Some call banku a food for warriors or champions, and this might be because this energy-packed, palatable Ghanaian dish doubles as a powerhouse food that recharges the body’s battery or due to the fact that one of Ghana’s famous boxers—nicknamed Bukom Banku—claims that he eats the meal for breakfast, lunch, and supper. While Accra‘s restaurants offer a wide range of international and local dishes, here are a few of the restaurants and eating spots where visitors can find irreplaceable-traditional Ghanaian favourites like banku.
Buka
Restaurant, African, Vegetarian, $$$
Many of the best restaurants serving banku can be found in Osu. At Buka, situated close to Osu’s centre, there’s almost no empty table to grab at lunchtime. Their cocktail bar is a unique addition to the dining experience, and their menu includes many West-African specialties to pick from aside from the banku the restaurant always serves warm with tasty fish, assorted meat, crab, or all kinds of soups and sauces. Buka is open from 12 pm–9 pm Monday-Saturday.
The Chop Bar’s atmosphere is reminiscent of the turn of the 20th century when experimental-Ghanaian highlife rhythms met with a society becoming accustomed to Western connections. Here’s one of the key spots to enjoy banku that tastes like it’s homemade. With all the mouthwatering-Ghanaian dishes on the menu, The Chop Bar doesn’t disappoint. Reasonably priced and with good service, their doors are open from Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm. Highly recommended for its appealing sea-side atmosphere, the lighting, design, and woody furniture add to the good vibes that makes the occasion worth remembering. Their banku can be ordered with fish yassa, flavour-filled grilled tilapia, lobster, prawn, or meat and with a savory sauce. The Ghanaian highlife and range of world music that emanates from the live band rockets restaurant goers into another world from the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel courtyard.
The Katawodieso kiosk is a street-styleatery in Osu with an interactive atmosphere and nice decorum. It is easy to locate it because of how popular it has become in Accra. It is an attractive sight to see banku, fufu, waakye, and jollof rice being cooked from enormous pots and served hot. Improvements in logistics could go a long way to help make things function more appropriately, but customer service by the warm-hearted waitresses is satisfactory, even at rush hour. The nice and relaxing atmosphere that makes Country Kitchen one of the best spots to have lunch in Osu is just one of the restaurant’s many attributes. The delectable dishes and quality service here are two more. Whether alone, with a partner, or with friends and family, patrols will enjoy a tasty serving of banku and red fish with sauce or with mutton, beef, or fried/grilled chicken steaks from 8 am to 10 pm Monday-Saturday. Their main course costs around GHc ¢25-50 and they offer delivery services.
