Another example of Bakare's skill with fermented cakes. A deep-fried fermented corn cake—crispy outside, tender and complex inside—topped with earthy chestnut mushroom purée and a dollop of coconut cream. The combination is unexpected and works brilliantly: crispy, earthy, and creamy.
Tips from diners
One of the best vegetarian options. The mushroom puree is deeply flavored and the corn cake is the star.
A crispy, deep-fried fermented rice cake—textured and complex from fermentation—topped with delicate white crab meat. The contrast between the crunchy exterior and tender interior of the cake, combined with the sweetness of the crab, creates a stunning bite. Reviewers consistently single out this as a standout.
Tips from diners
Start with this. The fermented rice cake is unlike anything you've had—crispy outside, tender inside, complex from fermentation.
The white crab meat is generous and sweet. The cake is the interesting part—don't miss it.
Tender guinea fowl (a smaller, gamier relative of chicken) cooked until it falls apart, served in an unforgettable uziza leaf sauce. Uziza leaves bring a peppery, complex flavor that's uniquely West African. The sauce is silky, savoury, and unforgettable. Multiple reviewers say this sauce alone justifies the meal.
Tips from diners
Every sauce at Chishuru is astounding. The uziza sauce is one of the best sauces in London. Don't skip it.
Guinea fowl is gamier than chicken but more delicate than duck. This preparation shows why it's special.
A crispy fermented rice cake served with a piquant date and tamarind sauce—sweet, sour, and slightly spicy. The sauce is balanced and complex, the cake is textured. This is a perfect showcase of how Nigerian cuisine balances sweetness with savory depth.
Tips from diners
The date and tamarind combination is quintessentially West African. If you like sweet-savory balance, this is essential.
Chishuru offers extraordinary value at lunch—a 4-course menu for £40 that showcases Bakare's cooking. The evening menu is more expensive (£75+) and longer, but lunch gives you access to the restaurant at a fraction of the cost. The same care and skill apply to both seatings.
Tips from diners
If you want to try Chishuru and keep costs down, book lunch. The quality is identical to dinner but at less than half the price.
Chishuru opened in 2020 under chef Adejoké (Joké) Bakare, celebrating the vibrant food of Nigeria through refined technique and bold flavor. The narrow dining room has bare tables, wood floors and an open kitchen—intimate despite being semi-basement. The menu progresses through Nigerian cuisine with preparations that are creative, clever and executed with precision. It earned a Michelin star in 2024.
Book ahead, especially for dinner. Lunch is often easier to get into and offers better value. The basement dining room is intimate and warm.
The wine list focuses on low-intervention natural wines. It's adventurous but affordable. Ask the server for recommendations.
This is fearless cooking. Every sauce is astounding. Chishuru is one of London's most exciting restaurants right now.
Dinner menu at £75 per person is longer and more elaborate than lunch. Both are worth the experience.
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