Chuku’s: A Nigerian Tapas Spot That’s Worth the Trip to North London

Review at a glance: ★★★☆☆

Chuku’s has been on my radar for a few years now. The North London Nigerian tapas restaurant on Seven Sisters High Road has been talked about endlessly by both Nigerian and British friends alike, but the journey for a South-West Londoner like myself has always felt a little too far.

Reviews have been mixed. Many African friends of mine have said the food is tame and not traditional, and before visiting, the idea of Nigerian tapas seemed somewhat wrong. I have always dreamt of going to a traditional Nigerian wedding to enjoy the music and the outfits, but if we are being real, it is mostly the mountains of food and palm wine I have always heard about. The gluttony, the feast, the itus, are all part of the celebration, and to remove that feels a little disingenuous. But who would I be, except a hypocrite, if I based my taste in food on Instagram reviews instead of my own tastebuds.

As soon as you enter Chuku’s, you are hit by walls of bright colours. Pinks and oranges everywhere, alongside British-Nigerian phrases anyone with friends from the continent would recognise at least once. I Beg.

We were greeted by a wonderful server who gave us a full run-through of the menu and explained very clearly that this is Nigerian food adjusted to Western tastebuds, and that portions are tapas-sized to let customers try a variety of Nigerian dishes. The menu is divided into starters (more like bar snacks), vegetarian dishes and meats, with the Chuku logo marking the most popular plates. As someone who very rarely eats African food, this was honestly a lifesaver.

We were told to order three to four dishes per person, and we obliged.

The Sinasir and Miyan was the dish we kept returning to, a favourite from the first bite. The creamy pumpkin and peanut stew was the perfect accompaniment. The Egusi Bowl, served with three vibrant stews (spinach with coriander and fennel, and red bell pepper and tomato), was a Picasso-style masterpiece of colour, although I will not be revisiting the spinach stew again. The cassava fries, inspired by much-loved dundun, were on par with, if not better than, any fries I have had. Thick-cut and served with zobo mayo, you would be surprised how full you get after a few bites.

For meat lovers, there is plenty. The Caramel Kuli Kuli wings were sticky, sweet and weirdly reminiscent of a Korean wing. They are a fan favourite online, but my tastebuds were a bit bored after the third. The suya meatballs were well cooked but slightly under-seasoned. They needed more of that deep suya flavour to move them away from tasting like a standard Italian meatball. The Yoyo was definitely a highlight. Crispy fried whitebait tossed in seasoned cassava flour, a street food favourite from coastal South West Nigeria. Any English person would be reminded of a day at the beach. They were so moreish, and the spice level from the scotch bonnet pepper was ideal. Almost too spicy, but I still could not stop dipping.

Going to Chuku’s is an experience, and one I really appreciated. This is a family spot founded by brother and sister, Emeka and Ifeyinwa, and you feel that through the cooking and the atmosphere. It does exactly what it sets out to do: give a Western audience the chance to enjoy a cuisine eaten by two hundred million people.

So with that in mind, who is inviting me to review their Nigerian wedding?