus-based drink bursting with sweet and tart berry-like flavours. instagram.com/sikatiorestaurant

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

805, Southwark

I have fond memories of eagerly ploughing through meals here in my gingham school dress during family visits to celebrate the start of the summer holidays. Like many Nigerian families based in and around south London, 805 was one of our go-tos. Having opened at the turn of the millennium, it’s a longstanding community institution. I’ve returned many times since – this is a spot for reliably consistent traditional meals without any bells and whistles.

I’d recommend the pounded yam, billowy and full of starchy sweetness, paired with egusi, a nutty, aromatic stew of ground gourd seeds with meat, leafy vegetables and a heady dose of umami. I also enjoy the lamb suya, the right level of bite without being too tough, and characteristically spicy while allowing an underlying savoury flavour to still come through. It has branches in Hendon and Paddington too. 805restaurants.com

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Safna Kitchen, Elephant and Castle

Senegambian cuisine is slowly but surely gathering momentum in London and at this laid-back Gambian-rooted restaurant you’ll find a few fusion concepts as well as a solid line-up of traditional plates. For example, I dive into the ebbeh, which brings together blocks of soft, boiled cassava and ample seafood from prawns to crab, in a tangy, creamy sauce flavoured with the unique earthiness of traditional unrefined West African red palm oil (not to be confused with commercial palm oils). Or the platter of smoky jollof rice, redolent with warm aromatics as soon as it hits the table and heaped with thoroughly seasoned, tender grilled meat. Domoda is another Gambian staple served here, a viscous, satisfying peanut stew to sink into with rice.

To sip on, ask for the homemade drinks on offer. If you’re lucky there’ll be baobab juice, blending notes of citrus and vanilla, or wonjo, the Gambian name for the sweet hibiscus drink that’s loved all over West Africa. instagram.com/safnakitchen

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Chishuru, Fitzrovia

When Chishuru made history as the first UK restaurant led by a black woman to be awarded a Michelin star, I certainly was not surprised. Chef Joké Bakare’s deeply personal, creative and singular cooking sets this modern West African restaurant apart. The set menus change at least seasonally, so expect a new surprise with each visit. But the dishes are always defined by an approach that’s inventive, while remaining anchored in traditional flavour profiles.

Highlights from my most recent visit include a rousing, complex and brothy Nigerian pepper soup, laced with spices like herbal uziza, a fluffy mọ̀ínmọ̀ín (steamed spiced black-eyed bean cake) salted with cured trout, and a juicy guineafowl ballotine with a concentrated ẹ̀fọ́ riro (stewed leafy greens). I particularly enjoy how the diversity of West African cuisine is highlighted here, drawing from Nigeria’s distinct regions as well as from other West African countries like Senegal and Cameroon.

The restaurant also champions West African culture through its soulful, calming interiors. For instance, tables are inscribed with Nsibidi symbols, paying homage to the ancient script from southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. chishuru.com

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Kneluchii, Beckenham

When I was growing up in Bromley, it was one of the London boroughs with hardly any West African dining options. That’s gradually changing with a few recent arrivals. One of my favourites is Kneluchii, a smart restaurant and lounge focusing on traditional Nigerian cuisine.

My go-to appetisers include the asun, peppered grilled goat meat full of savoury, allium flavour with an inviting smoky aroma, and the dun dun, hefty blocks of crispy fried yam served with ata din din, a sweet pepper relish. I like to eat òkèlè (starches paired with soups and stews) here, especially pounded yam with either their edikang ikong or banga. The former is a pulpy dark green stew from the Cross River region packed with leafy greens like ugwu (fluted pumpkin leaves), cooked in a belly-warming meat and seafood stock. By contrast, banga, from the Niger Delta region, is an unctuous sauce made from palm fruit that’s nutty and lively with woody, multidimensional spices like anise and aidan. kneluchii.com

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Akara, Borough

Speaking to the intertwined culinary histories of West Africa and Brazil, dishes at Akara are joyfully vibrant. There is, of course, the signature akara, the soft fried black-eyed bean cakes the restaurant is named after, brought to Brazil by enslaved West Africans. These blend the characteristically bouncy Nigerian akara osu with fillings inspired by Brazilian acarajé – such as the tiger prawn, my top pick. You’ll also find suya in the form of a juicy steak served with a nutty and spicy yaji crumb, and a coconut-scented rice dish brimming with bisque-like flavour, from the Efik community of southern Nigeria and western Cameroon. As the menu draws from across West Africa, you’ll also find dishes like lamb fataya, another one of my favourites here. These golden Senegalese patties are served with a glossy onyx-black squid ink yassa sauce.

The spacious and stylish blond wooden interiors brightened by rainbow-hued artworks invite a lively buzz – also facilitated no doubt by the tropical cocktails such as the Akojo, with pineapple and almond. akaralondon.co.uk

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Little Baobab, Southwark

Speaking of Senegalese cuisine, Little Baobab, a restaurant within the Africa Centre, is one of the best spots in the city to try it. I come for hallmark dishes such as a luscious chicken yassa, sweetened with caramelised onion, a creamy and comforting maafe (peanut stew) either with lamb or vegetables, and of course thieboudienne, the ‘OG’ jollof rice served with seabass, chunks of slow-cooked root veg and livened with the tart pinch of tamarind.

