I was born in Sénégal, on the west coast of Africa. But having not been back for over 30 years, a visit to ‘Little Baobab’, a Senegalese restaurant nestled in London’s Africa Centre, offered the chance to relive some memories and re-ignite my childhood taste buds.
Down memory lane
Growing up in Sénégal, it’s a country known for its artistic scene, golden beaches, and several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Île de Gorée (Gorée Island).
Some of my favourite memories include Lac Rose (the Pink Lake), whose unique colour is caused by a specific algae and high salt content. Other fond memories included remembering the country’s deep spirit of hospitality, known as Teranga, and its wonderful food.
Little Baobab restaurant
As I approached Little Baobab, which opened its doors in 2024, I was keen to make up for lost time. The restaurant’s name comes from the iconic baobab tree, native to Africa’s savannahs, which is a symbol of life and positivity.
The Africa Centre is a cultural hub for the Africa diaspora in London. It was based in Covent Garden for 60 years, yet re-opened in Southwark in 2022, following a £5.6m refurbishment. On the ground floor of the Africa Centre is Little Baobab, a gem of a Senegalese restaurant.
Hospitality, as I remembered
As soon as I entered, I was greeted with warmth. The head chef and founder, Khadim Mbamba, is from Sénégal, but most of the restaurant staff were from other African countries. Our waitress was from Congo, and the bartender was from Togo. Still, I instantly felt at home in this shared francophone African community.
Dinner is served
When booking, I’d already been informed that dinner would be a five-course set menu for £47, a perfect way to sample the cuisine. The food started coming out within minutes of being seated, which was a refreshing change from the usual wait.
As each course arrived, it wasn’t quite the home cooking I had been expecting of the large portions and traditional flavours. Instead, it was a more high-end experience featuring smaller portions, with a contemporary twist. On the one hand, it was exciting to revisit Senegalese dishes in a new way. But the more homely, comforting food I’d been craving left me feeling just a little disappointed.
A Bissap (hisbiscus) mocktail – with Sénégal being a predominantly muslim country, the restaurant offered a good selection of mocktails.
The beef brisket in mafe (peanut butter sauce) — one of the traditional dishes that had been reimagined. Another dish on the menu was Thieboudienne (Sénégal’s famous rice and fish dish). However, it was barely recognisable in its fine dining form. It was also a shame that Poulet Yassa (a chicken dish marinated in onions and lemon), and a firm Senegalese favourite, was not included on the menu.
The Baobab ice cream with strawberry sauce and meringue was simply heaven.
The menu changes regularly and this was the menu in June 2025. Typical to Sénégal, the menu offered a lot of seafood and shared dishes.
Final thoughts
Overall, the restaurant’s set menu is an ideal way to test and try out various Senegalese dishes. And at £47 for five courses, it’s excellent value.
The décor, ambience and staff were all incredibly welcoming, in true Teranga form.
But if you’re expecting home-style comfort food, it leans more toward the contemporary. That seems to be the growing trend these days of taking local African favourites and adapting them for more European palates.
Still, in whatever form it comes, it’s fantastic to see more Senegalese representation in London. Some of Little Baobab’s dishes really did stand out and tickled the deepest of my taste buds.
The restaurant is absolutely worth a visit, whether you’re curious to discover Senegalese cuisine or looking to reminisce.
Me, aged 5 years old in Dakar, Sénégal
Little Baobab Senegalese restaurant is located in the Africa Centre, 66 Great Suffolk Street, Southwark, SE1 0BL. It’s open Tuesday, 12-3 pm, Wednesday to Saturday, 12-3 pm and 6-10 pm, and Sunday, 12-5 pm.