Inside The Mayfair Restaurant Flying The Flag For Pan-African Fine Dining

Fancy going somewhere extra special? Maybe following in the footsteps of Stormzy, Jourdan Dunn, Poppy Ajudha and Bukayo Saka? Then come with us as we tuck into tasty African grub and marvel at beautiful, culturally important works of art at Stork, nestled in the grand surrounds of Mayfair. 

Love innovative and exciting dishes? Stork this way.

First things first, let’s discuss the location. Close to Burlington Arcade and an array of upmarket shops, Stork is right in the middle of the action. It stands out amongst its neutral-toned, regency-esque neighbours, with tropical flowers and lush greenery draped outside. Very inviting indeed.

After being greeted by the front-of-house staff, giving us serious members’ club feels, we were escorted to our table by the window. The interiors are as chic as you can get: black panelled walls, cascading plants, carved wood contrasting against green leather seats, coconut shell-like lighting and pretty origami storks hanging from the ceiling. The real standout features though were the colourful modern sculptures and paintings dotted across the restaurant, a nice parallel with the famous galleries that are all in the area.

This is your sign to have a quirky cocktail here after a day shopping.

As we relaxed to laid-back afrobeat tunes and enjoyed the effortlessly cool vibe, we started our evening with a sexy cocktail each. The Sweet African Heat (£17) was a great introduction to what Stork is all about: blending Courvoisier, Disaronno, suya pepper and grains of paradise heat syrup. A punchy tipple with a real kick. I was honoured to be the first-ever recipient of a brand new drink, currently named the Emmanuel (roughly £15) after the talented bartender. With plantain at the core, it was shaken up with Havana rum, banana liqueur and lime, plus decorated with an exotic leaf.

Stork gets its name from the migration of the aforementioned bird, covering Africa through to Europe, and the dishes take inspiration from a hotbed of cuisines. The yam coin (£13) was wonderfully presented on pebbles, which although stunning to look at, made it a little bit tricky to eat. But boy, was it gorgeous? The mix of textures coming from the soft centre and crunchy outer layer was a delight, plus the after hit of chilli was a nice surprise. Slightly smoky but sugary with coconut, my first venture into African fare was going well. My date relished his king prawns (£22), delicately spiced and uniquely marinated. If we were being fussy, we would have liked a bit more scotch bonnet jam as honestly it was a triumph, but the creamy avocado and chow chow was a magnificent combination.

Discover one-of-a-kind artwork at Stork.

The waiting team knew each plate inside out and were on hand to patiently explain any unfamiliar ingredients. This led us to the mains of classic red red (£19) and beef ribeye (£34). The former was sophisticated and elegant, impressive considering it was coal-roasted, and deliciously earthy. I could have eaten a lot more of the black-eyed peas and tomatoes as well. The latter was cooked to perfection: from the signature suya spice to the intensely flavoured yet tender cuts of meat. The fruity, rich gravy really was the star of the show, unbelievably precise and absolutely banging. As for the side? The cassava chips (£7) were chewy, speckled with paprika and downright heavenly.

Stork is certainly ruffling a few feathers in the London restaurant scene.

For a sensational end to your evening, go for the dark chocolate dome (£14). Theatrically presented with a melting, flaming sauce and gold leaf, turning the dessert into a gooey, decadent mix with peanut butter ice cream, popping candy and crunchy soil, this is extravagance at its very best. With food this good? Consider us signed up to the flock.

The DesignMyNight Digest 

Hand on heart, Stork was one of the most memorable restaurants I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. From the ambience and decor through to the technical, refined and ever-rotating menu, this isn’t just food for the soul, it’s an actual culinary experience and I can’t wait to go back. Heck, if it’s good enough for Stormzy…

Want more African restaurants in London? We’ve rounded up our faves, read the blog this way. For the hottest openings in the capital and exclusive offers, sign-up to our weekly newsletter.