One of the highlights of being in London is feeling as though you have access to the whole world, without ever having to leave the city. It’s brimming with a myriad of cultures, thanks to people from all across the globe graciously calling it home; including an estimated 1 million-plus Africans who have made their mark, bringing with them flavors, art, and traditions from across the continent. This is our guide for anyone who wants to experience a little piece of African culture, style, and luxury in London.

Explore the evolution of contemporary African fashion and style at the Victoria & Albert museum

Africa Fashion, an ambitious project from Dr. Christine Checinska and her team of curators, including the ever-brilliant Sunny Dolat, sees the museum’s Gallery 40 given over to a celebration of creativity as vast as the continent itself. Journeying through the post-independence era to the present day, it showcases a kaleidoscope of designers, from Morocco’s ARTC and Cameroon’s Imane Ayissi to South Africa’s Sindiso Khumalo and Kenya’s IAMISIGO. 

Visit the exhibition here.

Sip on South African spirits at Smokey Kudu

Peckham is well-known for its vibrant Nigerian community but this intimate cocktail bar takes its cues from further down the continent. Smokey Kudu, the sister bar to the popular Kudu restaurant, owned by Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams, opened in January 2020 and much like the original, it honours the latter’s South African roots. The cocktail menu changes seasonally but has, at its heart, exquisitely mixed drinks crafted with South African spirits and spices.

Book a table here.

Take a bite of authentic Algerian cuisine at Khamsa

Founded by Djamel Ait Idir in 2013, who wanted to share his Amazigh culture with his adopted city, Algerian restaurant Khamsa serves authentic dishes from the Kabylie region. The charming venue is decorated with treasures from trips back home and boasts a cosy basement room draped in swathes of organza. Everything, from the bouncy khobz to the artfully decorated sweets, is crafted in-house and we defy you to find fluffier couscous in London.

Book a table here.

Enjoy West African-inspired fine dining at Michelin star restaurant, Ikoyi 

The first restaurant in London dedicated to West African cuisine to win a Michelin star, Ikoyi opened in 2017 and serves dainty plates that are brimming with flavor. Headed up by Chef Jeremy Chan and his business partner Iré Hassan-Odukale, it was recently awarded a second Michelin star in 2022. Using locally sourced British ingredients to craft seasonal menus, it is defined by its artful use of spices combined with flavors found in sub-Saharan West African cooking — think ndolé leaves and scotch bonnet chilies alongside grains of selim. Head there for abstract-looking dishes served in elegant surroundings.

Book a table here.

Dive into discourse and Africa’s cultural diversity at The Africa Centre

Established as a charity in 1964, The Africa Centre threw open its doors as a ‘home away from home’ for Africans in the U.K. In the spring of this year, it unveiled its new Southwark site, from which it continues to spotlight talent from a wide range of disciplines, hosting in-conversations, launches, and exhibitions. As part of its grand reopening, it will also play host to Tatale, a pan-African restaurant inspired by old chop bars from Ghanaian chef Akwasi Brenya-Mensa. 

Find out more here.

Explore a new wave of African photographers at Doyle Wham
 

The U.K’s first gallery dedicated to contemporary African photography was welcomed into its permanent space in east London earlier this year, with a debut exhibition of the mesmeric work of South African artist Trevor Stuurman. Championing photographs of Africans by Africans, the gallery focuses on artists from south of the Sahara. Currently, Doyle Wham represents Gabon’s Yannis Davy Guibinga, alongside Nigeria’s Morgan Otagburuagu and Kenya’s Staice Shitanda. It also operates as a conscious platform, with 60% of each sale going directly to the artist, while a further 10% of the gallery’s proceeds are donated to charity partners, including The Right for Education Foundation.

Learn more here.

Get a curly-hair glo-up at Charlotte Mensah Hair Lounge

Legendary hair stylist and author of Good Hair, Charlotte Mensah opened Hair Lounge in 1999, with funding awarded by The Prince's Trust. The smart Portobello Road salon is staffed by stylists trained by the multi-award winning talent herself, who make use of the famed in-house Manketti Oil premium hair care range. With clients that include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Zadie Smith, don’t be surprised to see your favourite celebrity getting their hair done in the chair next to you. 

Learn more here.

Experience North Africa’s time-honoured beauty secrets at Casa Spa

Brought to North Africa by the Ottomans, the hammam was refined by each country that adopted it. Traditionally used in Morocco as a weekly bathing ritual as well as an opportunity to socialize with friends and family, Casa Spa in West London stays true to that approach with its women-only policy and group bookings. Opt for the signature hammam and body scrub, a deeply exfoliating treatment using traditional ​​black olive soap and the kessa glove, and ending, of course, with a refreshing glass of peppermint tea.

Book a treatment here.