Native Foods - Ifo

The atmosphere at this restaurant is worth the visit. I enjoy dining in. The staff is attentive. The food is delicious, especially their pounded yam which is consistently excellent. The portions are generous for the average eater, but heavy eaters may want to order extra. There is plenty of parking available. Overall, this charming and beautiful restaurant is one of the best local food spots in Festac, if not the best.

On October 1st, the third day of our 4-day visit to Lagos, my wife, our hosts (my in-laws), and I decided to try Native restaurant. It was a Sunday evening, and we headed to Festac as they called ahead to order our meals of Pounded yam and fisherman soup, as well as ofada rice with native stew. I had been looking forward to this for a long time during the drive there, and I was not disappointed. Throughout my time in Lagos from October 2019 to April 2021, I had not been very impressed with the cuisine. Either the soups were too spicy or too bland for someone from Rivers like myself. However, my expectations were shattered as Native was worth all the hype and more. I may have even broken their pounded yam record with 7 servings.

I had a great experience at the restaurant, as the ambience was really nice. I ordered the Edikaikong and Pounded Yam, and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. The pounded yam was well-prepared and the Edikaikong was delicious. My date ordered the Banga soup and pounded yam, and although she asked for extra pepper, it was not added. However, she still enjoyed her dish. The only downsides were the customer service and the lack of music. The waitress seemed uninterested and it was difficult to get her attention. It would have been preferable to be able to place orders on a tablet or at least get an estimate of the cost.

It is very easy to access as it is located right on the road. But there are limited parking spaces. It is wheelchair accessible. The menu is quite affordable. The service is great. The highlight of this place is the see through glass kitchen. I had the banga and pounded yam. Also had a taste of the edikaikong and the Fisherman soup. It is a place you wanna definitely visit for good homemade food.

This definitely is one of nicest places to eat with your loved ones and kids. The food is good, the service is commendable, the adequately managed space is beautiful, and the ambience is warm and welcoming. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. Kudos.