Look beyond the vast depository of connected highways, lush roadside gardens and opulent mansions to truly experience the benefits of Abuja as your home. For you, a visitor travelling over for a short stay, the mental note you can make of the city may never fully form without first trying out spicy delicacies on display at restaurants that help to assure outsiders that they are truly welcome. Journey along here to these five diners to get a sense of what was usually obscure although now obvious about delightful Abuja.

L&N KITCHEN 

Located at 49 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse District, we arrived around 7 p.m. and were greeted at the entrance by a waiter. I was really impressed by the menu because it was extensive with a variety of offers. I loved the ambience, with its semi-close setting which is both modern and traditional. The ottomans gave it a more homely feeling and transported me back to my roots. We sat on the carpet and the experience was different. Almost all restaurants have a modern setting. This was a new experience for me. I ordered the tuwon shinkafa (rice cake) and miyan zogala (moringa soup). The soup had just the right proportion of both moringa and groundnut and it was seasoned to perfection. I also ordered the beef suya (meat barbeque) with tamarind juice. The chicken was well seasoned with northern spices and grilled perfectly and the tamarind juice was full of flavours. The taste was exquisite and the prices were reasonable. Between ₦7,000 and ₦9,000 guarantees a full-course meal. L&N Kitchen comes highly recommended for authentic northern cuisine. 

MASA BUKKA

This is one to look out for when you want to eat northern delicacies in Abuja from the comfort of your home. Masa Bukka is not a regular restaurant. It does more of a home delivery service. I enjoyed the experience because it is not every day you would want to eat out. The menu ranges from main dishes and northern desserts; on offer are catering services and office lunch packages. I ordered the masa (rice cake) with miyan taushe (vegetable and pumpkin soup), ram pepper soup and fatan accha (fonio porridge). The texture of the masa was perfect: soft and crispy. The soup was fresh and peppery, just the right amount. From the dessert menu, I ordered alkaki (sweet wheat cake), chin-chin (flour biscuits), and dublan (flour flakes dipped in sugar). I had a great experience, especially with the desserts, because they were so textured, tasty and sweet. Delivery was on time and the packaging was excellent. I went looking for a good northern cuisine experience and I got what I was looking for. I had a great authentic northern and homely taste. Masa is perhaps the restaurant’s best-seller. The prices are in the range of ₦400 to ₦3,500. Delivery is to all parts of the federal capital. It is an efficient service. 

MAI SHAYI COFFEE ROASTERS

When you think of northern and exquisite dishes, Mai Shayi is your go-to at 84 Kwame Nkrumah Crescent, Asokoro. The restaurant is an infusion of northern and Western cuisine, with the twist of brewing your own coffee. This is the place to be if you’re a coffee lover; they also source some of their coffee locally. The surroundings is fine and the ambience inside even finer – cozy décor and beautiful artworks on display. For the main menu, we ordered the masa burger and tuwon shinkafa (rice cake) with miyan kuka (baobab soup). This was my first time eating masa in a burger form and I was impressed because I love masa and burger. The combination was something else. The beef patty was tender and the masa was fluffy and soft but not soggy. For the tuwo and miyan kuka, it was made to perfection and tasty. The overall taste of the two dishes was homely and amazing. For drinks, we ordered zobo (hibiscus tea) and coffee, both brewed to perfection. The most unique experience was the opportunity to brew our own coffee from scratch. Masa burger was ₦7,000, tuwon shinkafa and miyan kuka ₦10,500 while the zobo and the coffee were ₦3,000 and ₦6,500, respectively. My overall experience was simply amazing. Looking for that high-end northern cuisine experience? Mai Shayi Coffee Roasters is your direct plug. 

GRILLS 101

Grills 101 restaurant is at 70 Kur Muhammad Avenue, Wuse. The restaurant has a bamboo-like building, which makes the building unique. On the grounds is a beautiful garden and then a walkway before arriving at the entrance of the restaurant. After about 10 minutes of waiting, I was seated at the table and a menu was brought to me by one of the waiters. There were different seating arrangements, including a family section. I ordered the gurasa, which is a northern flatbread sprinkled with peanut butter, little pepper and then grilled (bandashen gurasa), together with mixed suya (beef, kidney and liver). This is one of my favourite meals. The gurasa was soft with the right amount of seasoning comprising peanut and pepper, while the mixed suya was tender and tasty. For drinks, I ordered zobo juice, which was chilled and flavoured perfectly. The meal cost ₦3,000. I will definitely go back to try other items on the menu.

UNDER THE MANGO TREE (Mukkarama)

I visited Under the Mango Tree restaurant for lunch. The name of the restaurant is Mukkarama, but it is better known as Under the Mango Tree, located behind Frasier Suites. It is one of the best places to visit for northern cuisine at really affordable prices. The restaurant is always packed around lunchtime. When I arrived, the large space for parking vehicles was already almost full. There was a long queue at the entrance, almost discouraged about queuing just to get lunch. However, I waited and I am glad that I did because the food and experience were worth the long waiting period. The restaurant is indoors with a simplistic approach to its décor – just tables and chairs. Mukkarama has a wide range of only Northern cuisines. After the long wait, I was seated inside by the waiters when it got to my turn. The tuwon alkama (wheat cake) with okra soup is ₦600. I ordered meat and ponmo (cow hide), which came to about ₦1,500 for a full meal. I also ordered tiger nut spiced with coconut and date, which was very creamy and sweet. One of the best things about Under the Tree is the affordability and quality of the food.

There you have it. In Abuja, you cannot go wrong armed with this guide. I am sure when next you visit, you will say a silent “thank you” for my exhaustive guide.

Have you dined at any of these fine restaurants? Please share your experience in the comment section.

Bilkisu Yar’Adua is with the Corporate Communication Department of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). This article was originally published in NCDMB’s Local Content Digest.  

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.