Harden's survey result
Summary
“An incredibly special dining experience, like nowhere else in London” – Aji Akokomi has achieved something “totally unique, supremely atmospheric and slick” at his Fitzrovian homage to West Africa. The warm bronzed interior is all urban sophistication, but channels an earthy African energy with its impeccably chosen (and, for the most part, specially commissioned) décor and tableware. The open kitchen was on our visit predominantly staffed by Europeans and Asians, but they deliver “an exquisite and well thought-out” extended tasting menu, mixing Nigerian, Ghanaian and Senegalese culinary influences, and with an “on-point wine pairing” option. Head chef, Theo Clench moved on in March 2022 just prior to our annual diners’ poll – no public appointment of a successor has been made as yet.
Summary
After three years of planning and during the torrid times of October 2020, Aji Akokomi launched his Fitzrovian homage to West African ‘jollof’ cuisine – mixing Nigerian, Ghanaian and Senegalese influences into an ambitious tasting menu format. Not a man to be easily deflected, he emerged from the pandemic and departure of his initial star-chef (William Chilila) to win post-lockdown raves from The Standard’s Jimi Famurewa in June 2021: “agog at the sumptuousness of it all… Akoko’s triumph is to re-energise tradition with a flash of modernity, to draw out the sophistication, elegance and undulating flavour complexity of food that, when it isn’t ignored, is mostly celebrated for its humble, homespun qualities”. Our early survey feedback was scarcely less upbeat, and it’s on that basis that we’ve rated it.
For 32 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
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Restaurant details
Akoko Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Food excellent, service a bit slow (Saturday lunchtime), ambience nice enough but a bit echoey. Mussels; amberjack; beef with jollof rice; mango; smoked squash. Would go back."
"Each dish had an ingredient that was new to us . All done well . The accompanying flight of mainly home-made soft drinks was excellent"
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £42.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
21 Berners Street, London, W1T 3LJ
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 6:30 pm‑9 pm |
| Wednesday | 6:30 pm‑9 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑9 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑9 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑9 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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