Sunrays kitchen — Restaurant in Lagos

Great food, but working nomads not welcome

We were hesitating, if we should share our experience, but we think it is important for other nomads and expats who come to Lagos to enjoy working and living in an inspiring environment.

After my friend already went to Sunrays kitchen and told me about the great food we decided to go there in the afternoon to enjoy a nice meal, have a couple of drinks and brainstorm for a new project.

When we arrived it was sadly already after 4 pm and the kitchen was closed, so we ordered some drinks and a cake. Besides us there was only one couple sitting at another table and all the other tables were empty. So we felt comfortable enough to get our laptop out as we were sure not to block any table for other guests. We even had a friendly chat with the staff who laughed about our dogs.

The next morning however we had an unpleasant surprise - I tagged Sunrays kitchen on Instagram cause we really enjoyed this spot. Instead of telling us in a friendly way while we were there, they told us in a slightly unfriendly instagram message, that they prefer guests who finish their work first and then go there. This reaction and not even direct communication destroyed the experience for us.

We came back the next day because we wanted to ask nicely if there is any reason for it, maybe bad experiences or something, but got shut down mid-sentence by the waitress. We were totally confused and ordered something out of embarrassment because of the harsh reaction.

What we want to point out: We were paying guests and we did not block the table without consuming anything. We were quiet and respectful. And we would also like to be treated respectfully in return.

Maybe the owner should keep in mind, that low season is longer than high season. And then they could still rely on the money of nomads and expats, while the tourists are gone. But unfortunately we are...

Fantastic food, off the beaten path (if there's such thing in Lagos, lol). Aka, not in the town centre or marina.

This place is hella popular and packed on weekends for good reason. The food is amazing! The service is great! The vibes are immaculate.

I was drawn here specifically when I saw the East African peanut stew because this spot has some unique dishes for Lagos. It's so hard to find variety here, and even harder to find vegetarian food with a seriously good flavour. The peanut stew was borderline divine. Stunning. And the couscous/bulgur salad mix hidden at the bottom of the bowl was perfect! I've missed Israeli couscous. Make sure to mix your bowl up if your order this. Lots of fresh herbs, peppers, nuts. Lamb Flatbread was also delightful. Another day I had the chic pea dish. It wasn't as remarkable.

Juice of the day was beautiful. Really fruity. Lemonade was also a treat. Cappuccino (with oat milk) was a bit thin, but considering that has happened at multiple cafes here that use that brand of oat milk, it may be the ingredient. (This brand of oat milk has a distinctive flavour I haven't noticed in other oat milk coffees I've had here.)

It can get packed on weekends, so be prepared to have to wait for a table. There are no reservations, so it's just luck if you get a table when you arrive. We only waited about 10 minutes the first time. The other issue is that when they are at full/over capacity, you may have a long wait time for food. But it pays to be patient! I overheard one girl say she's tried 3 times on 3 days to get a table and never succeeded so if you are dead set on trying this place, maybe coming as early as possible is best. Or trying during the week? We had no problems on a Thursday.

The decor is also really nice, and the servers are...

A beautiful off-the-beaten-path gem to visit in Lagos. Came here for lunch on a Tuesday and had the fried chicken and French toast which came with a sweet thai chilli dipping sauce. It was fantastic and only 11 euro! There was a cabbage salad on the side with lots of sauce (maybe a bit too much). I also had the juice of the day and it was like sipping on sunshine (apple, carrot, pineapple and lime today).

The ambience of sitting on the patio, music, decor, and sunshine made this such a quaint and lovely lunch. I can see how this place can get super busy, because even on a Tuesday afternoon there were plenty of people. I ordered a black tea with the hot milk option to end things off.

If you’re a foreigner in Lagos looking for affordable and yummy food, chill cafe vibes, and freshly squeezed juice, you’ll find the perfect spot here. The servers here also seem to be from abroad and they all speak English. Hoping to be able to come back to try more treats!

Note: this is a cash preferred...