At a Glance
| Restaurant | Award | Neighbourhood | Price (tasting) | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ikoyi[1] | ⭐⭐ Michelin | Strand / Temple | £380 · £170 (short) | Avant-garde, high-ceremony |
| Akoko[2] | ⭐ Michelin | Fitzrovia | £130 dinner · £65 lunch | Contemporary, charcoal-forward |
| Chishuru[3] | ⭐ Michelin | Fitzrovia | £95 dinner · £45 lunch | Relaxed, neighbourhood warmth |
| Akara[4] | Bib Gourmand 2026 | Borough Yards / Southwark | À la carte ~£20/plate | Casual, brick-arch setting |
The Restaurants
Ikoyi
Founded 2017 by chef Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale; two stars since 2022; relocated to 180 Strand in 2023.[1] In April 2026, Food & Wine named Ikoyi Best Global Restaurant in its Tastemakers Awards.[8] Time Out called it "an otherworldly experience… the flavours (phenomenal), the cost (astronomical)."[9] The 14-course menu layers sub-Saharan and Asian spices over sustainably sourced British produce — a cuisine that "resists easy categorisation."[18]
Booking: Tables drop on the 1st of each month at 12:00 GMT, up to 2 months ahead. Email reservations@ikoyilondon.com for waitlist.[10] Dinner Mon–Fri; lunch Wed–Fri. Private area seats up to 6.
Akoko
Founded by Aji Akokomi; "Akoko" means "first" in Yoruba.[17] Ten courses cooked over charcoal, drawing on Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal: ox tongue suya with bone marrow, waina fermented rice cake with chicken liver and yassa, monkfish with ayamase green pepper sauce.[15] Star awarded in the 2024 MICHELIN round.[2]
Hours: Lunch Thu–Sat; dinner Mon–Sat. ⚠ Closed Sundays.[11]
⚠ Kitchen cannot accommodate tomatoes, alliums, ginger, or coconut milk — declare at booking.
Chishuru
Chef Joké Bakare is the first Black woman to earn a Michelin star in the UK — the second in the world.[16] "Chishuru" is Hausa for "the silence that descends on the table when the food arrives."[12] Signature dishes: guinea fowl yassa, sinasir fermented rice cake, moi moi bean pudding, ekoki corn cake.[14] Star (2024) + National Restaurant Awards Chef of the Year 2024. Deliberately un-stuffy: "we play music and some of our customers get loud — that's who we are."[14]
Hours: Mon–Fri 12:00–1:45pm & 5:30–9:30pm. ⚠ Closed weekends.[12]
Akara
Sister venue of Akoko (same founder, Aji Akokomi), set under Victorian railway arches. The menu centres on akara — a black-eyed pea fritter tracing its journey from Nigeria to Brazil — alongside lamb dibi and efik rice.[4] Bib Gourmand awarded in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide round.[6] Mains mostly ~£20; the most casual and accessible entry point in this guide.[7]
Hours: Mon 5–11pm; Tue–Sat 12–11pm; Sun 12–10:30pm.[13]
- Ikoyi — Calendar alert for 1st of month, 12:00 GMT. Max 2 months out. Private room (up to 6) bookable by email.[10]
- Akoko — SevenRooms via akoko.co.uk; lunch Thu–Sat only, dinner Mon–Sat.[11]
- Chishuru — Reservations via chishuru.com; Mon–Fri only, closes weekends.[12]
- Akara — SevenRooms / walk-in; open all week including weekends.[13]
Context: the West African wave
Until 2019, London had no Michelin-starred African restaurants of any kind. Ikoyi's first star (while still at St James's Market) broke the drought; the 2024 awards round then added both Akoko and Chishuru in a single announcement — a signal that West African fine dining had moved from novelty to category.[16] By 2026 the cohort stands at one 2-star, two 1-stars, and one Bib Gourmand — all West African, all in London.[5] Ikoyi's April 2026 naming as best restaurant in the world by Food & Wine cements the scene's global standing.[8]