Twelve months ago, London’s Akoko and Chishuru joined the handful of West African restaurants worldwide to be awarded a Michelin star; now Akoko’s former executive chef, Ayo Adeyemi, is consulting on the menus of this glossy Marylebone newcomer, where day-to-day cooking duties fall to head chef Victor Okunowo.
Wallpaper* dines at Shakara
The mood: modern African artistry
Architects Red Deer are behind some of London’s more distinctive restaurant interiors, from Lina Stores to St John Marylebone. Here they have taken inspiration from the red soil of Nigeria in earthy-coloured terracotta tiles, though there are allusions to African culture wherever one looks, from the talking drum graphics stamped into wax that pay homage to the hourglass-shaped instrument that imitates the rhythm of human speech, to the art on the walls supplied by the Red Door Gallery in Lagos. The contemporary African connections don’t end there: resident DJs spin Afrohouse and Afrobeats until midnight.
The food: British ingredients meet African spicing
Okunowo was a semi-finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2020 before becoming head chef of Talking Drum on Old Kent Road, a Nigerian restaurant that served as a blueprint for the current crop of cool West African dining rooms. The chef is taking inspiration from Ghana and The Gambia as well as Nigeria, though British ingredients are just as important: dry-aged Hereford beef comes spiced with Nigerian yaji and uda, while native blue lobster sits in a bisque of pepper soup. There’s more conventional comfort to be had in sides of jollof rice and yam chips, plus plantain bread with vanilla ice cream and corn custard for pudding.
Shakara is located at 66 Baker St, London W1U 7DJ, United Kingdom; shakaraldn.com
-
Herzog & de Meuron redefines Swiss hospitality with Les Trois Rois hotel transformationThe Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning studio expands the hotel with a striking restaurant and bar, a sprawling presidential suite, and a decadent rooftop spa
-
Design beyond humans: a new exhibition argues that the world doesn’t revolve around us‘More Than Human’ at London's Design Museum (until 5 October 2025) asks what happens when design focuses on the perspectives and needs of other species, from bees to seaweed
-
Tuneshine is a new way of bringing back the lost art of the album coverThe compact Tuneshine screen uses LED tech to illuminate the artwork of whatever you’re currently streaming
-
Is this London’s slickest burger joint?Already proven in Paris, Dumbo’s smash-hit formula of precision, confidence, and simplicity arrives in Shoreditch – and yes, it’s worth the wait
-
Canal is a new west London restaurant with a suntrap terraceAt Canal, the new restaurant at Mason & Fifth’s Westbourne Park hotel, expect modern European breakfast, lunch and dinner from the team behind Crispin and Bistro Freddie
-
This hidden London culinary haven is a refreshing take on the steakhouseMr Porter, a new steakhouse, bar and lounge in central London's swish Mayfair, is a hidden haven of strong flavours and minimalist dining
-
A European-style café opens next to London’s Saatchi GalleryDesigned by Dion & Arles, Cafe Linea serves fresh pâtisseries, global dishes and sparkling wines in a stunning Grade II-listed setting
-
Ready to unplug? Sign up for this digital detox retreat in CornwallOffline escape provider Unplugged has partnered with Cabilla Cornwall to offer a phone-free, nature-immersive group experience on Bodmin Moor
-
Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project is London’s tastiest (and weirdest) summer traditionThe cult pop-up has returned, transforming a Belgravia corner into a sleek, steel-clad shrine to British pantry nostalgia
-
The best bars in London for bartending greatnessFrom chic hotel cocktail classics to game-changing flavour combinations, our resident drinks correspondent, Neil Ridley, explores ten of the best bars in London
-
NoMad London’s new restaurant fast-tracks you to New York’s jazz ageMartin Brudnizki Design Studio conjures up old-world glamour at Twenty8 NoMad, where the menu features nearly as many martini variations as main courses
