African-themed restaurant Afrikana promises “a unique vibrant menu” when it makes its debut in Bristol in the next couple of months.
Founded by Omar Ali in 2018 with its first restaurant in Aldridge in the Midlands, it has since opened six more branches in Derby, Birmingham, Cardiff, Blackburn, Dalston and Leicester. The vision is to “bring authentic home-cooked African-inspired dishes to the main high street and incorporate them in dishes most loved by our consumers”
The menu includes sharing platters, African-inspired burgers, chicken cooked with mild, medium, hot and very hot flavours, wraps, and salad plus specials like Bunny Chow (Tender mutton curry slow-cooked in-house, served in a warm bread loaf), Soulful Stew (West-African inspired stew of chicken and peanut), and Plenty More Fish (jerk seasoned salmon cooked until crispy, served with jollof rice, salad garnish and plantain).
A spokesperson for Afrikana told Bristol Live: “Our lovely Bristolians can expect a unique vibrant menu covering most dietary requirements – halal, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items.”
“Alongside this, we take importance in creating an entire experience and customers can expect regular live entertainment, African drummers, dancers, and DJs for a lively, fun, and authentic environment.”
The franchise holders of the new Bristol site, siblings Waseem Farid and Naheed Akhtar Qamar told Bristol Live that the halal choices offered by Afrikana were important for their decision to open in Bristol.
Waseem said: “After researching Afrikana and visiting a few of their restaurants, that’s when I thought there’s definitely a gap in the market for franchise restaurants that are also halal. And they’re not just restaurants that appeal to one group – you can be British, African, Asian or Chinese. As long as it’s halal.
“I looked at Bristol as a location and as an Asian myself and a Muslim, there’s hardly any halal restaurants in Bristol which is very shocking. Bristol is bigger than Cardiff with more people and more affluence and if Afrikana comes to Bristol, it can bring a variety of different food.”
