The best restaurants Brazzaville

A garden planted with banana, safoutier, mango and lychee trees, tables lit by candle or kerosene lamp in the evening, plunge you into an intimate atmosphere. A menu as invariable as a celebration, such as the unique moringa salad or braised likouf. No stock, just the freshest, highest-quality produce. All prepared and served by Maman Ro, a person of great finesse and equal kindness. The best of Brazzaville's canteens.

After a difficult period during Covid-19, chef Honor Toudissa has relaunched his restaurant in his family compound. His kitchen is a veritable laboratory for creative dishes based exclusively on local produce. Returning to the sources of Congolese culinary tradition, Honor revisits and sublimates them in her own way, with exacting standards of presentation and original combinations of ingredients. Each of her dishes is a culinary voyage, as are her local juices and jams. Sleeping accommodation is available in a family environment.

Breakfast, gourmet break, lunch, light supper - any occasion is a good one to make a detour to La Gourmandine! Excellent coffee, ultra-fresh club sandwiches, large pastries and cakes, well-stocked pizzas, homemade hamburgers, delicious cakes and mignardises, everything is pleasant in this air-conditioned establishment. The standard, welcome and quality are the same as at Hotel Mikhael's, at more than reasonable prices, so you can give in to temptation without depriving yourself.

Small restaurant with outdoor terrace and indoor air-conditioned dining room. The menu features hot and cold sandwiches, fresh salads and local dishes such as freshwater fish broth, ginger chicken strips and sautéed carp. Breakfast formulas are also available to get the day off to a good start. The products are good, the service fast and the welcome pleasant. Occasional cultural events brighten up the place to the delight of customers. A good place to eat at any time of day.

The restaurant doesn't look like much, yet once inside, you're immediately seduced by its neat, elegant surroundings. The menu is exhaustive, ranging from European dishes to grilled meats, from Senegalese specialties to local dishes. Try thiéboudiène, rabbit simmered in red wine, or smoked fish broth with pumpkin seeds. A wide choice of side dishes: rice, safou, semolina, banana/fries, peas... However, there's little variety in the desserts, so make the most of the main course!

Open since 1993, La Mandarine is a veritable institution in Brazzaville. A shaded terrace under the arcades of Avenue Foch, two air-conditioned dining rooms, another terrace at the back where a cosmopolitan clientele mingles for breakfast or dinner on the go. The main attraction is the tempting pastries and cakes, delicious viennoiseries and delicious bread. A wide variety of ice creams and sorbets. Sandwiches, hamburgers, pizzas and Lebanese dishes are also available. Too bad the service isn't up to scratch.

A vast terrace, covered and ventilated, lit up by little loupiotes when night falls, a Vietnamese team at the stove who know how to prepare good classics, with basic products and impeccable preparation, friendly service and bosses who listen to their customers: all these elements make l'Hippocampe a very good address, both for the plate and for the atmosphere. On Fridays, there's a barbecue evening, with music, cocktails and copious menus. Not to be missed!

Everyone will tell you that Ô Sympathic is a Brazzaville institution. This restaurant, opened in 2001 by a French family, offers both traditional, top-flight cuisine and fusion dishes combining French know-how and local flavors. On the menu, beef estouffade en cocotte with red wine, duck breast with tsuitéké coulis and lobster fricassee... everything is appetizing. For dessert, you'll be tempted by Turaine cream in Téké country. And the wine? Good bottles, expensive, but well worth the price. Not to be missed.

Mami Wata is a siren, an extremely jealous African divinity who can enter a woman's body, a beauty... just like this renowned restaurant. Before taking a look at the menu, it's worth taking the time to appreciate one of the most beautiful views of the Zairean capital. As for the cuisine: lobster, fish, world cuisine with a surprising ostrich carpaccio that's easy to appreciate, grilled meats... All fresh and tasty. Mixed clientele: wealthy Congolese, expatriates and dignitaries of the regime. A highly recommendable address.

Behind the white window window is a tiled and air-conditioned bistro, mainly dedicated to slot machines.

