In our regular series, we ask famous chefs and personalities to tell us all about 'their London'. From top tips on where to dine in the city, to their personal haunts ranging from bakeries to book shops, we’ve got the inside track on London’s premier spots from the people who know it best.
Few restaurants have been on Londoners’ lips more in the last couple of years than Chishuru – and that’s all down to the brilliance of Adejoké Bakare. A self-taught chef who won a MICHELIN Star in 2024, she is at the forefront of London’s West African dining scene, steadily introducing the cuisine to more and more people around the capital. Running a laid-back and welcoming restaurant, Joké (as she is known) can often be found with a beaming smile on her face, waiting to bowl over yet more people with her cooking. Here, she gives us her guide to navigating London’s restaurants.
What’s your go-to restaurant in London when you want to celebrate?
Planque in Haggerston. I cooked a ‘four hands’ dinner with Seb Myers last year there and had so much fun. It’s a beautiful restaurant with a great floor team led by James; the wine list is terrific and Seb’s food is consistently wonderful.Where would you recommend for a romantic date?
Sune in Hackney – it’s a very special neighbourhood restaurant by Broadway Market. It’s small, it’s dimly lit and you’ll order too much wine.Are there any London restaurants you think appeal to all ages?
My eight-year-old nephew Victor adores steak, so I always take him to a branch of Hawksmoor, where he eats more beef than any middle-aged man.
You’ve spoken to us before about how a lot of people visiting Chishuru have never tried West African food before. For those who want to discover the cuisine more, where in London would you recommend?
My friend Aji owns Akoko, just three streets away from us. He’s got a different approach to the cuisine than us – his restaurant has one foot in French fine dining.If you had one day to show an out-of-towner around London, where would you take them?
Peckham in southeast London. It’s so vibrant and for me personally there’s a huge Nigerian community there. I love a good listening bar, and there’s a great one there called Jumbi.
Chishuru has been located in both Brixton and Fitzrovia in its lifetime. What’s your favourite thing about each of the two neighbourhoods?
In Brixton, the sense of community was wonderful, and for me it was so easy to access ethnic produce and I had a one-to-one relationship with the suppliers. Fitzrovia gives us a thriving lunchtime trade from the nearby industries such as tech, fashion and finance.How do you like to spend your free time in London?
Eating out of course, but also London’s cultural scene; the last shows I saw were Kyoto @sohoplace and the photography exhibition ‘As We Rise’ at the Saatchi Gallery.
Do you have a favourite London hotel?
I adore The Connaught. It embodies everything I love about hospitality; everybody who works there is dedicated to providing you with the best possible experience.What does London do better than anywhere else in the world?
The diversity of the restaurant scene. We get lots of overseas visitors in our restaurant, and it’s something they remark on all the time.Hero Image: Adejoké Bakare, the chef and founder of Chishuru in Fitzrovia. © Harriet Langford
