London’s best African restaurants

By day, Adams Café is a redoubtable greasy spoon with a menu to match; by night, it morphs into a cosy North African bistro with exotic Moroccan and Tunisian flavours taking centre stage. Mix ’n’ match from a great-value menu that moves from crisp little savoury pastries to tagines, couscous and grills. Complimentary appetisers and optional BYOB add to the feel-good vibe.

An elegant outpost of Eritrean cuisine on traffic-clogged Brixton Road, Adulis has been peddling its African wares since 1996. Artefacts, musical instruments and images of folk heroes adorn the place, while the menu majors on stews served with the ubiquitous injera bread. Finish in style with traditional honey wine or coffee with frankincense and popcorn. There’s a branch near Clapham Junction.

‘Bold heat and umami’ are the twin lures at Ikoyi, a hip little terracotta-walled joint specialising in Nigerian jollof cuisine – although the kitchen uses this as a jumping-off point for cooking that transforms West African food into boundary-pushing hyper gastronomy. It may sound like a thrilling ethnic anomaly, but Ikoyi dishes up something truly new for London’s ever-curious diners.

An exceptionally pretty and homely little spot that aims to demystify the little-known delights of Algerian cuisine, Khamsa is a labour of love for its owners. The interior looks gorgeous (think colourful pillows, hanging drapes and handmade crockery) and the kitchen generally makes a good fist of things – we particularly liked the marvellous meze selection. Cash only; unlicensed, but you can BYO (£2 corkage).

Destination neighbourhood dining in Peckham – that’s the schtick at Kudu, a good-looking restaurant specialising in South African-inspired small plates. It may be named after a species of antelope, but don’t come here expecting exotic decor: instead, the dining room has the vibe of a sleek, vintage lounge bar, while the kitchen shows its rainbow nation allegiances with several dishes arriving in traditional cast-iron skillets (as in the old country).

Housed in a cool stucco shack on Netil Market, this is owner Makda Harlow’s homage to her native Eritrea and its multicultural street food. Amaze wings, Afro tacos and Kulu’wa fries are the staples for a quick nosh; otherwise mix ’n’ match with some chickpea stew and tangy salsa on the side. Makda’s engaging warmth adds to the all-round sunny vibe.  

It’s tough finding tagine for under a tenner in London, but this Moroccan caff regularly comes up trumps. Locals might come here for spag bol and jacket potatoes at lunchtime, but it pays to go for the authentic North African stuff – our fish tagine was spot-on, likewise a succulent couscous royale. Finish with pastries and a cup of mint tea poured from a beautiful brass pot.

Ethiopian food isn’t just a delicacy, it’s an experience – the awkwardness of scooping up stews with your hands while resisting the urge to grab a fork without being disrespectful. Hollowayites can now try their luck at this unassuming spot, where the Mesi combo is just one option for those who are intrigued by names like yebeg wot, gomen and zilzil tibs.  

Before Middle Eastern and Maghrebi flavours were de rigueur in London, this glamorous, opulent venue was bringing exotic cuisine and unfettered fun to Mayfair. More than 20 years on, Momo still thrives – although its charms are mostly appreciated by tourists these days. Still, this is pleasure by the plateful – mezze, couscous, tagines and grills served in a warm and friendly locale.

Billed as serving a fusion of Algerian and French cuisine, this Crystal Palace bistro is a cool family-run outfit festooned with mismatched furniture and massive mirrors on colourful walls. Starters of harira soup, merguez sausages and halloumi salad give way to couscous, tagines, grills and North African pasta dishes. The basement lounge bar is recommended for its regular live music, sharing platters and quaint garden area.

Owned by Casablanca-born Meryem Mortell and fronted by a chef with Michelin-starred credentials, Zayane promises a sophisticated slice of Moroccan cuisine on Golborne Road (think saffron-marinated cod with cauliflower couscous, wilted baby gem and fish sauce). The cooking is overtly ambitious and portions are generous but premium prices may take the edge off the experience. Also check out Sunday lunch and afternoon tea.