Hotel Villa Lys's restaurant is located on the top floor of a glass structure. On the plate, Italian and French specialities, and some of the less expensive Congolese dishes, closer to a bistro kitchen or room service than that of a full restaurant. This is an insignificant service, long service to have a good and fresh dish, but without any originality to justify such high prices. It is possible to get there just a drink: This is the best choice for this original restaurant, illuminated in the evening. 

Run by a Russian woman, this gourmet restaurant is unique in Brazzaville. It serves Western, Congolese and Russian specialties, all equally delicious. Treat yourself to duck breast with orange, saka-saka or Russian ravioli. Large ceremony room for 200 to 250 people, with all-inclusive service for weddings, training courses or conferences. There are also 3 VIP rooms for added privacy. Delivery, catering and business lunch services. Meticulous, attentive service.

One of the best restaurants in the capital! Founded in 2016 by a young, experienced chef, Olivia Bumba, the establishment has since forged its reputation. The setting is elegant and romantic, especially its flower-filled covered terrace. Chef Olivia offers inventive dishes based on Franco-African fusion cuisine, with a menu that changes frequently. Gourmets will appreciate the regular brunches and tea times. Inventive and explosive cocktails. Friendly, attentive staff. An address not to be missed!

Close to the Caisse Nationale de la Sécurité Sociale, this restaurant is popular with locals for its friendly setting, pleasant garden out of sight and good grilled meats. The menu is straightforward, offering meat kebabs, grilled entrecôte, wood-smoked chicken and broiled Toulouse sausage, plus a small selection of classic side dishes. Also special dishes for children. Delicious house cocktails. Outdoor billiards and children's games. Family atmosphere and a warm welcome from the staff.

Under a large, sheltered terrace, Valentine serves Congolese dishes as well as Cameroonian ones, such as DG chicken. The plates are copious and tasty, as are the prices, which are very affordable. Don't be in a hurry, though: the wait can be long and the welcome seriously lacking in warmth. But with friends, it's always a warm and friendly place, especially during soccer matches, when the atmosphere is at its best!

Close to the Institut français du Congo, near the Saint-François church, this bar-restaurant invites you to take an exotic break in the heart of a lush garden with a lovely pond. It's the perfect place to enjoy a drink, dine on gourmet dishes from African and European cuisine, or simply nibble on tapas with friends. The dynamic establishment offers salsa, bachata and kizomba evenings, as well as karaoke and theme nights. Smiling staff. An exotic escape in the heart of the capital.

Right in the center of town, this small, unassuming restaurant is a good option for lunch on the go. The menu, which hangs on the wall, features local specialties such as salted fish or wild broth, with side dishes such as fried bananas or manioc. The plates are tasty, although they take a long time to serve. Here's a tip to avoid the wait: order in advance and come back an hour later to enjoy your meal.

Overlooking the Congo River, this unpretentious nganda offers breathtaking views of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, with its majestic cable-stayed bridge dating from August 15, 1960 adjacent to the establishment. The setting is particularly magical at sunset, when the two capitals take on the colorful hues of twilight. As well as enjoying an aperitif, you can also dine on local dishes such as antelope broth, mayo chicken and salted fish. Side dishes can be ordered separately: manioc, sorrel, saka-saka, fried bananas... Good value for money.

At the mouth of the Congo and Djoué rivers, opposite the Île des Amoureux, Bantu Beach is popular with the Congolese, especially in the dry season, for its barbecues with feet in the water, to the rhythm of Bantu dances. In addition to barbecues on the sand, concerts and a traditional village sometimes enliven the place. The atmosphere is quieter in the rainy season, when the water covers the beach. However, you can still enjoy local specialities, grilled meat or fish, under a large straw hut overlooking a superb landscape. Worth a visit!

On the edge of the corniche, this restaurant offers a pleasant setting and good value for money. It's best to sit on one of the raised terraces to enjoy the panoramic view of the neighboring capital, Kinshasa. The menu offers a wide range of choices, from burgers and pizzas to salads and African specialties. The range of drinks is just as wide, with cocktails with or without alcohol, spirits, juices and numerous beers. Live music is sometimes organized on the stage at the entrance to the site. Parking.