Luanda-Nightlife! Restaurants, Bars & Night Life in Luanda!

Manjara Restaurant (Portuguese Cuisine)

2010-11-07T08:29:00.006+01:00

Manjara is located on Ilha, approximately 300 meters after Bob's Burger or the new Esplanada Grill, and 400 meters before Chillout. It is in a green building that you can spot easily from the road.

From the outside, it looks a bit old and this explains why we had never tried it. But after hearing some positive comments about the food there, we decided to check the place yesterday.

There are two dining areas, one downstairs has air-conditioning, and the other one, much nicer, is in the open-air. We were surprised to have live music, which was good but as it often happens in Angola, a bit too loud if you want to have a conversation. Apparently, live music is on Fridays and Saturdays. Guests are invited to sing if they can so it creates quite a friendly atmosphere.

The menu of Manjara has mainly Portuguese dishes, such as grilled garoupinha, bacalhau con natas, bife a portuguesa, etc... First, we ordered some caipirinhas, which were ok but they were not made with crushed ice. For the food, we each had a different dish, for which we paid from 2900 to 3200 kwanzas. The portions were quite big, and we could not finish our plates. I think Manjara is a bit like Veneza, it's best to order 3 dishes for 4 people if you don't have a big appetite. On the positive side, we all enjoyed our food, which was well cooked and well presented.

I didn't have a very good camera with me so no great photos for this time.. At least you can get an idea of how it looks like..

To conclude, Manjara is good for:
- Big portions of Portuguese cuisine
- Simple, friendly place
- Outside terrace
- Near the party places on Ilha
- Live music twice a week

Manjara Restaurant Luanda
Rua Ilha de Luanda Mortala Mohamed
Tel: 222 309 348 /924 251 669 / 929 377 603

Portofino Restaurant Luanda

2010-10-24T21:30:00.005+01:00

Portofino is an upmarket restaurant located on the third floor of the building of the Deana Day Spa, on the marginal. If I'm not wrong, the place belongs to Angola's First Lady, the wife of Jose Eduardo Dos Santos (Ana Paula?) and actually, the only time I went to the spa she was there!

We went to Portofino on a Sunday evening, and apart from us two, plus two other customers, it was completely empty. It is brand new, very neat and very chic, but a bit too much in my taste. It may look like a good copy of poshier places, but it doesn't manage to have a real authentic feel...

The waiters were great, among the most professional I've seen in Luanda: Efficient, smiling and smart. I ordered the baby beef, which cost me 3,750 kwanzas and it was good, though overpriced knowing we also paid 1600 kwanzas for couverts + 1000 kwanzas for water we didn't ask for.. My friend had the risotto, which she said was the best she had in Luanda. She said it was a bit expensive but worth it for her. For dessert, we tried the cheesecake (1,600 kwanzas) which was average.. Overall, I think a full meal in this restaurant will cost you well over $100, making it among the most expensive in Luanda.

With some nice lounge music in the background and a beautiful view on the marginal, we had a very pleasant dinner. That is why I would recommend Portofino for a date, or anything intimate between a few people only. More laidback, you also have the Bahia restaurant only a few meters away if you come with a big group of friends.

Practical Information:
- Parking for customers
- Open everyday from 12h to midnight
- Free wifi
- It is also a lounge so you can come only for a drink if you prefer

Click on the map to enlarge

Portofino Restaurant
Morada Av. 4 de Fevereiro, 185
Marginal, Luanda

Tel: 937 24 76 95 / 922 39 40 15 / 929 40 04 69

SoMel Lounge (In CeFoJor or MixFM)

2010-10-23T15:06:00.006+01:00

Somel is a lounge and restaurant a bit hard to find, but worth knowing if you leave near the Sagrada Familia as it is only a few hundred meters away. To find it, you need to go inside the CeFoJor, the Journalist Formation Center (you also have MixFM there).

All the tables of Somel are outside, so you can enjoy the calm and the relaxing atmosphere of the center. There is a small garden and trees, a rare sight in Luanda and the main reason you shoud come here.

You always have some chilling/lounge music in the background, with occasionally a live DJ playing. Add to that some top notch plasma screen and sofas, and it makes Somel cool enough to attract many upper class Angolans... I think a big star was there when I took the pictures because his manager came at me very angry and asked me to delete them..

