Cotonou
Considered by some connoisseurs to be one of the most refined restaurants in town, with excellent French and fusion cuisine, and an ambience that's as…
Must-see restaurants in West Africa
Brazzaville
Hands down Brazza's best restaurant, the 'Mermaid' has the best and breeziest river terrace in town, and attracts a wealthy crowd of locals and expats…
Yaoundé
This stylish Vietnamese restaurant has a charming shaded terrace and a smart dining room inside, both of which attract a loyal crowd of Yaoundé expats…
Republic of Congo
This excellent Pointe-Noire institution in the heart of downtown has a large and high-quality menu. Choices run from excellent salads and pasta dishes to…
Cotonou
This small French restaurant, in a pretty residential area next to the US embassy, is a perennial favourite that churns out excellent French and local…
Lomé
One of Lomé's finest tables, La Belle Époque – all crisp white tablecloths and dimmed lighting – serves a refined, French-inspired cuisine. You can enjoy…
Lagos
Subtly flavoured Indian food served in a refined atmosphere in lovely metal dishes. There's a picture window onto the traditional clay oven, where fresh…
Cotonou
This is a super atmospheric Beninese maquis (rustic open-air restaurant) with little more than a few wooden benches and tables under a corrugated iron…
Abidjan
Tucked away in Blokosso (opposite the cemetery), this enchanting local spot offers good kedjenou (slowly simmered chicken or fish with peppers and…
Abidjan
In an elegant setting that overlooks the lagoon, Le Mechoui serves fantastic Lebanese food. All the ingredients are fresh, the taste is top-notch, and the…
Ouagadougou
This upmarket maquis (rustic, open-air restaurant) is the place to enjoy Burkinabé and Ivoirian staples such as poulet kedjenou (slow-cooked chicken with…
Togo
An attractive place with a straw roof, wicker light shades and blackboard menus, Centre Grill serves divine Togolese food and good Western dishes. Try its…
Ouagadougou
If you want to give your taste buds a sensuous treat, go for this Ethiopian choice – the excellent alicha doro (turmeric chicken) is served with the…
Burkina Faso
Run by the same jovial Franco-Burkinabé family as Le Calypso hotel, this popular restaurant is a wonderful place for tasty, slow-cooked fish, marinated…
Nouakchott
Easily the restaurant with the best atmosphere in the city, La Tissayade is located in the shady front courtyard of Maison d'Hôtes Jeloua. Daily specials…
Burkina Faso
This villa-style eatery, with its African decor and riot of fairy lights, serves French fare with an African twist. House faves include frogs' legs and a…
Abidjan
Take Côte d'Ivoire's best maquis dishes, ask top chefs to prepare them and add fine, innovative touches – that's Aboussouan. Foodie heaven, and there's an…
Ouagadougou
A favourite haunt of expats, the ultracentral Le Verdoyant is famous for its pasta, wood-fired pizzas and ice creams. Note that the mosquitoes are…
Cameroon
Something of a N'Gaoundéré institution, this place has live music nightly and cold draught beer from the thatched bar. The Lebanese and pasta dishes are…
Accra
Beef lovers will feel at home in this elegant steakhouse and seafood grill on the ground floor of West Africa’s tallest building. Imported from South…
Accra
Waakye (a mix of beans and rice served with spaghetti, meat or fish stew, boiled eggs and lots of hot shito pepper sauce) is Ghana’s most popular street…
Accra
Gourmet burgers have come to Accra in this hip, industrial restaurant, which doubles as a trendy cocktail bar in the evenings, and a family-friendly…
Dakar
A block west of Pl de l'Indépendance, this inviting, colourful eatery is the whispered insider-tip for anyone in search of a filling platter of…
Santo Antão
Along the road in the tiny settlement of Chã João Vaz is O Curral, known to locals as Alfred's, a straw-roofed restaurant, farm shop and grogue distillery…
Accra
There's stiff competition these days, but La Chaumière remains one of Accra's best and fanciest restaurants. It excels in old-school elegance, with soft…
Ghana
You won't see many locals in here, but as far as expat havens go, this is a good one. A wood-burning pizza oven produces excellent pizzas and the menu…
Boa Vista
An elegant spot that specialises in hot stone cooking – flavourful meat, fish or vegetables grilled up at your tableside. Large grilled prawns, grouper…
Mindelo
Near the waterfront, Nautilus has an open-air courtyard with a sizzling grill where you can get tasty plates of char-grilled tuna, grouper, octopus,…
Serekunda & Atlantic Coast Resorts
Mama's is a long-running institution in Fajara, with a huge menu of satisfying comfort food: brochettes, grilled fish, schnitzel, spaghetti, salads and…
Serekunda & Atlantic Coast Resorts
This hidden oasis tucked one block south of the Atlantic Blvd is best known for its delectably prepared grilled meats (grilled T-bone, barbecue ribs),…
Sierra Leone
Mamba Point is one of Freetown's most popular (and expensive) restaurants. Come for dinner in the chic dining room, or just to sink a few cocktails and…
Serekunda & Atlantic Coast Resorts
One of the best eateries in the Senegambia area, El Sol spreads a Latin feast, with enchiladas, quesadillas and fajitas, plus a first-rate grilled red…
Dakar
In the cool shade of the garden of the Institut Français Léopold Sédar Senghor, this colourful arts cafe is perfect for a break from the city. The varied…
São Tomé
Enjoying the best location in the city, the Pirate is little more than a deck perched on a crashing sea wall, facing a rusting shipwreck barely 100m…
Boa Vista
On Sal Rei's main square, this matchbox-sized restaurant with checked tablecloths and graffiti-covered walls serves some of the island's best seafood…
Cabo Verde
Follow the scent of fresh barbecue and the wafts of smoke pluming overhead at this famous, open-sided grill-house in Achada de Santo António. It's a very…
Dakar
A charming little eatery with tables overlooking the crashing waves, Estendera has a small, well-executed menu of seafood, grilled meats and Italian…
Santo Antão
This charming open-air rooftop eatery with mountain views serves up some of the island's best cooking, with delicious, locally sourced ingredients…
Rio Muni
This is one of two beach resorts in Utonde and was about to open at the time of our visit. It's very stylish, with thatched umbrellas set around a large…
Dakar
Squeezed between grey inner-city walls, this little oasis serves the best Lebanese meze in town, plus quality grilled meat and fish. You'll also find…
