Ikoyi

About

Located in Temple, London, at 180 Strand, Ikoyi Restaurant offers a unique dining experience that defies categorization. The minimalist interior, designed by Studio David Thulstrup, features blond-wood panels, hanging clay lamps, and an open-plan kitchen, creating a copper-hued, modernist aesthetic. Ikoyi’s cuisine, led by head chef Jeremy Chan and managing director Iré Hassan-Odukale, is a masterful fusion of West African flavors and British seasonal ingredients, revolving around British micro-seasonality.

The tasting menu, priced at £350 for dinner and £320 for Friday lunch, showcases Ikoyi’s innovative use of spices and flavor combinations. Signature dishes like smoked jollof rice and plantain with smoked scotch bonnet, turbot with crab butter, aged Hereford beef, and inventive desserts highlight the restaurant’s commitment to pushing culinary boundaries. Ikoyi’s accolades include 2 Michelin stars and a ranking of #35 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2023, with recent updates featuring special wine pairings and seasonal menus showcasing unique ingredients like aged Angus beef and winter seafood.

While some critics note the high prices, with Ikoyi being one of the most expensive restaurants in London, many reviews praise the unique flavor combinations and innovative approach to cuisine. Reservations are released on the 1st of each month for up to two months in advance, and the restaurant cannot accommodate vegetarian or vegan diets or menus completely free of milk, protein, and eggs. Ikoyi Restaurant offers a truly distinctive and memorable dining experience that challenges the boundaries of cuisine, showcasing the best of West African flavors and British seasonal ingredients in an upscale, modernist setting.