Best African Restaurants in the UK and Ireland

In total, there are 5 award winning African restaurants in the UK and Ireland, based on the combined awards from the leading UK restaurant guides.

Were you expecting to see more African restaurants listed? Remember, at Leading Restaurants we only list restaurants holding awards from major food guides in the UK and Ireland; that's less than 3% of all restaurants here.

The best African restaurant in the UK and Ireland is Akoko in London (based on our unique combination of the leading UK restaurant guides) where head chef Aji Akokomi serves up award winning African Cuisine. Akoko currently holds 1 Michelin Star and a ranking of 21st in UK in the Hardens Top 100.

There are currently 2 listed African Michelin Star restaurants in the UK and Ireland consisting of 2 restaurants holding 1 Michelin Star. There are also 2 restaurants holding a Michelin Bib Gourmand and 1 restaurant holding a standard Michelin Guide listing.

At present, there are no restaurants serving African cuisine holding an AA Rosette in the UK and Ireland; maybe the AA Guide inspectors will try some new food types soon!

Immersive and diverse, the UK restaurant scene takes your palate on a sumptuous journey across the African continent, serving up an exotic array of flavours, textures and aromas. Be it aromatic North African tagines, fiery West African jollof rice or the hearty traditional Sunday roast of Southern Africa, the variety and authenticity of African cuisine presented in the UK is indubitably prodigious. This eclectic culinary spectacle is brought to life in various high-end restaurants that have turned heads both in Britain and beyond. Take, for example, the pioneering Ikoyi, spearheaded by the brilliant Jeremy Chan. This Michelin-starred restaurant, nestled in the heart of London, has reimagined West African cuisine bringing bold and highly creative dishes to the table. Its distinctive fusion of African heritage and British ingredients has wordlessly elevated African gastronomy in the UK, reaching an audience beyond the diaspora. Then there is Zoe's Ghana Kitchen, envisaged by the gifted Zoe Adjonyoh. Her railroad arch in Brixton has become the epicentre of Ghanaian culinary prowess in the UK. Renowned for her innovative interpretations of traditional Ghanaian recipes, Adjonyoh has lessened the cultural divide with each aromatic stew and fragrant spice. The spirited UK restaurants serving African cuisine provides a tour de force experience that is both gourmet and incredibly emotive, and will leave you yearning for your next gastronomic adventure.