You’ll also find a few fun, contemporary fusions, such as a chicken yassa burger. I’m a fan of the fataya pastries here too, especially the fish ones, paired with an addictive tomato and onion based sauce.

There’s a good value dinner menu for just under £50 a head, which gives a solid overview of the restaurant’s offering, so I’d recommend opting for this on your first visit. littlebaobab.co.uk

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Chuku’s, Tottenham

Billed as a ‘Nigerian tapas’ restaurant, the menu at Chuku’s playfully takes inspiration from Nigerian dishes and ingredients, sometimes presenting them in less conventional ways. Take the sticky zobo chicken wings, which I usually order. They use the flavour of a popular Nigerian spiced hibiscus and citrus drink to form a treacly, sweet/savoury glaze.

However Chuku’s is actually a particularly good option for plant-based and gluten-free diners (indeed West African cuisine uses an abundance of plants, legumes and gluten-free grains, tubers and starches). For example, its adalu is a riff on the street food pottage of corn and beans.

Expect to be greeted by an upbeat atmosphere that matches the warm and sunny interiors decorated with cultural memorabilia – especially during evenings and weekends. You can also visit the pop-up at Boxhall Liverpool Street until the start of August 2026. chukuslondon.co.uk

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

19FiftySeven, Southwark

Named after the year of Ghana’s independence, this sleek and cosy spot on Old Kent Road is flying the flag for Ghanaian family favourites. I’d suggest going on a Sunday, when there are additional homely specials on the menu. A must is the groundnut soup. Eyebrow-raisingly delightful, it blends a robust meat stock with a gentle nutty flavour and subtle kick of heat. Pieces of goat meat and chicken are simmered until tender, and it’s served with omo tuo, sticky mashed rice.

Soap and water are brought to the table, a customary dining ritual in West Africa, so I’d encourage you to get stuck in the traditional way – with your hands. Another Ghanaian speciality to try here is waakye, a platter of fragrant rice and black-eyed beans, boiled egg, spaghetti and a rich beef stew made using a spiced reduction of peppers and tomatoes. Sprinkle a bit of gari (granulated cassava) and shito (a chilli and dried crustacean sauce) to add texture and heat.

For something to pick at before the main event, the kelewele is the ultimate sweet/savoury snack, bringing together the caramel, malty sweetness of ultra-ripe plantains and warming spices like cloves, cayenne pepper and Calabash nutmeg. 19fiftyseven.co.uk

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Demi’s, Cricklewood

Demi's has earned a reputation for impressive renditions of well-known Nigerian dishes. Try the nkwobi, an Igbo delicacy of shredded boneless cow’s trotter (eating nose-to-tail is nothing new for us) lathered in a thick umami-full sauce flavoured with red palm oil and seasonings like ugba, a fermented oil bean tree seed with a funky, mushroom-like taste. I’m also often tempted by the ayamase, a sauce made from green peppers that’s generously seasoned with irú – another fermented bean that adds depth. Its bold flavour means the sauce is best enjoyed with rice.

You’ll find other usual suspects too, like jollof rice, or ewa agoyin/aganyin (mashed honey beans with a hot pepper sauce). But you’ll also find slightly less common southeastern Nigerian delicacies like ofe nsala, a pale-coloured piquant catfish broth thickened with puna yam, or oha, made with a local peppery, bitter leaf and cocoyam (a root similar to taro). Demi’s also has a site in Streatham. demisrestaurant.co.uk

Walfathou Kitchen, Islington

A welcoming and convivial family-run neighbourhood restaurant, Walfathou Kitchen serves hearty and attentively cooked Gambian meals, alongside a few fusion dishes, such as a slow-cooked lamb shank blanketed in West African-spiced gravy.

As you’d expect, there are plenty of jollof platters, embellished with various accoutrements from lamb chops to saucy, fleshy prawns. But you’ll also find dishes previously harder to find in London, like the dahen, a Senegambian dish of rice cooked in a buttery, subtly sweet and zesty peanut and tomato-based sauce, or chura gerteh, a sweetened rice and peanut porridge with notes of vanilla and cut with gently sour yogurt.

I’d recommend the chicken wings too, pleasantly smoky and kissed with West African spices for a rounded flavour. wftkitchen.com

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

The Flygerians, Peckham

A beloved casual spot for Nigerian street food flavours, go here for party and household favourites such as gizdodo – a medley of sweet peppers, ripe plantain and savoury diced gizzard that blends sweet and spicy flavours perfectly. Or the agege bread, a brioche-like Lagos bakery classic, here served toasted with garlic butter.

The restaurant is also known for house innovations like the Naija fish and chips, a Nigerian twist on the British classic with cassava fries and a fiery hot sauce. Their beef suya is some of my favourite in London, tender with a little more ginger in the yaji seasoning. You can also find its distinctively comforting and energetic cooking at the House of MOBO in Norwood. theflygerians.com

Credit: Toyo Odetunde

Shwen Shwen, Sevenoaks

Though it is outside London (in Sevenoaks), my recommendations would feel incomplete without mentioning Shwen Shwen by chef Maria Bradford – a joyous ode to Sierra Leonean flavours. If I had to pick one dish to recommend (quite difficult), the fork-tender beef short rib in a velvety coconut and groundnut sauce is a certified crowd pleaser. shwenshwen.com

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