Sharing my selection of best hotels and restaurants for foodies in Lomé makes me a little emotional. In fact, I’m sharing a bit of who I am with you guys. Even though I grew up in Ghana, my parents lived most of their lives in Togo. Basically, I was raised in the Togolese culture. Furthermore, I spent three years in Lomé for high school. Therefore, some of the places I will be mentioning are linked to a personal story.
Moreover last month, I had the opportunity to explore more of the food scene in Lomé. As a result, see below my recommendations of hotels and restaurants to check out for great food.
3 hotels for foodies in Lomé
Hôtel 2Février
Based on my experience, I can tell you for a fact the Hotel you should stay in for the best food experience is Hôtel 2 Février. I’m not saying this because it was awarded the best West African Business Hôtel in 2020. Truly, the hotel’s food offer is what got me. In fact, I have rarely seen such an extensive range of bars and restaurants in one Hôtel (book your room here):
SONGHAI the gastronomic restaurant on the 27th floor :
This is the fanciest restaurant in town! Not only because of the very classy décor or the view of Lomé‘s bay. Also because Chef Sow is excellent at what he does! Luckily for me I had the opportunity to perform a photoshoot collaboration with him, and his professionalism inspired me. His signature dishes are creative and very delicious! My favorite was the fried noodles with vanilla ice cream, so yummy !
Continue by walking to the Oyo bar on the 27th floor: In the same vibe as the restaurant, you can hop on the other side to the bar for a digestif after a delicious meal.
The Nil Bar
Drink a coffee with a pastry in the lobby. Indeed the bar is a coffee shop in the morning and a trendy bar in the evening. I personally loved the Mai Tai !
Akwaaba by the pool
This is more of a chilled area where you can spend a couple of hours with your friends swimming, eating, and drinking, perfect for an after-work as well !
Room service breakfast
The one I had was so rich I wasn’t able to finish it all ! My mushroom omelet was perfect ; I also had a viennoiserie basket, a fruit plate, some charcuterie and sausages, and orange juice, and my hot drink (coffee, of course)
The fantastic Sunday brunch
They have a salad bar, Sushi bar, Togolese food, continental food, and a dessert bar!
Pure plage
This Beach club had the best cocktails I have had in the city! It would be a shame to miss it ! Indeed that Dry Martini was to die for! Besides, the food was very tasty, especially the Togolese chicken, delicious ! I’m a massive fan of the subtle African décor with tones of red bamboos and African masks. Basically, we are far from a standard brand Hotel. Lastly, the sleeping experience was delightful because the rooms have a very local decoration, and let’s face it, being able to wake up to sunrise is so peaceful! And their pool is probably one of my favorites in Lomé!
Le Patio
This Hotel is mostly known for its restaurant under the patio that is considered the best in town. Although pricey, the only time I had to check out this place, they were barely any chairs left ! Plus, all the plates that were dished out had a very sophisticated presentation with a touch of local ingredients. The dessert I tried had a controlled complexity in terms of texture and flavors that impressed me ! That Carambar creme brulé with Strawberry Ice cream was a dream ! Also, I had the opportunity to visit one of the rooms, and I loved the African art inspiration with a modern twist in their décor. I would love to go there on my next trip so you should probably do the same !
3 restaurants for foodies in Lomé
Antovi Cantine
Located behind the “Institut Francais” of Lomé, this restaurant was my highlight of the trip. African restaurants have been struggling to create a local ambiance and menu without it too rooting, and Antovi nailed the challenge ! Not only do they have a very open outside space and a menu entirely based on local ingredients with affordable prices, they even try to bring a bit of innovation to the dishes. More specifically, I loved the sweet potato chips with the sauce, or the gari breaded fried plantain, simply delicious !
Chez Oumy
This restaurant is like home to me. The owner is one of my closest friend’s mother. I spent my entire high school hanging out at my friend’s house and enjoying her mother’s delicious meals. You can only imagine my excitement when I heard she had opened a restaurant ! Although it’s an oriental restaurant, I still think it’s a must-try for the very homely and cozy feeling that Aunty Mira can create. While she has very few tables, you can be sure to be welcomed and served by the owner herself ! My brother went for the Michoui, and I went for a classic Couscous ! As usual, and just like in my memories, they tasted divine !
Le Philipat
Another restaurant that brings back my childhood memories ! Like I said before, I went to high school in Lomé. In front of the school, literally across the street, was the Philipat restaurant. I would ask for some pocket money from my parents so I could order some pizzas ! My classic order was a “Reine” which is generally called a Regina in English, with Ham and Mushroom. Their pizzas were lovely because they were delicious and cooked in a real red brick pizza oven with firewood ! Even though I did not have the opportunity to try out this restaurant one more on my last trip, I could not stop hearing about how tasty the rest of their menu is, so I have added it to my bucket list for my next visit !
If you plan a foodie trip to Lomé, don’t hesitate to contact me for a more authentic experience or use my five tricks to prepare your next travel foodie trip.
