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Great Restaurants To Eat In When visiting Lagos

Restaurants in Lagos

Sampling restaurant food is usually at top of my list of things to do when visiting other countries and Lagos is no different. Looking through the images on this blog, I think I did a pretty good job. Hahahaha! Consequently, at the end of my stay, when I looked at my belly, I was glad I did a 5 week detox prior to travelling.

What do we look for when we eat out? Delicious food, great service, nice ambiance and easy access. To encapsulate, a pleasant experience. 

I did a Lagos restaurant review in 2019 because I was impressed by the joints I visited. What 2021 had to offer did not disappoint. Enjoy the read and leave a comment below.

Danfo Bistro

 

Danfo Bistro is a restaurant favoured by locals and expatriates. Located in leafy Ikoyi, Danfo Bistro is a quirky African arty looking restaurant. The restaurant serves delicious creatively plated local dishes. Over the years, it’s been quite nice to see a new wave of Nigerian restaurants serving local dishes in a way that can appeal to foreigners. Gone are the days when you get beans slapped on a plate. Lol. That said, there are probably many joints still serving food that way. They will (justifiably) always exist because, not everyone can afford the price tags that come with creativity.

I wished I’d gotten a chance to visit this restaurant again because I really liked the food and wanted to sample their signature Ewa Aganyin dish. I couldn’t sample the Ewa because I was travelling by train to Ibadan the next day and didn’t want to risk complications that can arise from eating beans on the journey.

 

Visit Danfo bistro, you’ll be spoilt for choice! 

Danfo Bistro  – 2 Alexander Road, Ikoyi Lagos.

Izanagi Restaurant

 

Izanagi is a delight!  Okay, one man’s delight can be another man’s horror, so this is as per my experience. In spite of this fact, thanks to my hubby, I do know a thing or two about good food. At over 50, I’m more for creating memorable experiences than ever and that includes food experiences.

 

 

I must say, Japanese food in Lagos isn’t something I would normally choose to eat. In fact, I don’t recall ever visiting a Japanese restaurant in any other country. Prior to visiting Izanagi, I kind of ignorantly thought that Sushi was all Japan had to offer food wise. Izanagi was highly recommended by a friend who had been there when she visited lagos two weeks before my visit. For this reason, it was at the top of my list.

Izanagi has a very nice ambiance and the food was absolutely delicious! I like my food cooked so I had Maki instead is Sushi. Every single dish we ordered was delicious and well cooked. A lot of Nigerian restaurants offer good food, but often let themselves down with sluggish slow service. This was not the case at Izanagi. The service was exceptional. I hope it’s like that all the time.

 

Izanagi, – 19b Idejo Street VI Lagos.

Eric Kayser

 

 

On Sunday morning’s in London, we usually have an “oven up” prepared by hubby. Bacon, sausages, eggs, beans and crusty bread. This is something I look forward to all week, so it was kinda nice to visit Eric Kayser VI on a Sunday. We arrived to find the place jammed packed with locals and foreign residents and had to wait 10 mins for a table. The young lady who helped with our table was very good. She secured another table for us after a Lebanese family “jumped” the table initially reserved for us African jungle style. What can I say other than, when you live in Lagos a bit of aggression helps sometimes. 

Eric Kasyer is a talented French Artisan baker and food writer. He opened his first Paris bakery in Paris 1996. There are over 200 Mason Kayser locations worldwide. Mason Kayser Lagos brings French artisan baking to Lagos. Their wide range of breads and pastries is very impressive. This makes it very hard to choose. On my first visit, I bought some ice cream. Possibly the best ice cream in Lagos.

 

Artisan Bakery lovers delight…

On this occasion, I had English breakfast with a side of pancakes and a cappuccino. You have the choice of having your eggs made the way you like it. What impressed me was the quantity, not too much. How do the French, known for their pastries remain skinny? The answer lies in their portion sizes. As I’ve said over and over again, we don’t have to deprive ourselves of food if our portions don’t bust the scale.

I was surprised to hear that Eric Kayser Lagos opened in 2018. It looked like an establishment that had just opened. On our way out, my twin and I got talking to a customer sitting by the door who mentioned that establishments owned by foreigners in Nigeria tend to maintain standards and have more staying power.

A visit to Lagos is incomplete without popping into Eric Kayser. Breakfast, lunch and dinner served.

Eric Kayser – 864a Bishop Aboyade Cole Street, VI Lagos

Godaïf Village

 

To show beauty of the restaurant

Godaïf Village is a great place to hang out. Well decorated with a swimming pool and children’s play area for those with little kids. Valet parking is available for your luxury car. Because I was impressed by the ambiance when I visited in May 2021, I returned in November. This time around, we sat by the pool side. Sitting outdoors in tropical countries can be a challenge because of insects and flies. The giants fans by each table kept us cool.

As per the food, it didn’t blow me away. Admittedly, the grilled fish was nice. However, tasty grilled fish can be bought in most Lagos restaurants, so no extra points for that. The chicken Caesar salad was no great shakes. I don’t know what it is with salads in Nigeria, I see a lot of salads made with iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce does not have great nutritional value. It contains about 95% water and little gut healthy fibre.  

On my visit in May last year, the pancakes (see image) I had were very tasty. I would go back for those. My sister ordered the amazing looking prawn salad also seen here. It looked and tasted really nice but she had the runs the next day.  

The service was average and the staff need to smile more. Unfriendly staff is a problem with the food service industry in Lagos.

