International Waffle Day (March 25th) has its roots in Sweden and has been embraced by waffle lovers all over the world. Waffles are a brunch staple, and brunch culture has gained popularity in Lagos over the years. While pancakes may be more famous in these parts, waffles are gaining recognition on restaurant menus. This year, we decided to explore the best waffle spots on the Lagos Mainland.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and the ratings only refer to the quality of the waffles, not the other parts of the meals.

1. Sycamore by OneBasket (Magodo)

where: 30a Bashiru Shittu Avenue, Magodo Phase II

Damage: N4000

Rating: 8.5/10

Sycamore by OneBasket is a family-style restaurant in Magodo Phase II. I found chicken and waffles in the little breakfast corner of their menu and thought to give it a go. This was actually the last place I ordered from to make the list better rounded, so to speak, so I really didn’t expect them to come out on top. Also, I was pretty hangry by the time the food came; I was told it would only take 50 minutes to get to me but it ended up taking over 2 hours — Lagos doings.  

By the time I had a bite of the waffles, all my anger melted away. They tasted SUPERB: Sweet, rich and just really like that batter was made with love — yes, you can taste that, don’t ask me how. It didn’t even really need the complimentary maple syrup to slap. It was also super smooth all through.

My only grouch with it was that it was textured like pancakes. Waffles should be crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. If not for the signature waffle pockets, I wouldn’t be able to convince me that they weren’t pancakes, BUT they still remain on top because of how yum they were.  

The chicken was delicious as well, with the perfect crispy-succulent balance. I also appreciated how generous they were with the chicken pieces. The meal was definitely worth the N4k (additional costs: N500 takeaway bowl and N1500 delivery fee from the restaurant to Ikeja).

2. Fries ‘N’ Spice (Yaba)

Damage: N4050 (discounted)

Rating: 8/10

Fries ‘N’ Spice is an online vendor that makes “savoury breakfast meals” and food platters. This was another surprising top contender because it was the product of a random search on Chowdeck. The actual price of the meal was N4500, but thanks to a 10% discount on the app, I got it at N4050. The delivery fee to Ikeja was N1300 and it took about 2 hours to get to me.

PRO TIP: if you’re ordering food online, always check or ask the vendor if they’re on any food delivery app, as the delivery fees on there are almost always cheaper than direct delivery. Plus, there might be a discount on the app!

The waffles were scrumptious and I’d say they got the texture almost completely right. It was soft and really chewy, but it could have been a bit more crispy on the outside — nothing a slightly hotter waffle iron couldn’t have fixed. The waffles tasted really sweet on their own, but with the maple syrup? Next level! Also, I think this was the most generous serving I got; there were 4 full waffles in that stack.

The other stuff didn't really add much to the meal except fill me up. The egg was a basic omelette, even though the description said scrambled eggs, and the sausages tasted weird — not exactly sure what was going on there. Also, the turkey was so dry and hard, which also meant I didn’t really get to taste the flavour.

Let’s just stay focused on the waffles, though.

3. Hungry Dolphin (Maryland)

where: 382 Ikorodu-Ososun Road, Maryland

Damage: N3315 (discounted)

Rating: 7.5/10

Hungry Dolphin is an intimate-ish dine-in restaurant in Maryland, but I’ve only ever ordered their food online. I’m a regular customer of theirs and they’d never fallen my hand, so I had really high expectations for their waffles. I got through Jumia Food to Ketu, so delivery only cost N450. Also, there was a 15% discount on the app, so the regular price of N3900 was reduced to N3315. It took over 2 hours to get to me, wildly, even though the restaurant was such a short distance away. 

P.S: This is one of the main reasons I avoid Jumia Food like the plague. At some point, I even thought the rider carted away with my order, because that has happened to me before.

Anyhoo, Hungry Dolphin got the crispy-soft texture balance perfectly and the waffles were really smooth, BUT they definitely could have been sweeter. The waffles were quite thick so it was a tall stack, but the serving of maple syrup wasn’t enough and I legit stopped eating the waffles when the syrup finished.

