Chigwell, West African Restaurant Guide

“Billed as the first Nigerian tapas restaurant in London – this small but buzzy venue” in Seven Sisters “provides a modern spin on traditional Nigerian cuisine”. The “friendly” siblings behind the project, Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick (motto ‘chop, chat, chill’), attracted headlines in early 2023 when they were selected for an £8,000 grant by the BeyGood Foundation during the London leg of Beyoncé’s world tour.

Ayo Adeyemi is now at the stoves of Aji Akokomi’s groundbreaking Fitzrovia West African, after the departure of Theo Clench in March 2022. Clench held a Michelin star at his previous gig (Bonham’s) and was instantly awarded one at his new home (Cycene) so it’s slightly puzzling why one was withheld from him here? Perhaps Ayo will eventually succeed where Theo did not? The intriguing cooking uses West African ingredients and spicing as inspiration for an ‘haute’ take on these cuisines, and though feedback was limited this year it seems to continue at the same “brilliant, creative and delicious” level set by his predecessor. Add in the vibey interior using a palette inspired by African village culture, and the establishment has helped move the goalposts of what can be expected in terms of sophistication for an African-inspired venture in London. BREAKING NEWS. In September 2023, Aji announced a spin-off venture in Borough Yards called Akara – also West African but in a cheaper, more accessible format.

Adejoké ‘Joké’ Bakare moved in September 2023 to this new, 50-cover Fitzrovia location, having closed the SW9 site where she won the Brixton Kitchen competition in 2019 for her original supper club, offering the dishes of her Nigerian childhood but ‘given a London sensibility’. Open-fire cooking will be a feature as well as an extended pastry selection. It has been very highly PR’d though, so let’s hope it lives up to all the coverage – even in the former location there was the odd review along the lines of: “nice people, but disappointing after the hype”.