The 8 Best Restaurants in Lekki Phase 1, Ranked
Jollof rice and grilled fish on a wooden table
Eight kitchens that actually justify the trip to Phase 1, ordered on food first and vibe second.
One to four
1) RSVP on Akiogun. Small-plates and cocktails, the most consistently good kitchen in Lekki for five years running. Book. 2) Nkoyo on Admiralty Way. Modern West African — the egusi risotto and grilled croaker are the two dishes to order. 3) Cactus in Maruwa. Brunch institution — the pancakes are a Lagos rite of passage and the coffee is genuinely good. Queues on Saturdays before 11am.
4) Craft Gourmet at Circle Mall. Butcher-shop plus restaurant; the dry-aged ribeye is the best steak in Lekki and half the price of the hotel restaurants.
Five to eight
5) Yellow Chilli on Oyin Jolayemi (edge of VI but every Phase 1 resident goes) for proper Nigerian — asun, ofada, palm-wine. 6) Bungalow at Landmark for Mediterranean and a sunset terrace over the beach. 7) Kilimanjaro on Admiralty for cheap, fast Nigerian when you have ₦4,000 and 30 minutes — jollof, plantain, chicken, done.
8) Bature Brewery for the Sunday brunch buffet more than the food itself, which is decent rather than great. Anything I have left off — Cafe Vergnano, La Mango, Ocean Basket — is fine but not worth ranking above these. If you eat at the top four you will understand why people move to Lekki for the food.
Before you book
What people ask before booking Lekki Phase 1.
RSVP for the food, Nkoyo for the room, Bungalow for the view. Skip Cactus — it is a brunch spot, wrong energy.
At RSVP and Nkoyo on Friday and Saturday, yes. Everywhere else you can walk in before 7pm.
