Must-see restaurants in West Africa
Accra
This Mexican restaurant opened its doors in late 2016 and occupies the backyard of the Duplex club. A small, elegant dining area can be found inside or…
Accra
A busy fast-food joint with an extensive menu of burgers, fried chicken, kebabs and other unhealthy delights.
Mauritania
From the thick menus, smoky interior, heavy decor and equally weighty Spanish tortillas, Nomada is traditionally Iberian throughout. Service is friendly …
São Tomé
Located in two colourful waterfront shacks on a swampy peninsula, this is an excellent stop for creative seafood, above and beyond the normal plates of…
Benin
Highly original is this appealing eatery set in a tata somba house with superb views of Nati and the Atakora Mountains. Book ahead for the house…
Libreville
Take a taxi to this Libreville institution (all cab drivers know the place). It isn't particularly atmospheric but Marie herself is a character. Her…
Cameroon
With hands down the best location in town, overlooking the dramatic coastline and Park Hotel Miramar, this place offers a fairly standard selection of…
Brazzaville
The menu at this popular restaurant is something of a formality – nearly everyone comes for the speciality, poulet satanique, juicy cuts of barbecued…
Malabo
English-speaking Nina owns this large, brightly lit restaurant with the obligatory red Chinese lanterns. There's a wide Cantonese menu: you can dine…
Brazzaville
About as French as you can get, including a strutting chef who regularly inspects the tables to ensure everyone is appreciating the food as fully as…
Republic of Congo
Generally considered the best restaurant in Ouesso, this charming place near the police station is in a side street off the main road. There's a brightly…
Togo
The downstairs maquis (an informal, street-side eatery) with its enormous grill and informal atmosphere does a brisk trade with the town's moto-taxis…
Cameroon
Atmospheric and upmarket, the Saga offers an interesting mix of African dishes with some local classics, such as ndole (a dish made with bitter leaves…
Gabon
This is a cavernous place with a large terrace at the front, overlooking the busy Vieux Port (Old Port). And it's an old favourite, serving reasonable…
Cabo Verde
This seafront spot with a large pink and rather dated interior is where locals come for a good meal paired with eager service. The extensive menu features…
Mauritania
This place is as down-at-heel as it gets, serving up great quantities of rice, fish and Senegalese mafé. It's always busy, and the food piping hot and…
Lomé
This little eatery with a pavement terrace is a great spot to catch local vibes and nosh on unpretentious yet tasty African staples. The braised fish of…
Conakry
Le Damier started over a quarter of a century ago as a simple, French-style patisserie and today still sells by far the most authentically French breads,…
Malabo
There's relaxed outdoor eating in the garden of the French Cultural Centre which is very popular with expats. Lunch options of pastas, sandwiches and…
Benin
Fish lovers, you'll find nirvana here: Côté Pêche has a wide assortment of fish delivered daily from the harbour, including barracuda and grouper. The…
Cameroon
An easy-to-miss upstairs restaurant (near the market on the road to the Catholic mission) with blue-green walls, a mosaic tiled floor, plastic flowers on…
Restaurant-Pâtisserie Pleine Lune
Mauritania
Speedy service, decent cappuccinos and a good selection of pastries, make this place a popular, albeit poorly lit, spot for business meetings. At any…
Benin
This colourful, friendly spot serves a mix of sandwiches and pizzas, fresh salads and attiéké (a dish from Côte d'Ivoire made with cassava, beans, fish,…
Lomé
It's a bit out of the centre of the action, but this great garden bar-restaurant with a French owner has an original decor, with colourful lanterns and…
Rio Muni
This is a great place for spit roast chicken that you can eat on the terrace overlooking the wide avenida. Try a bowl of eye-wateringly hot pepe soup for…
Brazzaville
Serves some of Brazzaville's best espresso and has an impressive array of freshly baked croissants and pastries, which means it's very busy around…
Benin
No one seems to remember a time before Java Promo. Hidden behind the aquamarine shutters of a crumbling colonial building and shielded from the sun by a…
Malabo
'Food like mama makes' is what the name means, and she'd be proud of the pizzas. Pastas and salads are also on offer. There are two levels in the cool…
Malabo
This huge place spreads over several floors, including a lounge with sports screen and a terrace with shisha. There's a wide Lebanese menu with dishes…
Lomé
A nirvana for carnivores, this cheery restaurant in the market area is lauded for its top-quality meat dishes, including a sensational côte porc grillée …
Cameroon
You'll find this cluster of open-air grills with attached seating where the fishing boats haul up on Limbe's main beach. Soak up your beer with something…
CTT Restaurant & Handicrafts Cooperative
Cameroon
The food here is a standard blend of Cameroonian and Western fare. The real drawcard is the surrounds, specifically a workshop of regional handicrafts, a…
Conakry
The city's best-known French restaurant is very popular with expats and has a lovely calming garden setting and plenty of space, but the food is only so…
Burkina Faso
L'Eau Vive offers imaginative French cooking and a varied menu. Try the fresh mango juice – it's absolutely delightful. It's the sister venue of the…
Republic of Congo
Excellent barbecued fish and Congolese cuisine makes Restaurant Gaspard a must-visit in Pointe-Noire. Arrive here in good time, as it's fiercely popular…
Cameroon
Bamenda's Dreamland doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's a well-set-out establishment with a large menu. There's a daily lunchtime…
Mauritania
Moroccan owned (despite the name), this is a good-value spot for chicken and shwarma served up with fries and a small salad. If you can stand the sun, a…
Cabo Verde
Right on the plaza, in a white modern structure with covered alfresco seating, this easygoing spot is a great place to grab a bite and see the action. The…
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