🇳🇪 Niamey’s Hidden Gem: Le Pilier - A Fusion Fiesta!

🍝 Where Italian flavors waltz with West African spice in a colonial-era courtyard Why Foodies Freak Over This Spot: Niamey’s OG Italian-Nigerian fusion since the 90s (surviving coups & sandstorms!) Instagram gold—mosaic tiles + bougainvillea-draped arches 🌺 (#NoFilter needed) UN diplomats’ secret haunt (spot the bulletproof Land Cruisers parked outside 🚔) 🍽️ Must-Order: 1️⃣ Creamy Mushroom Steak Tender Nigerien beef swimming in cognac-laced sauce Pro tip: Soak up juices with their house-baked focaccia 🥖 2️⃣ Garlic Butter Prawns Jumbo shrimp from Benin’s coast, sizzled with just-chopped celery Comes with plantain chips for scooping (genius!) 🍤 ✨ Vibe Check: Lunch: Expat families debating school pickups 🇫🇷🇨🇳 Dinner: Candlelit tables with Tuareg traders on WhatsApp dates 💘 Sunday brunch: Live kora music + bottomless bissap mimosas 🥂 💰 Damage: Steak: 12,000 XOF (~$20) Worth every franc! Prawns: 8,500 XOF ("accidentally" ordered seconds) 📍 Survival Hack: Book the "Tree Table"—a secluded nook under a neem tree (mosquito-free thanks to its leaves! 🌿) #Niamey #NigerEats #ItalianWithATwist