Godaïf Village  Casa Asamarina, 26b Turnbull road, Ikoyi Lagos

 

Yummy Pancakes at Godaïf Village Lagos.

Samantha’s Bistro

 

Samantha’s is a small retro looking bistro owned by Chef Dumebi . This quaint cafe offers fresh simple hearty French, Italian and Nigerian meals made with fresh local produce. Samantha’s kind of reminds me of a tucked away little French cafe. It wasn’t easy to find because it’s located in a little enclave on Olawale Daodu. The food was just as described, fresh, simple and tasty!

There’s a lot of variety on their menu, you’ll be spoilt for choice. I recommend trying their signature Oxtail dish. My sister friend who had it said it was delicious. The only thing I didn’t enjoy were the insect bites I sustained under the table. This wouldn’t have been a problem if I’d remembered to use insect repellent.

 


Samantha’s Bistro 2, Olawale Daodu st, Ikoyi Lagos

OX Restaurant

 

If you’re looking for a wow experience, then OX is your joint. The videos I’ve posted give you a clear idea of what this place is like so I’m not going to write much. If you’re into music then don’t miss this place!!!! The DJ was very good on the night and I hear that’s how it always is. The decor is up there by all standards.

Food wise there’s plenty to choose from. The menu is a mix of Nigerian, Italian, Spanish and American dishes. As a rule, I wouldn’t normally order burger in Lagos, but decided to follow the friend I went with and order burger on a whim. Boy did I not regret it! It was delicious. Anything with a bit of “ata” gives a dish zing. The burger had that “just right” peppery zing to it.

To conclude, this is your joint for a classy night experience. 

 

OX Restaurant and Lounge – 31 Kofo Abayomi Street, VI Lagosox

 

 Cilantro

 

 

Cilantro is an Indian restaurant that serves delicious food. Trust me when I say delicious food because I’m not an Indian food lover. My video gives you an idea of how nice the place looks. The staff were friendly. Woo Hoo! The waiters were great helping us take pictures and orders. 

My super class of 85 secondary school Champions always do a great job of hosting us alumni members when we’re in town and this was no different. Cilantro was a great choice. I tasted some of the food the ladies ordered and I was blown away by how tasty the dishes were. Check out my video for the review of my dish.

I’m going to give Cilantro a 9/10. I didn’t give this joint a perfect 10 because the Greek salad was made with iceberg lettuce. Argh! 

Cilantro – 7 Musa Yaradua St, VI Lagos

Check out the palm tree in the restaurant passing through the roof.

343 Degrees North

 

Image rights, FoodieInLagos

Unfortunately,  I couldn’t really sample the menu at 3 Degrees North because I went there straight from Cilantro and was stuffed. I had packed as much as I could on my last day in Lagos. This included a trip to visit my MIL, watching a movie in the cinema, dinner with my secondary school classmates and our usual “night before flying back” family dinner.

343 Degrees North is popular Indian Restaurant lounge with rooftop terrace. Their menu consists of a variety dishes from their three kitchens – the Indian Haute Kitchen, the Tandoor Grill and the Indo-Chinese Fare.

What I can say about 343 Degrees North is that it came recommended and it was packed full of diners enjoying the authentic flavours and textures of India. I tasted some of my twin sister’s succulent prawns (see image) and it was nice.  The only thing I ordered was the chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream. It came impressively sizzling and tasted nice and gooey.

 

 

343 Degrees North (check out their Instagram page) offers a private dinning experience for parties, events and groups. Their rooftop terrace is great for brunch, lunch or dinner.

343 Degrees North – 237 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island Lagos

Look out for my next blog post featuring more places to visit in Lagos.

Thanks for reading!

K❤️

11 Comments.

  • Another superb write-up on the culinary delights on offer on Lagos Island for the curious palate. Also a great indication of how international Nigerian cuisine has become! Looking forward to my next trip to Lagos …

  • Marie-Therese Phido
    November 23, 2021 6:27 pm

    Thank you for these reviews. I live in Lagos, and sometimes struggle with knowing where to get a great experience.

  • This is a great review of some Lagos eateries. Gives me choice variety of restaurants to visit when in Lagos…
    Thanks K!

  • Kehinde this is great work. I do appreciate the quality of the pictures and the videos. This is especially useful for someone visiting the Island who is not a regular.

  • I want to visit Lagos! The photos are vibrant! Wowwwwwwwww 🤩

  • Well done Kehinde! Information will come in handy when next in Lagos with family.

  • Great review as always! Beautiful pictures that tell the story of the wonderful food experiences you had on your last trip. I.can testify that the food at 343 was absolutely delicious.

  • Lovely photos and very detailed descriptions! Thanks so much for this review. Such a delightful read.
    I just have one question: pray tell – where in that your little belly did you put the food?? 😃😃😃

  • Aderonke Laoye
    November 26, 2021 5:08 pm

    This a great write up indeed. I dined at some of the above mentioned restaurants, your descriptions are on point. Great reviews, pictures, I truly appreciated the videos, nothing beat a visual description. I look forward to my next trip to Lagos and my dining experience based on your recommendations. Thank you Kehinde

  • Great 👍🏽 write up CK!!! Fantastic!!! Looking forward to my next visit in Lagos🙏🏽😊

  • If you weren’t a fitness enthusiast, I wonder how big you’d be by now. Great write-up there! I see this blog becoming one of the most preferred blogs for advertisers soon. Keep the beautiful job up!!

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