Best Restaurants In Nigeria: Restaurants in Nigeria are becoming more popular as tourism increases. With the prevalence of social media, Nigerians have been posting pictures of themselves at restaurants on their various pages or accounts. There are so many options to choose from, but we’ve made our list of the best Nigerian restaurants that you should try.
Restaurants in Nigeria Nigeria is a rich country in terms of culinary tradition, with a taste for food that is heavily determined by the country’s multicultural population.
Rapid urbanization and modernization are changing Nigerian cuisine every day and making it more trendy with new innovations. Nigeria’s restaurants continue to evolve, challenging international chefs to keep up with their ever-changing tastes.
The country’s cuisine has been influenced by the cultures of the different people who have settled in Nigeria; for example, Yoruba cuisine has had more of an effect on Nigerian food than that of Hausa and Igbo cuisines. The food from Nigeria’s middle belt is very different from that of the northern or southern parts of the country, although there are strong similarities.
Because capsicum peppers, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, and all spices are commonly used in Nigerian foods, Nigerian dishes are frequently cooked with spicy flavors.
The two most popular Nigerian dishes are jollof rice and a pepper-based stew known as “Peppered Goat.”
To determine the best Nigerian restaurants, we compiled a list of qualities that most Nigerians (and foodies) agree make for a fantastic restaurant. We then took it one step further and broke the list down into categories to find out which were the most important.
Qualities Of Good Restaurants
1. Exceptional Food
The restaurant needs to have an excellent chef who knows what they’re doing and produces amazing, flavorful meals on a consistent basis. One or two amazing dishes is not enough—the food must be consistently good all around and not just one or two incredible dishes.
2. Good Service
A customer should never feel intimidated by their waiter or waitress at any type of restaurant in Nigeria. That’s why the staff, in general, must all be welcoming and friendly.
3. The Restaurant Itself Needs to look Good
It should inspire confidence in the customer both with its decor and cleanliness. This is definitely a big one for most Nigerian restaurateurs, who spend a lot of time concentrating on whether or not customers will think their restaurant looks nice. This is a big factor in encouraging people to visit the place again and again, so it’s likely worth the effort.
4. Not Too Noisy
Restaurants are supposed to be places where you can enjoy your food with friends or family without feeling like everyone is shouting at each other just to hear themselves over the din of table conversations and background music. This can really be a problem at busy lunch spots and sometimes even in less-busy restaurants.
5. Good Value
The restaurant should not need to offer discounts or fancy food platters just to have customers come by, especially if it’s selling the normal fare. A good Nigerian restaurant should be able to consistently provide enjoyable, high-quality food at reasonable prices and should not rely on advertisements about special deals to attract customers.
Best Restaurants In Nigeria
Here’s our list of the top places to visit in Nigeria for one heck of an authentic Nigerian dining experience:
1. Jumia House (Ghana Street)
Offers Ghanaian cuisine from all over the country, such as fufu soup and fried plantains with eggs.Prices for a full-course meal range from about $2–3 to $12. The crowd is mostly locals of both genders.
2. Ajegunle (Ibadan)
You’ll have to travel to the beautiful city of Ibadan to enjoy authentic Nigerian cuisine at this sweet joint, but it’s well worth the trip! The roti is absolutely delicious. Prices range from about $5 to $12. Menus can be found online on their website. A recommended tip: If you want to experience true African hospitality and get an authentic Nigerian dining experience, try ordering traditional food that is not on the menu.
3. Ginger (Surulere)
This is a Nigerian-Chinese fusion restaurant located in Surulere. They serve authentic Nigerian dishes such as egusi soup but also American cuisine like chicken and waffles, sesame beef, and crispy honey beef. The servings are a bit small for the price, but the food is delicious! Prices range from about $5 to $11.
4.Tasty Fufu (Mushin)
Eating fufu has never been so delicious as with this new restaurant that opened in the Mushin area of Lagos. Tasty Fufu serves awesome fufu and omelettes. Prices range from about $11 to $20.
5.The Chocolate Room (Ilorin)
For chocolate lovers who want to explore the best chocolate in Nigeria, you need to make a trip to this restaurant. It’s located in Ilorin and has a great ambiance with an amazing menu. Their dark chocolates are incredible! Prices range from about $2 to $13.
6. Jumia Juju (Lagos)
This is a Nigerian fast food chain that has some wonderful food that’s affordable. They have affordable roti, chicken, and rice dishes served by the bucket. Prices range from about $2 to $12.
7. The Front Yard (Ibadan)
It’s located in Ibadan and specializes in Nigerian cuisine with a colonial vibe. Prices range from about $3 to $5. The restaurant is quite popular with students.
8. Seyi Baba (Lagos)
This is an authentic Nigerian fast-food chain that specializes in oro and eba. Try their pepper soup! Prices range from about $2 to $7. The restaurant is popular among university students for its affordable menu items.
Reasons Why You Should Dine at Nigeria’s Best Restaurants
Here are reasons why you should visit the best restaurants in Nigeria:
- They serve high-quality food.
- You get to spend a lot of money.
- It will change your life forever.
- Restaurants in Nigeria are so abundant that you can never be bored there.
- The food is amazing, really, really amazing!
- The best restaurants in Nigeria are more affordable than other places around the world; compare prices with those in other countries, and their costs will seem outrageous compared to what these places offer for your money and time.
- You get to taste dishes from many different countries; aside from their local dishes, you’ll find so much diversity in some restaurants here.
- The ambience is simply beautiful; the interior design and decor are worth more than the money you spend on your plates.
- The waiters are polite and never forget to remind you how much your bills are before you pay them.
- Wait, sorry! there’s more! These restaurants have good security measures in place for your safety, especially in crowded places like Lekki Phase 1, where they are located.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in trying food from a different culture, then you should go for the Nigerian plate. It is more than just something new to try and is most certainly worth the change. If you are looking for something that would break your bank, then there are plenty of other options at Nigeria’s top restaurants. But if you want a restaurant with a familiar taste but with an African twist, check out Dantata!
Dantata Restaurant offers delicious meals and great value for its customers, who enjoy their dishes as well as their cool café atmosphere. They also have an extensive menu of snacks and drinks that will please even the pickiest eater or one who needs that little something extra to drink before bedtime.
The café has an airy and spacious look, with plenty of seating and a lovely atmosphere. The food looks scrumptious! So head down to the restaurant right now to try their dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nigeria have restaurants?
With the growing number of restaurants appearing in Nigeria, the country now boasts some of the most amazing restaurants in Africa. Restaurants in Nigeria have fine dining options for all tastes and budgets.
What is a typical meal in Nigeria?
From Jollof rice and pounded yams, to pepper soup and beef stew, here are the classic Nigerian dishes every aspiring home chef needs to try.
References
- https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-lagos-nigeria
- https://www.myguidenigeria.com/restaurants
- https://www.tasteatlas.com/nigeria/restaurants
- https://www.travelstart.com.ng/blog/25-most-amazing-restaurants-in-nigeria/
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