Dakar - Post Report Question and Answers
What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
A wide variety to choose from. Frequently have Lebanese, Italian, seafood, Senegalese (more for lunch), Indian, Chinese. Thai and Vietnamese exist but are more rare. - Oct 2024
So many! Sharkys, La Plage, Mer a Table, Chez Fatou and Ngor Pieds dans L'eau are good lunch spots on beach road. Lulu Cafe for fresh salads and yummy local dishes. Restaurant Farid, Le Lagon, le Club Union and le Relais de Paris for nice dinners in Plateau. Shadys, Noliane, Caliente and India Gate for good take out. I've barely scratched the surface here. We've found delicious Italian, Japanese (sushi and ramen), Indian, Thai and "Mexican" food here...there are really so many options. - Apr 2022
There are a plethora of choices in Dakar — Senegalese, Cabo Verdean, French, Lebanese, Argentine, Chinese, Indian, etc. Some of the restaurants make you feel like you are in a chic neighborhood of Paris or New York. Jumia Food delivery service is excellent. You can even get fresh baguettes and croissants delivered for a small fee. - Jul 2020
There’s a KFC. Beyond that, there are some amazing restaurants, many of which are on the water. You can eat very well here, though pork products are hard to come by. - Dec 2019
JUMIA works pretty good, but selection is limited. I have written instructions to our place on the "notes" section of my phone so I can quickly send to delivery people. Food is good, but it's overhyped. Indian food is enough to get you by, but doesn't hit the comfort food level of East Africa! Lebanese is pretty good, but I expected better given the large Leb community here. No fast food chains, though I keep hearing KFC/pizza hut are coming soon... - Dec 2018
There is actually a great Sushi restaurant here O Sushi Bar! There are a few pizza places. You can download the JUMIA app, which is a great resource. The restaurants here all seem amazingly bland and expensive; so you pretty much go for the beach view. Service is pretty good, but it's a laid-back mentality so get used to waiting. - Dec 2018
Dakar has great restaurants at reasonable prices. Seafood galore, African fare, grilled everything, and then decent other options. Food delivery is increasingly available, beyond just pizza/sushi. There are no chain restaurants, which I consider a blessing. - Jun 2017
No known franchises, but plenty of burger and chicken places. Good seafood. No restaurant is inexpensive, though, and service typically does not match the price asked. - Apr 2016
There are no American or European chains in the country. There are plenty of good restaurants, some run by French expats. I find the cost is similar to DC or Northern Virginia. - Aug 2015
There are lots of new restaurants popping up in Dakar. The only "fast food" kind of places are at the mall or at Caesers which touts itself as the KFC of Africa. You can find Ethiopian, Italian, Lebanese, Argentinean, Brazilian, and lots of places serving local dishes. Dinners out can be a bit pricey, but it's a nice change of pace. There are several really great restaurants right on the ocean. - Aug 2014
Fast food imitates American/European fast food but is quite expensive. Times Cafe is like an American diner and less expensive. Serious dining (gastronomic) available, lovely, expensive. - Apr 2014
Yes, there are some good restaurants and beach-front places. Their cost is about like US prices. You will find that the nice restaurants cost just about the same as the shacks on the beach, however. - Jun 2013
There is a range of restaurants and fast-food places, but they are not really familiar chains. Restaurants can be expensive here. You can spend anywhere from $2 to $45 on a meal. - Mar 2013
There is no fast food. It is pretty difficult to go out to eat for less than about $12 per person, but usually closer to $15. You can get some great international food in Dakar - Italian, French, Lebanese, Argentinian, Moroccan, etc. There is no Mexican food. - Oct 2012
Some nicer upscale restaurants with DC prices, some casual pizza-type places, lots of French bakeries. Some ethnic restaurants (Thai, Chinese, Indian, Lebanese, Moroccan). - Mar 2012
A former French colony so the emphasis is on culinary experiences and not mass produced food. However mixing the French food flair with the West African approach means that you can expect to have a long wait, mediocre service for potentially good food. Everything here is expensive and restaurants are no exception. Be prepared to wait and pay a lot.don't forget lots of patience. Once you find a good restaurant with the right mix of food, service and price share it, as they are hard to find! - Aug 2011
There are a number of good restaurants. Dinner for 2 with drinks can run $50 or higher. New Argentinian restaurant a few blocks from the embassy is excellent. No American fast food restaurants here at all. - Jan 2011
Closest thing to fast food would be Pizza Inn and Caesar's Chicken and Pizza. - Feb 2010
There are lots of restaurants - some of what could be called fast food here would cost about twice the amount as the US.Higher end restaurants - probably the same cost as higher end restaurants in the US.Nice cream downtown has 40 flavors or so of homemade ice cream. - Feb 2010
Food is never fast here but very good restaurants are everywhere for very good prices.$5 to 10 for lunch, $10-20 and above for dinner. Not strong in Mexican nor Indian restaurant. Lots of French, italian, Chinese, African restaurants. - Jan 2010
African versions of fast food places in US. Adequate. A bit higher in price than in the US. - May 2009
