This Nigerian restaurant started out life as a pop up, hosting several temporary gigs around east London. These days though, you’ll find Chuku’ s debut bricks and mortar site on Tottenham High Road, taking up a cosy space with room for just 35 diners.
Chukus is the work of brother and sister duo Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick, whose work is heavily inspired by their Nigerian heritage. The dining room here is rooted in Nigerian culture, which means you can expect artwork from the region on the walls, as well as a soundtrack which champions the country’s biggest musical successes.
When it comes to the food, Chukus has become known for its unique brand of Nigerian ‘tapas’ – a selection of contemporary small plates which take their inspiration from the west African country. Anyone who has previously tried out of the team’s pop ups will find plenty that they recognise on the menu, with dishes such as jollof quinoa and plantain waffles. Elsewhere, you can tuck into the likes of suya meatballs, which for the uninitiated are grilled beef meatballs peppered with suya (a peanut spice blend from northern Nigeria).
There are plenty of dishes that vegetarians and vegans can enjoy too. These include a savoury vegan tart made from puréed black-eyed beans which is known as moi moi, and is dressed with fresh spinach, cabbage and a honey and chilli vinaigrette, alongside sinasir with miyan taushe: a rice pancake drizzled with a pumpkin and peanut sauce.
On the drinks side of things, you’ll come across cocktails such as a Hibiscus Sangria, as well as beers hailing from Nigeria. Talking about the opening to Hot Dinners, co-founder Ifeyinwa commented: “We are so excited to be finally opening our own place and couldn’t be happier that we have found a site in Tottenham. It’s got a real community feel that we love, which totally suits our home-from-home vibe."