7 Essential Restaurants On The Mainland
Editor’s note: In January, we wrote a list of essential restaurants in Lagos. However, many of the locations listed are on the island. Unfortunately for our mainland readers, the fact remains that the ‘best’ restaurants in Lagos are on the island. From basic details like decor to the quality of food, the margin between restaurants in both locations is wide. Perhaps, we’ve subconsciously placed a high focus on the island, but there is a dearth of restaurants on the mainland. But we hope to serve our mainland readers with lists like this going forward.
For the first one, we curated a list of a few decent bars to check out in Ikeja, Surulere and Ilupeju. We’ll warn you though, this list is not an endorsement of any restaurant. Still, the ones listed are some of the most decent of the pick and are cardinal locations for foodies on the mainland.
Bars are not the only thing the mainland has to offer. The other side of the bridge has its fair share of decent, diverse cuisine. If you can make it past the traffic, here are some of the best places on the mainland to grab a bite.
Pondicheri is one of the beloved Asian restaurants in Lagos, thanks to the decor and menu. With a mix of Indian and Chinese fare, it offers a glimpse of a taste of Asia. While they don’t dive deeply into the subcontinent’s cuisine, it nails many of the staples, including the Gulab Jamun.
Another Chinese/Indian restaurant in Ilupeju. The decor here is more understated, but they make up for this with their generous portion sizes. One serving is often enough for two people to enjoy and still have leftovers (aka ‘takeaway’). However, the staff at Gypsy’s could do better by hovering a lot less
This Thai restaurant is arguably one of the better Asian restaurants in Lagos. The ambience is homey, and the food is, of course, worth every Naira. The prawn tempura at Orchid House is a favourite, and if you can’t survive the long journey to their Apapa branch, they now have an outlet in Ikeja GRA.
Authentic Korean BBQ in Lagos? Yes, please! With a marriage of Chinese and Korean cuisine, there’s a wide selection of prawn-based meals; but it’s the Korean BBQ that steals the show. at Hua Han. You grill your own meat right on the table.
One treasure the mainland has in abundance in comparison to the island is buka food. It’s a known fact that street food is oftentimes best served with a side of dingy decor and rude servers. If that’s not your style, then the abula at Nok in VI and the menu at Yellow Chilli on the mainland are your best bet. The seafood okra at Yellow Chilli is easily the best thing on their menu.
Finding an authentic burger spot in Lagos is hard enough. On the mainland, it’s even more of a mission. Burg is here to the rescue with their loaded craft burgers. The lighting on their Instagram page definitely adds a little touch up to their buns, but the Suya OG burger makesBurg a worthy contender for the better burger spots in Lagos.
For American-style barbecue anywhere in Lagos, Rhodes BBQ should be top of mind. From wings to ribs, the restaurant boasts of authentic southern flavour in their meat; the cuts are cooked slow and on low heat in a wood-burning oven; providing maximum flavour.