Tatale

Tatale is a restaurant that demands your attention. Unlike those of us who try to acquire attention through the subtle medium of Instagram thirst traps, Tatale, a pan-African spot in Southwark, grabs hold of your mind with luminous orange nkatekwnan and the scotch bonnet slap of the ackee croquettes. The chilled but decidedly cool, cushion-clad space is designed for sharing dishes with loved ones. And apologising to said loved ones when you get distracted because the hot pepper rub on the fried chicken wings is flirting with your amygdala. Look away? You can’t. Leave? No thank you.

But we need to go back. Rewind each course from a licked-clean bowl of groundnut soup, spoons retreating from the warming medley of black eyed beans and plantain, until you’re stood back out on the pavement. Because the allure of this restaurant inside The Africa Centre starts before you’ve even stepped through the door. Two floors of full-length windows offer a sneak peek of Star beers clinking, happy friends and—it’s real, we’ve seen it—happy family meals. Digest the warm terracotta dining room with its thriving house plants and cushions. So many cushions. Back ache and stress have no place here. There’s nothing to worry about, least of all what to order because at Tatale, the set menu renders even that decision unnecessary—and there's not a dud course in sight. 

LDN Guide

London's Best New Restaurants Of 2022

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

The menu, served sharing style, is short and sweet, but with big sentimental feelings. Each dish is an ode to the chef’s most tender Ghanian childhood holiday memories and travels across the continents. We return from our holidays with a fridge magnet and a screaming overdraft, Akwasi Brenya-Mensa returned from Tel Aviv with the idea for a smooth black eyed bean hummus you’ll scoop and inhale. On the menu, the omo tuo with nkatekwnan comes with a warm anecdote about giggling every time ‘maame’ served it, and IRL it’s even warmer. A bear hug in groundnut soup form, tangy from the prekese, and complete with its own sticky mashed rice and sesame island.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Tatale is a place for taking Akwasi Brenya-Mensa’s delicious edible memories and making them your own. Savour them with anyone who already loves you enough that they’ll forgive you for eating the last of the plantain crisps while they’re distracted by another woven lampshade. Or anyone who can accept that tonight they won’t have your full attention. Tatale will.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Black Eyed Bean Hummus

We could write a short play entitled The Last Plantain Crisp at Tatale. We’d break the fourth wall and declare that our friend is a hummus hussie for eating the last one while our back was turned. A smoother than smooth, earthy dip with a splash of lemon that could be exhibit A in a case study on the addictive nature of hummus. Plus, it’s served with its own little lake of warming red palm oil.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Chichinga Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wings

Rub a dub dub. Once our sentiments towards bath toys and Wowcher massage vouchers, this phrase now exclusively applies to the skin of these chicken wings. The groundnut and hot pepper cover your spice needs while the happy little dollops of kewpie and the buttermilk keep it all outrageously juicy.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Ackee Croquettes

Our guy panko once again bringing the crunch. These citrusy fruity balls would be a little bit of a snooze fest by Tatale’s standards if it wasn’t for the scotch bonnet sauce. Dip away for a proper wham-bam snack.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Omo Tuo & Nkatekwnan

Sure, soup and mashed rice doesn’t sound like a particularly hot and heavy combo. But this groundnut soup is creamy, a touch sweet from the prekese, and the island of sticky mashed rice means that it’s also delightfully filling. It’s warming and refreshing. It’s loaded with sesame seeds. And it’s absolutely a dish that'll stick long in your memory.
This is one of our Best New Dishes Of 2022. Check out the full guide here.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Red Red Black Eyed Bean Stew

You’ve got onion, tomato, fermented locust beans, avocado, and gari all on one plate. And you know what, they belong together. All the flavours, all the textures, and all the drama thanks to the whole baked sweet plantain on top.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Chin Chin Cheesecake

Looking for an excuse not to leave Tatale just yet? Congratulations. You’ve just found it. This is the kind of homely take on a cheesecake, with whipped mascarpone and the sugary crunch of blitzed chin chin. Thanks to the cubed chunks of raw apple it isn’t remotely sickly, so any “I couldn’t possibly eat another mouthful” concerns—forget about them.