Why Visit The Gambia

Restaurants

The Gambia has plenty of restaurants offering quality dining for excellent value and is gaining an international reputation with more chefs from around the world now living and working in the country. There is a wide variety of restaurants in The Gambia ranging from casual beach bars to formal gourmet dining, serving a range of cuisine from Italian to Lebanese.

Prices vary but are not expensive, with a good 3 course evening meal in a top quality restaurant costing on average about £20 per person excluding drinks and service. Fine dining in The Gambia costs less than the equivalent in the UK and a simple meal and beer can cost under £10 per person. Credit cards are not widely accepted so it is advisable to check with each restaurant if they are, and if there are any charges.

The dress code in most restaurants is casual, but in the evening gentlemen are usually required to wear long trousers. Depending on your hotel, some of the restaurants may be a taxi ride away but these are reasonably priced and can be pre-booked with waiting time until you are ready to return to your hotel.

Of particular note is the abundance of freshly caught seafood including ladyfish, barracuda, snapper, butterfish, lobster and huge Atlantic prawns. Vegetarians are increasingly catered for; many hotels and restaurants will offer a vegetarian dish and some will accommodate with dishes made to order.

Gambian Dishes to look out for:

• Benachin - Rice cooked with meat or fish and vegetables and tomatoes.


• Domoda - Meat stewed in peanut puree and served with rice.


• Superkanja - A mix of okra, fish or meat, palm oil, onions and pepper boiled together.


• Chicken Yassa - Chicken cooked with fresh lime, onions and ground black pepper.

Restaurant Guide

The following are just some of the types of restaurants in The Gambia.

Fine Dining

Avocado - Kololi

Ngala Lodge - Fajara

Ocean Clipper - Cape Point

Rive Gauche - Kotu

Fully air-conditioned à la carte at Kombo Beach Hotel.

Shikra - Kololi

Excellent cuisine and quality service in elegant surroundings

Indian

Jewel of India - Kotu

Good value for money and tasty food in comfortable surroundings.

Clay Oven - Fajara

Longstanding and extremely popular Indian restaurant.

Italian

Luigi’s - Palma Rima area

Italian dishes served throughout the day and evening, popular for home made ice creams.

La Valbonne - Kololi

Well run, high class Italian restaurant in impressive surroundings.

Asian

Bamboo - Fajara

Excellent value and big portions.

Jade - Kololi

Good value Chinese food.

Tao - Kololi

South East Asian cuisine, particularly popular for its buffets.

Gambian

Ambers Nest - Kololi

Gambian and international cuisine.

Boss Lady - Kotu

Gambian open air restaurant/cafe.

Dadeema GTS - Kololi

Gambian and international dishes at reasonable prices. Charity project restaurant, dining outside.

Mexican

Weezo’s - Fajara

Comfortable garden bar service and a selection of Mexican dishes. Excellent bar for night owls.

Lebanese

Shiraz - Palma Rima area

Excellent home cooked Lebanese food, very popular.

Al Basha - Kololi

First Class Lebanese restaurant offering an extensive selection of Eastern specialities.

International

Butcher’s Shop - Fajara

Quality deli and restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Captain’s Table - Kotu

Good food in an attractive outdoor setting.

Gaya - Kololi

Variety of cultured cuisine in an African artifacts shop!

The Kora - Kololi

Bar and restaurant for drinks and/or dinner.

Mama’s - Fajara

Spit roast bush pig on Sunday nights is very popular.

Scala - Kololi

Danish family run restaurant with extensive menu, good steaks.

Vimi's - Kololi

Food bar serving tapas and grills.

Casual Eating

Calypso - Cape Point area

Snacks and drinks in a unique tree house bar beside the beach.

Sailors - Kotu

Beach bar serving drinks, lunch and dinner.

Solomon’s Beach Bar - Palma Rima area

Gambian beach bar known for its fish in foil, open all day.

Hotels

Many of the hotels we feature have a main restaurant and à la carte dining, the following hotels have a greater choice with three or more restaurants for guests.

• The Kairaba
• Corinthia Atlantic Hotel
• Kombo Beach Hotel
• Senegambia Hotel
• Ocean Bay Hotel
• Sheraton Gambia Hotel Resort & Spa

The quality of a meal at any restaurant can vary and Gambian restaurants are no exception. Our local representatives can offer advice about the current reputation of restaurants and any new establishments that may have opened.