5 Must-Try Restaurants in Lagos, Nigeria

I went to Lagos in October 2022 for the first time in a loooong time. My main goal was to eat, eat, eat my way through the city. What I learned was that most restaurants in Lagos are aesethically pleasing but not pleasing to the taste buds. Oh, and they’re often overpriced too. Here are five restaurants I can say are truly #ReniRated. If you end up trying them out when you visit, let me know.

@xoxoreni Having a fun time in Lagos so far 🥰 daily recaps coming soon! #nigeriatiktok #lagostiktok #traveltok ♬ Organise – Asake

I will be rating each restaurant based on taste, the general ambiance of the venue, the quality of the service received, and I will share the price range.

1. Nok By Alara

12A Akin Olugbade St, Victoria Island 106104
Lagos, Nigeria

Nok By Alara is a restaurant in Victoria Island offering New African cuisine. If you’re looking for an Instagrammable restaurant, look no further. From the entrance to the garden to the patio and the restaurant, it is pleasing to the eye. They do have odd hours of operations, so please make sure you check before you go. The service here was decent – nothing to write home about, but not bad by any means.

Nok is most well known for their Abula. It’s expensive, but everyone I know says it is worth it. I opted to try one of their American-inspired dishes, the Nok Hot Chicken with Mac and Cheese. When I tell you this was some of the best chicken I’ve ever had?!?!? It was so perfectly seasoned and crispy, with a hint of spice. The mac and cheese was great too (and it didn’t trigger my lactose intolerance). A win fr. They also start off by giving you these complimentary sweet potato chips that I couldn’t get enough of. Next time I’d love to get a pack to take home!

Here is a reel of the restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjdEl23D08m/

🥙Taste : 4.5/5
🌱Ambiance: 5/5
👥Service: 3.5/5
💸Price: $$

2. The House

4 A.J. Marinho Dr, Victoria Island 106104
Lagos, Nigeria

The House is a restaurant that is designed to also be a ‘social house’. There are many different rooms within it, all themed uniquely. Throughout the week they have nights for Karaoke, ladies’ night, and more. The food takes a bit of time to get ready, but once ready you will understand why you waited. I got their Smoky Jollof Rice twice during my time in Lagos and it HIT both times. Their food is spicy, so if you’re pepperless, this might not be the place for you. Try the stir fry jollof too – it has plantain stir fried into it and is *chef’s kiss*. They have vegan options on the menu as well.

I would definitely recommend this place for grabbing drinks and jollof with a friend, or even a casual date night.

🥙Taste : 4/5
🌱Ambiance: 4/5
👥Service: 3.5/5
💸Price: $$

3. Yellow Chilli

Bishop Oluwole Street, 27 Oju Olobun Cl, Victoria Island
Lagos, Nigeria

Looking for quality Nigerian cuisine? Look no further than Yellow Chilli Restaurant & Bar. The origin behind the restaurant was the need to replace a societal norm that authentic Nigerian food could only be gotten in a shanty. They provide an elevated experience and serve gourmet African delicacies.

Aesthetics-wise this may not be the most glamorous place, but food-wise? We’ve been 4 times and it hits every single time. They are famous for their seafood okro which I would highly recommend. This time I tried the oxtail pepper soup – it was delicious and they are not stingy at all with the portions. It was definitely the spiciest pepper soup I’ve ever had though, so beware. The prices are very reasonable and the service is pretty good too. Would highly recommend!

🥙Taste : 5/5
🌱Ambiance: 5/5
👥Service: 4/5
💸Price: $

4. Glover Court Suya

37 Glover Rd, Ikoyi 106104
Lagos, Nigeria

I know I said these were restaurants I would recommend, but this isn’t actually a restaurant, however it needed to make the cut. Glover Court Suya is one of the most well-known Suya spots in the city. It is located in Glover Court, off Glover Road in Ikoyi. If you’re coming from abroad and you think you’ve had good suya before, this place will blow your mind! You can get anything from beef to kidney to tozo, liver to shaki, chicken to gizzard. My favourite is the beef suya, always perfectly cooked and seasoned. I’m craving it just writing this. I don’t have much more to say – order it. You won’t be disappointed.

🥙Taste : 5/5
🌱Ambiance: N/A
👥Service: N/A
💸Price: $

5. Z Kitchen

19 Saka Tinubu St, Victoria Island 106104
Lagos, Nigeria

Z Kitchen is a bougie-ish restaurant in Victoria Island. This would be a great place to go for a birthday dinner, a date or a solo dinner. The restaurant offers an international menu, with everything from lobster to suya to lamb and wonton soup. The menu sounds odd but at least there’s variety am I right? I got the lamb chops and they were very accomodating to my picky taste. We tried some drinks here and the zobotini, yes I said zobotini (zobo martini), was everything I could’ve wanted and more. I’ve been told their Fisherman Rice is to die for – if you are a seafood lover, try it out. The bread they serve as a starter is also amazing!

This place is the priciest of the restaurants mentioned. It not only has the good vibes but good food too. I would return.

🥙Taste : 4/5
🌱Ambiance: 4.5/5
👥Service: 4.5/5
💸Price: $$$

These restaurants are all #ReniRated. Let me know if you end up trying any of these spots! If you try them out, let them know Reni sent you!

xo,
Reni