Favorite Places to Eat in Accra

Note: This list is dated as of 2012. Whether or not these places still exist, I cannot personally testify. Thank you and happy eating!

Between chop bars [local eateries with food ready-made] and fast food, local Ghanaian food is easy to get and delicious. For foreign foods, not so much. For the ex-pats visiting or living in Accra, knowing which eateries are worth visiting can be an issue. While I didn’t have time to visit every restaurant in Accra, the following were my favorites compiled throughout my stay in Ghana.

Amber Catering [$5-$10]

This eatery offers hands down the best filleted fish in Accra. The charcoal grilled grouper is tender, flaky, and very well seasoned. It’s so tasty that it is the only dish I ever ordered off the menu.

To get there from Koala Supermarket, walk down Oxford Street until you reach the Vodafone cross street. Turn left, and take the road until the end. You’ll see a Presbyterian church – this two-story restaurant is located across from it.

Arlecchino [$2-$3]

Accra’s premiere Oxford Street gelataria offers nearly 20 flavors.  Personal favorites include mango, cashew, coconut, and dark chocolate.

Large groups should consider purchasing a container to share – it really saves money.

Eddys Pizza [$7-$15]

Located opposite Paloma Casino nearby Kwame Nkrumah Circle, this popular pizzeria serves massive pizzas, salads, and wings in a comfortable & friendly atmosphere. One large/jumbo pizza can easily serve 4-5, and is far better than any of the Pizza Inn chains.

Jasmine [$5+]

I came to Jasmine for the delicious Thai food, but stayed for the unbelievable friendliness of Toy,;the chef. Ask her for the $5 [10 cedi] lunch special even at dinnertime – it comes with plenty of  food. Favorite dishes include summer rolls, drunken noodles, tom kah gai, and pad Thai. The noodles are truly outstanding.

To get here from Koala, turn right at Vodafone, and then left at the end of that cross street. It’s located just past Mama Mia Pizzaria.

Summer Rolls

Drunken Noodles

Koh-I-Noor [$2-5 appetizers, $4-8 entrés]

While Indian food is still not my favorite, this Osu restaurant helped change my mind. I absolutely adore their mint chutney sauce, especially when paired with samosas or naan bread.

Vegetable Samosas

Aloo Gobi & Garlic Naan

Farm [Vegetable] Curry

Nourish Lab Smoothy’s [$3 smoothies/$4 sandwiches]

This popular Oxford Street obruni hangout spot serves smoothies, paninis, and wraps in a relaxed environment. Smooth elevator music plays as patrons use free wifi – which in reality almost never works. Their 50+ varieties of smoothies are hit or miss – good advice is to avoid those with paw paw [papaya] and order those with berries.

The paninis come standard with ranch – if you want other dressings  it’ll cost $0.50 extra.

Tip Top Chinese [$5 lunch, $6-8 dinner]

This Oxford Street restaurant offers fresh Asian food with plenty of vegetable and noodle options. The owner is very friendly, often helping me practice my [limited] Chinese. Try the chicken and mushroom soup appetizer – it is life changing.

Soup Noodles with Chicken and Mushrooms

Bird’s Nest [Crispy Fried Noodles]

Traffix Catering [$3-$4 upstairs, $8-$10 downstairs]

This restaurant [also the location of my internship] offers some of the tastiest local and Chinese food in Ghana. Their upstairs eatery offers some of the same food at a fraction of the price, but the tastiest part of this restaurant is the downstairs buffet. For $10 they serve eight dishes ‘all you can eat’.  All of the Ghanaian meals have a ‘clean and pure’ taste to them – unlike many chop bars and street food.

I don’t have many photos of their food, but personal favorites include okra soup, light soup, and rice dishes with their garlic/ginger vegetable sauce.

Fried Rice with Chinese Chicken Sauce