Little Baobab - The Africa Centre — Restaurant in London

The Africa Centre’s new Senegalese restaurant of on the ground floor offers a promising concept with lovely staff, but it struggles with early teething issues and a disorganized setup that detracts from the overall experience.

When we arrived at 13:05, the team was still setting up for lunch service, leading to delays in taking orders and a slightly chaotic atmosphere. The open-plan kitchen contributed to the noise, with an incessant beeping from the kitchen that we had to request be turned off. Adding to the unsettled vibe, no background music was played initially, leaving the space feeling unfinished until later.

Food and Drink: The food, however, was a highlight. The lamb in peanut sauce, reminiscent of a satay-style dish, was flavorful, and the sea bass with jollof seasoning was particularly well-executed. Drinks, sourced from the upstairs bar and billed separately, were a mixed experience in terms of process but not quality. The Uusa Vodka Mango and Chili long drink was refreshing, akin to a tropical mojito, while the Ruby, a hibiscus and ginger vodka concoction, balanced sweetness and spice nicely. For dessert, the Thiakry—a yogurt-based dish with millet, coconut, and raisins—was pleasant but felt more like a breakfast item than a satisfying end to the meal.

Issues with the Payment System: The biggest issue was the overly complicated payment system. Drinks and food are billed separately, which results in diners needing to tap their cards twice. This created unnecessary delays, especially with larger groups splitting bills. The process should be streamlined to avoid long queues and double transactions, which marred what could have been a smooth dining experience.

In summary, while the food and drinks show great potential, the disorganization at the start and the payment system need addressing to create a more seamless and...

I had the most amazing dinner with a friend this week at Little Baobab restaurant in the Africa Centre! The service was the best I've ever experienced in London - they were friendly, professional and constantly ensuring we were comfortable and had everything we needed. Special shoutout to the lovely Khadijah, the Front of House - who was so sweet and nice and welcoming! She and the other lady who I didn't get her name, were both super attentive, kind and went above and beyond to ensure we had a great meal and experience! The food was excellent - the flavours were delicious! I've never had Senegalese food, so had no idea what to expect -- it was awesome! Thank you for Chef Ali and KP Cheikh and Chef Ibrahim! The atmosphere was so warm and cozy! We also got to meet the owner -- Khadim! He came and spoke to us and all the other diners! What a special experience! I'm already planning another visit there with friends in a few weeks and can't wait to take others there too! Thanks again to the team at Little Baobab for an...

I can't wait to go back to Little Baobab, little by name but definitely not by nature an introduction of new bold flavours to me. Having been to Senegal all beit for a day, I was intrigued to see what Chef Khadim might wow us with . The set menu was a delightful selection of wows, sweet and sour flavours with tantalising chilli which I was grateful to have on the side.

We had the fried plantain with Bissap salt Akara pancake with tomato onion sauce and okra

Lamb Mafe - lamb chops served with creamy mafe sauce, fried cassava puree and grilled carrots. Served with a side of rice which we were able to swap out for white jollof which was delicious next time I want to try the stuffed sea bream.

To finish off I sampled the Chocolate millet cake with caramel peanut sauce, another trip into the unknown and I was pleasantly surprised and the sauce definitely did it for me

Going to little Baobab is not just a walk into West Africa but a very welcome culinary education that I plan to continue by...