We've been twice there and we had mixed reactions concerning the food. It is quite expensive, about 3000kwz or more for a dish, and I can think of more than one place where you get much better food, or larger portions for this price (Embaixador/Veneza/Naquele Lugar/Asia Lounge, etc..). Personally, I was unlucky the first time, but the second time it was excellent (but too small). The dishes are not very original and consist mainly of grilled fish/meat à la Portugaise. On the positive side, it is well-located in an original venue, and it is very clean and modern so you will feel comfortable (but bring mosquito repellent if you come at night...). Also, the waiters, though not so experienced, were at least smiling...

Click on the map to enlarge it

Somel Lounge and Restaurant
Rua Luther King, 123/124

Marianita Pastelaria (Maianga)

2010-10-23T14:27:00.006+01:00

Marianita has become our favourite venue for breakfasts and brunches in Luanda. It is a pastelaria (snack and pastries bar), just like the ones you have in Lisbon. There isn't a big attention paid to the settings, but it is welcoming, clean and efficient.

The dishes are simple but they taste good and you have a lot of choice. No real meals though. I usually go for the freshly-made orange juice + some pastries (among which pasteis de natas of course) + pizzas or sandwich.. The service is fast and you have quite many loyal customers that we see regularly, with one of the newspapers available to read for free. For Luanda standards, I think the prices are OK: You will pay around 1000kwz for 2 snacks plus a drink.

If you live walking distance from Marianita, I recommend you this place. They also do take-away.

Click on the map to enlarge it.

Pastelaria Marianita
Rua Augusto Tadeu de Bastos, 32 R\C
Maianga, Luanda
Phone: 222 335 651 or 912 725 658

Alvalade 61 - Restaurant Grill Wine Bar

2010-09-19T09:56:00.003+01:00

As I just came back from holidays, I made some good resolutions, and in particular to write more reviews for Luanda-Nightlife.

Exploration started again, and we found a new restaurant we went to yesterday called Alvalade 61. It is very easy to find, as it is right next to Hotel Alvalade, only 15 meters away.

The place is a grill, bar and restaurant, and it is located inside a sort of basement, so you have no windows. No decoration but it is all new and clean (Alvalade 61 opened only 3 months ago, in June 2010). Soft music is played, giving it a quite intimate and cozy feel. It is still relatively unknown so no too many guests were there, only about 10.

The menu is very common for Angola with many Portuguese dishes like Bacalhau com Natas, Arroz de Mariscos, etc.. I had the Alvalade 61 grilled steak, which I forgot to make a photo of as I was so hungry.. It is basic but well cooked and filling. My friends had the chicken and sole. Both were happy. We paid a total of 4,500 kwanzas each, includung drinks and coffee, which is the average for Luanda.

I think the waiters are still in the process of learning because they seem to be somewhat hesitant.. In spite of that, everyone was very friendly.

Click on the map to enlarge

Contact details:
Alvalade 61
61 Rua Comandante Gika
Luanda

Luanda Jazz Festival 2010

2010-07-26T13:59:00.002+01:00

The second edition of the Luanda Jazz Festival will take place this weekend in Ciné Atlantico, from Friday 30th of July to Sunday 1st of August.

The expected line-up features some world-renowned singers and musicians, including Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés, US vocalist Dianne Reeves, Angolan guitarist/vocalist Waldemar Bastos and Filipe Mukenga, and the Cape Verdean singer Lura.

The Jazz festival is a rare occasion to enjoy great music in Luanda and should not be missed. For more information about the schedule and ticketing, you can visit the website http://www.luandajazzfest.com/.

Bico do Sapato (Near Coqueiros Stadium)

2010-05-12T21:42:00.007+01:00

Bico do Sapato is a very chic restaurant, so chic in fact that the owner doesn't really care about you finding it. I had heard of the place for at least 6 months but never managed to find it until last Sunday.

We went there yesterday night, very curious about what could be found inside. You have a small terrace in the open air and another, slightly larger interior room. Very secret, very discreet, a good place for bringing a date if you can afford it (but don't offer her to choose the wine, some bottles cost over 5000 dollars!!!).

All the clients inside were smart-dressed and presented well, and they are probably used to come to Bico do Sapato. The restaurant specializes in seafood, but we didn't know that so we ordered meat for all of us. It's only after we looked at other people's tables that we realized our mistake... The meat was great, but twice as expensive as the one in Veneza and almost the same quality. We ended up paying 6000 kwanzas each for our meal = 1 main dish + 1 caipirinha + couvert. It's really more than the average but it's rare to get excellent food in Luanda so we didn't regret it.

