This is going to be both a travel article as well a food critique. Bear in mind that everything written here is a collection of personal opinions and not a statement of fact. Go with me to Nigeria, and let us seek out the best places to eat Jollof rice in Nigeria.
1. Eko Hotel, Lagos
We mentioned Eko Hotel in one of our articles from last week. Eko Hotel is one of Nigeria’s most expensive and hospitable hotels.
It stands on the Lagos Island, and prides itself in being a place pf warmth. Not only will you enjoy the Jollof rice cooked here, you will also love the flavor of Lagos Nightlife.
Nightlife in Lagos is something you don’t want to miss. It is truly beautiful.
2.Bukka’s on The Lagos Mainland
Lagos mainland is home to several Bukka’s. A Bukka is a roadside shop where food is sold. Whilst some are quite hygienic, others are not. But I assure you that what is lacking in hygiene is made up for in taste.
Lagos Bukka’s make some of the best Jollof rice in Nigeria. I doubt anywhere else comes close.
And the good thing is: you can find these Bukka’s easily. The downside is you may have to sit and eat with strangers. So, if you are one like me who has a bit of social anxiety, you should ask to be served in a “takeaway” plate. You’ll most likely have to pay for the takeaway plate.
Read: African Countries with the Best Jollof Rice
3. Lagos Weddings
What is a Lagos wedding without Jollof rice? I will tell you what: not a Lagos wedding. A huge population of people who live in Lagos are Yorubas. Something stands out amongst the Yorubas. They are party lovers.
They want to enjoy their lives. They want to enjoy their time. They want to make every event count.
A Lagos wedding is the best spot to eat a very spicy variant of Jollof rice. By spicy, I mean peppery.
Lagosians like to eat a lot of pepper. They believe it makes the food sit well in the mouth and in the stomach. And they may be right about the stomach part. Studies agree that eating spicy food may be enough to keep a person from throwing up.
After the Jollof rice at a Lagos wedding should come the Amala.
In our African food series, which will be live in a couple of weeks to months, we will be showing you how to prepare some of the best African meals. Jollof Rice and Amala will top that list.
4. An Ondo Child Dedication
The city of Akure may not look a lot like Lagos, but it does have a lot of cultures and recreational activities you will find in Lagos.
Akure boasts of some of the best child dedication food in the country. In Nigeria, a child is dedicated in a church.
The ceremony is welcomed with drinks and food. The Jollof rice served is often spicy. But more than that, it is also a bit burnt.
There is a saying that Jollof rice that has that flavor of being burnt is often the best Jollof rice to eat. I think I agree.
5. University of Uyo
Along the road that leads into the town campus of the “University of Uyo,” just by a street light, you will find something sembling of a traditional Lagos Bukka, only different in the sense that it does not have a roof. There is only a table with coolers on top.
People crowd there every night to buy the acclaimed: “Ikpa Road Rice.” Or: “Street light rice.”
The Jollof rice cooked there is by far the best-fried rice I have tested in a very long time. Though spicy and very tasty, it is quite cheap.
With as little as N1,000, which is barely up to $1, you can get yourself a plate which contains a big chunk of beef or chicken.
Read: Lagos Travel Guide
6. Spicy Chicken
This is a fast food that is acclaimed in the Southern parts of Nigeria. It is one of the best places to have Jollof rice, which is both spicy and fresh.
The Jollof rice here, at least to me, tasted a bit different from what I’ll call “regular” Jollof rice, in that it had a distinct flavor that may have come from the tomato paste used for cooking.
I tasted it along Calabar Road, Calabar.
I bought some for my mom, who agreed that it was the best she had tasted. And it was. It was really good.
7. Port Harcourt Hang Outs
When it comes to foods, Port Harcourt is acclaimed for two: Bole, and Fisherman soup. This is why it is easy to miss the beauty of Port Harcourt Jollof rice.
Whilst you will often get fried chicken to accompany your Jollof rice down your throat in other states, in Port Harcourt, you will get big chunks of fried fish.
Port Harcourt is a riverine city, so most of their meals have fish in the mix.
Port Harcourt fried rice sticks with you longer than you will want it to. That is how good it is.
8. Akwa Ibom Funerals
Whilst funerals are often sad and gloomy, in Akwa-Ibom, Nigeria, it is often a ceremonial affair if the deceased has lived long enough.
They become a “Celebration of Life.”
And in this celebration, food is often served. Good food. One of which is Jollof rice. I promise you that it will be amongst the best Jollof rice you’ll ever taste.
Jollof rice served at funerals is famed with the name: “Burial rice.”
It is something incredibly beautiful.
9. Chicken Republic
Last but not least, Chicken Republic is a nationwide food service. They cook some of the best Jollof and fried rice you will eat in Nigeria.
They’re amazing, and their food is quite cheap. A win for everyone.
Jollof rice is beautiful!
