What began as a run of supper clubs, festival stalls and food trucks has finally found a permanent home. Khadim Mbamba’s community-focused Senegalese project, Little Baobab, now sits on the ground floor of the Africa Centre: a cultural hub long dedicated to championing the continent’s food, art and culture. It’s an especially fitting base for a restaurant rooted in diaspora storytelling.
Smoky okra stew crowned with grilled tiger prawns is quietly complex
In the middle of a currently rain-soaked London, stepping through the Centre’s glass doors feels like entering a different climate. Pastel tones, warm wood finishes and vibrant prints soften the space, while the rhythmic sound of Afrobeats hums in the background. Friendly, attentive service and an open kitchen create an atmosphere rooted in teranga: a Wolof word that translates to ‘hospitality’. It represents the Senegalese way of life, emphasising mutual respect, generosity and communal sharing.
Dinner comes in the form of a generous five-course tasting menu that changes every three months - which at £47, feels slightly miraculous in central London. Head chef Ali Ngunga lifts humble ingredients by building flavour from the foundations of nokoss: the aromatic paste of herbs, chilli, peppers, onions and oil that underpins Senegalese cooking. You’ll taste it in everything from grilled chicken wings, sharpened with vinegar and a thin veil of mustard, to oven-roasted lamb chops finished over flames for a juicy, charred edge.
My standout was the soupou kandja: a smoky okra stew crowned with grilled tiger prawns, its flavours quietly complex and deeply savoury. Simple sides were highlights in their own right: including tamarind butter on bread, a searing scotch bonnet sauce and a crisp-gelatinous fried potato. Dessert brings baobab ice cream, delivering a sherbert tanginess offset by the gentle sweetness of crumbled meringue.
In a city that celebrates as many diaspora communities as London, Senegalese food remains underrepresented. Thankfully, we have Little Baobab to remind us of the cuisine’s nuance and soulfulness.
The vibe Relaxed, slow dining enjoyed against a sunny, sociable West African backdrop.
The food Comforting and unpretentious, focusing on meat and seafood enhanced by herbs, smoke and gentle heat.
The drink Sweet-sharp cocktails from the Afro-Caribbean bar upstairs, often starring hibiscus-rich bissap.
Time Out tip: For those seeking a quicker introduction to Senegalese food, try the a-la-carte lunch menu. Head chef Ngunga recommends their bestselling thiebou yapp (lamb with jollof rice) or thiebou dienne (sea bass fillet).