The major regret I had with the meal, though, was the chicken. Never again! It legit reminded me of a bad Zinger Burger I had when I was a kid and KFC Nigeria was seemingly still getting their act together. It was dry, had a very similar texture to Akara, and a weird (almost nauseating) taste. This was a shocker because I never would have guessed Hungry Dolphin would get crispy chicken wrong. I would've been better off ordering the waffle combo with sausage and salad instead.

Ed note: 👀 at the mention of salad, though. Imagining a droopy coleslaw beside the stack of waffles and not loving the image.

4. Scoop’d (Yaba)

where: 389A Herbert Macaulay Way, Sabo, Yaba

Damage: N2900

Rating: 7/10

You may generally know Scoop’d for their ice cream, but they actually make really decent waffles too. I tried their Waffl’d Crispy Chicken on a friend’s suggestion and did not regret it at all. For some reason, Jumia Food kept cancelling my order (see why I cancelled this lot?), so I decided to try and order directly. I was in Yaba at the time, so delivery only cost N500.

I got my order within an hour and was more than ready to sink my sweet tooth in by then. The waffle texture was soft and fluffy like oven-fresh Agege bread, so that was a bit of a surprise, and it wasn’t that sweet. My guess is that they were trying to achieve a more savoury taste with the burger all round.

To the burger itself — it actually melted in my mouth. The spiciness of the chicken added a nice kick to the meal, but it could’ve been a bit juicier. There were some tomatoes in it as well, but the pickles in the description were missing — to be honest, a win for me because I’m not a big fan of pickles. All in all, I like that they didn't overdo the contents of the burger; the amount of sauce in it was just right and the sweet-spicy-savoury sensations all came together very nicely.

My only criticism is that the waffle didn't really hold its own as much in terms of sweetness and texture, but the burger slapped.

5. Paperbox Eats (Gbagada)

Damage: N4500

Rating: 6.5/10

Paperbox Eats, which I also found on Chowdeck, is an online vendor that operates from Gbagada. The delivery fee to Ikeja was N1300 and it took just about 30 minutes to get to me. Chowdeck and Lagos traffic were really cooperating with me that day.

The waffles were really sweet, but they had a coarse texture and were quite crumbly. You could tell the batter wasn’t smooth enough and it really ruined the waffle experience for me. The crispy-soft texture balance was also missing. The bacon, scrambled eggs and sausage, unfortunately, didn’t — couldn’t even — add anything to better the experience. It all fell a bit flat, and there’s not much else to say.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Here are some spots we weren't able to check out because they were out of budget:

1. Waffledom (Gbagada)

They have waffle meals ranging from N2400 to N5000, but the most exciting thing about them is their different flavour offerings like vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, red velvet and banana waffles. They’re a delivery-only joint.

2. Pancake Boss (Surulere) 

Their N4000 waffle pack comes with sausages, scrambled eggs and chicken. They charge between N1500 and N3500 for delivery to (virtually) anywhere in Lagos. They’re also delivery-only, plus you have to pre-order at least 24 hours ahead.

3. Oeuvre's Bistro (Ogudu) 

Oeuvre’s Bistro is a cute casual dining spot in Ogudu Mall. They charge N5000 for Waffles and Chicken and if you’re looking to have it delivered to you, there’s an extra N500 charge for the takeaway container, in addition to the Bolt delivery charge.

4. Hot Crust Cafe (Ogudu) 

Hot Crust Cafe has a location in Alpha Mall, Ogudu, so you can actually walk into their physical spot (or work from there) to grab some decent waffles. They’re currently not on any food delivery apps, but they do do direct delivery. 

5. Rubels and Angels (Surulere)

Rubels and Angels have a physical location in Surulere, where you can walk in and get their plain waffles, Waffles and Chicken (for N4000) or the Breakfast Box, which has waffles/pancakes, baked beans, scrambled eggs and chicken (N6000).

6. Casper & Gambini's (Ikeja)

They’re easy to find in Ikeja City Mall, so you can go in to order via Jumia Food. They charge N4500 for their signature waffles, which comes with “light cream” and fruit.

Did we miss any spots? Leave a comment!