Restaurants in Dakar
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A
Café de Rome
You want to mingle with Dakar's jet set? This is the place. So pretentious it borders on hilarious.
reviewed
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B
Casino Terrou-Bi
Right on the sea, this chic garden restaurant serves highly recommended French cuisine. It's a favourite with Dakar's monied classes, and the perfect place to sip cocktails near the pool before blowing the holiday budget in the adjacent casino.
reviewed
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C
Jardin Thaïlandais
There's no better Thai, perhaps no better Asian food altogether, in the whole of Senegal than that served at this pretty place in Point E. Prices are a bit steep, but every bite is worth it.
reviewed
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D
Saveur d'Asie
Hugely popular, this takeaway restaurant makes an enticing promise of serving Senegalese-Asian cuisine. It sells almost the complete works of Youssou N'Dour in its adjacent boutique.
reviewed
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E
Café Restaurant de l'Institut
In the cool shade of the Institut Français' mighty fromager tree, this oasis of calm has an excellent range of simple meals, delicious desserts and great coffee.
reviewed
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F
Sabura
This Bissau-Guinean restaurant serves excellent Cape Verdean, Portuguese and Creole cuisine. If you want to eat a royally prepared catchoupa - Cap Verde's porky answer to paella - this is your place. The large number of Cap Verdean and Guinean regulars is the best quality indicator.
reviewed
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G
Chez Loutcha
Ignore the air-conditioned front room and head out back to the fan-conditioned garden, where the fountains embellish an aquatic theme. The Cape Verdean and 'Euro-Africaine' cuisine is excellent and comes in enormous portions, and there's often a griot playing the kora here as well.
reviewed
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H
Metissacana
This is a haven of peace in the inner city - a leafy patio where you can enjoy a coffee and simple meals. And best of all - you can browse through the original creations by internationally acclaimed fashion designer Oumou Sy and her students in the adjacent boutique.
reviewed
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I
La Palmeraie
This place is usually buzzing - but that's got to be due to the central location. It can't be the food, which is ordinary, nor the setting, which is gloomy. The service? Disgruntled. Still, for a quick bite in the centre of town it's a reasonable option.
reviewed
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J
Keur N'Deye
Highly recommended, this place offers well-prepared Senegalese specialities and a good range of vegetarian dishes. Most nights there will be a griot playing the kora, and this is a great place to watch a performance at close quarters.
reviewed
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K
Caesar's
Sometimes only fried chicken wings, burgers and fries will do, and for those moments Caesar's is your place. Come here regularly and you'll gain precious insights into the complexities of teenage love life.
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Lagon I
In this expensive restaurant the nautical theme is consistently pursued, from cruise-ship décor and cabin-style toilets to the terrace suspended on stilts in the ocean and scrumptious platters of seafood.
reviewed
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M
La Royaltine
Guarded by a uniformed porter and drenched in soft, golden lighting, Dakar's most polished patisserie oozes class. Affluent Dakarois swagger in here for tasty cakes, desserts and chocolates.
reviewed
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N
Ali Baba Snack Bar
Dakar's classic fast-food haunt keeps turning thanks to the undying love of the Senegalese. Serves the whole fast-food range: kebabs, shwarmas and other quick snacks.
reviewed
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O
Pâtisserie Médina
Every night out ends here at 05:00, with coffee and croissants. With some luck, you'll even see some of Senegal's biggest music and football stars huddled around cups of hot chocolate.
reviewed
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P
Le Toukouleur
It's all about tasteful African chic in this mud-red painted, patio-adorned restaurant de classe. The food fits its environment, too; a refined mix of international flavours.
reviewed
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Q
Restaurant du Centre
Extremely packed during lunchtime, this is a favourite with Dakar's downtown workers. Huge portions of local and European food are served with a slice of real Dakar life.
reviewed
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R
Ozio
This ubertrendy restaurant has been a favourite of the glitterati for years. The food is great and is served with the ego-tickling sense of belonging to the in-crowd.
reviewed
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S
Le Niwa
Right above the Île de Gorée ferry departure hall, this usually crowded place is the obvious 'waiting lounge' if you've missed your boat. Its seafood is recommended.
reviewed
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T
Les Grilladins
This is a good address for pizzas and crêpes. Food here isn't fancy but it's reliable, and even served relatively speedily. Les Grilladins also does home delivery.
reviewed
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U
Restaurant VSD
There's not much jazz at this intimate place any more, but the West African and international dishes are still good value. Home delivery is also available.
reviewed
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V
Adonis
Masses of students, workers and travellers pass through this spacious, though invariably packed fast-food place. Why? The shwarmas are excellent.
reviewed
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W
Mini Resto Maquis
This Cameroonian place serves the best atièke (similar to couscous) with grilled fish in town. Waiting times can be painfully long, though.
reviewed
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X
Le Seoul
The leafy courtyard setting is a welcome respite from the inner-city streets, and the Korean food is carefully prepared and subtly spiced.
reviewed
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Y
Point d'Interrogation
This small eatery sells filling and seriously scrumptious Senegalese dishes for reasonable prices. Its thiebouthienne is divine.
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