The Restaurant Bringing The Diversity Of Nigerian Food To North London

This article is part of a series showcasing Black-owned restaurants in London, in partnership with Just Eat.

In the heart of Tottenham lies Chuku's, a restaurant that reimagines the rich traditions of Nigerian cuisine through the style of sharing plates. Founded by siblings Ifeyinwa and Emeka, Chuku’s is not just a restaurant but a cultural hub – inviting diners to explore Nigerian flavours.

“We’d always talked about how amazing it would be to have a restaurant where people could experience our food and culture,” says Ifeyinwa. “But Chuku’s really began when my brother Emeka began hosting dinner parties serving Nigerian dishes to unsuspecting friends.”

Ifeyinwa was living in Martinique at the time when Emeka began excitedly sending her photos from his dinner parties..

“‘Let’s discuss when you’re back’, he said, and we did. The summer I came home, we started developing the concept together. On the sofa of our family home, we decided what Chuku’s would be. The idea of Nigerian tapas naturally emerged by combining Nigeria’s social dining culture with the buzzy, warm atmosphere we were used to from all Nigerian gatherings. And Emeka, who had previously lived in Spain, noted that what we were describing was very reminiscent of his time in Spanish tapas bars. And so the concept of Nigerian tapas was born. And in pretty much the same breath, we came up with the slogan ‘chop, chat, chill’ to encapsulate the Chuku’s dining experience.”

Chuku’s journey kicked off in 2016 with a series of successful pop-up events across London, introducing the concept of Nigerian tapas at venues like The Nest in Hackney and Canvas Cafe in Spitalfields. These pop-up events helped Chuku’s quickly build a loyal following, giving people the chance to sample a variety of dishes in one meal.

“We wanted it to feel like a Nigerian party – vibrant, lively, and full of sharing plates, just like the traditional celebrations where everyone gets a taste of everything.”

Reflecting on their mission, Ifeyinwa shares: “Growing up, we remember when Nigerian culture and food weren’t as widely celebrated as they are now. We wanted to create a space where we could showcase how amazing Nigerian food and culture truly are.”

Tottenham, with its vibrant Caribbean and African communities, might seem like the natural choice for Chuku’s permanent home. However, Ifeyinwa reveals that this wasn’t the driving factor behind their decision.

“At our pop-ups, we realised that most of our customers came from East and South London,” she explains. “So we thought Tottenham would be a nice meeting point, with the Victoria Line just minutes away from the restaurant. Tottenham was also going through a process of regeneration at the time and felt that opening in Tottenham would mean there was a restaurant in the area which could serve both the new and old Tottenham residents.

“Importantly, Tottenham had a strong community spirit. Community is at the heart of Chuku’s and we truly believed we could add value to the Tottenham community and be a place Tottenham locals could feel proud of, as well as being a hot destination location.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chuku’s, like so many other restaurants, faced significant challenges, having just opened their Tottenham location in early 2020, only for lockdowns to begin shortly after. Despite these setbacks, they managed to survive through strong community support. Over time, Chuku’s gained recognition from celebrity diners such as Gabrielle Union and catered for major events hosted by Meta, Tinder, and Dr. Martens. Things got even better when they received an £8,000 grant through Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Foundation.

“We literally applied for the grant a day before the deadline. I remember writing up the application on the train and sending it back and forth to my brother to edit and tweak,” recalls Ifeyinwa.

For Chuku’s, the mission has always been to introduce more people to Nigerian cuisine and culture while celebrating their heritage. Being on food delivery apps like JustEat has been a key part of that mission.

“We’ve created special meal boxes on JustEat that allow people to sample a variety of dishes in one order. So, we can bring the culture of sharing plates directly to people’s front doors.”

Every business owner has that one moment that makes all the challenges feel worthwhile. For Ifeyinwa, it came when a Nigerian woman brought her colleagues for a work dinner, and it was their first time trying Nigerian food.

“It made us happy to see that because this is exactly what we wanted – people trying Nigerian flavours and experiencing our culture and cuisine, and they all enjoyed it.”

Another key focus for Chuku’s has been nurturing young talent.

“We had a waitress who had been with us for years. When she started, she wasn’t as confident, but it was so lovely to see her grow and excel at her job, to the point where she would help train new staff. When she left this year, even my mum was like, ‘Oh no, she can’t leave!’ It’s lovely to see some of our staff grow alongside us. Not only have they helped the restaurant thrive, but they’ve been able to grow themselves as individuals – and that’s something I want to keep alive at Chuku's.”

If you’re visiting Chuku’s, Ifeyinwa recommends starting with the Sinasir & Miyan Taushe.

“It’s one of my favorites,” she says. “This Northern Nigerian dish features a rice pancake with a pumpkin and peanut stew, and we add a little maple syrup, but the flavors stay true to tradition.”

Ifeyinwa loves it not just for the taste but because it surprises diners, even many Nigerians, who haven’t tried it before.

“Not only do we get to educate other communities about Nigerian food, but we also get to show our own people the different flavors from across the country that they might not be familiar with – it’s a win-win.”

And Chuku’s isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

“We’re opening our second site in 2025,” Ifeyinwa said. “It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but we’re super excited for what’s ahead. Our second site is going to help us spread the word even more about how diverse and rich Nigerian food and culture really is.”