Click on the map to enlarge it
Bico Do Sapato
Rua dos coqueiros
In the Stadium, near Entrance 1 (See photo)
Tel: +244 921596666

Open from Monday to Saturday from 5PM to Midnight. Closed on Sundays.

The French wine list of Bico do Sapato:

Lookal - Sao Jorge Beach Club

2010-05-02T17:44:00.005+01:00

Lookal is the renovated Sao Jorge restaurant, to which I had never been to. The result is excellent: Lookal puts together a bar, a restaurant, a club and the beach into one single area where you can easily spend your whole afternoon, your evening and your night. There is a DJ in the middle of Lookal playing all day long an original mix of funk/house/brazilian/top 40 songs.

The decoration is perfect and at the time of writing, everything is still new so it really feels like we are in a trendy place in Europe like Ibiza. In spite of that, it is cheaper than Chillout or Caribe for the food and drinks. At night, girls have to pay 1000 kwanzas to enter with one drink and guys pay 3000 kwanzas for 3 drinks. I was a little bit disappointed at night because people were not dancing so much, and at 3AM everybody had left. I didn't try the food yet, but I will update the blog when I do.

Conclusion: Recommended place for a Saturday or a Sunday afternoon, but it doesn't beat my favourite beach bar on Ilha: The Bordão

Lookal Sao Jorge
Av Murtala Mohamed
Luanda (Ilha do Cabo)
Phone Number: (+244) 923 596 114

Capricciosa Pizzaria

2010-04-26T21:14:00.006+01:00

Two weeks ago, Luanda-Nightlife announced it had found the best pizzas of Luanda in La Pasta... Since then, we found an even better pizzeria: Capricciosa Restaurant in the Alvalade area.

If you work in Total E&P Angola, it's very close from the Impala/Palanca residences, only 5 minutes walking and you should really try it!

Capricciosa is very tiny, it seems to occupy what used to be a house's garage. There are around 10 small tables in the open air and in the back, a few more tables are under a roof near the kitchen. It's very simple but laid-back and welcoming. The manager even came at our table to ask if everything was OK.

The pizzas are quite expensive (3000 kwanzas and more), but they are made of fresh ingredients and the pizza crust is really thin. We were four people and we only took two pizzas. For once, the pizzas are not called by their typical name: No margarita, no napolitana, no quattro stagioni, each one is specific to Capriciosa. We were still a little hungry after our two pizzas but in the end, we only paid 1600 kwanzas each so it won't cost you so much if you have a small appetite.

Conclusion: Very recommended. They also do take away.

You can click on the map to enlarge it.

Capricciosa Pizzaria
Augusto Tadeu Basto, nº 59 Maianga
Open from 17 to 23h
Tel: 222 393 867

La Pasta - Italian Restaurant - Pizza

2010-04-19T20:30:00.006+01:00

La Pasta is loacated just above the Portugalia restaurant, at the entrance of Ilha. It has the reputation of being the best Italian restaurant in town. Luanda-Nightlife had postponed a visit there a few times but we were finally able to make it last Friday to see how it compares with my current favourite Italian place: Don Castellana Elio.

We had heard very good recommendations so we were not surprised to find that La Pasta is very clean and nicely decorated to European standards. There are large windows all around the room that give a good view of Luanda but it's probably better during the day than at night. They had a problem with AC that evening apparently, which caused us to leave quickly once we had finished eating because we could not stand the heat.

The dishes are quite expensive, especially if you take pasta. Pizzas will cost you around 3000 pizzas but they may be the best pizzas in Luanda: Large, lot of cheese, fresh ingredients. My friends who had ordered risotto were a bit disappointed: Their dish was good but certainly too expensive for what they got. In the end, we paid 5500 kwanzas each for just a main dish + wine (1 bottle at 3500 kwanzas). The service was very attentive and, this is the first time it happens in Luanda: We were served our dishes in no time, less than 15 minutes!

Conclusion: I recommend La Pasta if you like good pizzas, but for the other dishes, I think I still prefer Don Castellana Elio restaurant.

Broadway Bar (Sagrada Familia)

2010-03-16T09:41:00.011+01:00

That's right dear readers, Luanda Nightlife is back! After a regrettably quiet few months, and break-up of numerous marriages, relationships and friendships, and with the ever present threats of bankruptcy and unemployment looming over us, Luanda Nightlife has gone through somewhat of a revolution. But merely the kind of revolution that involves zero action and changes nothing whatsoever.

Of course, our core values remain strong, and we are almost as dedicated as ever to discovering this quite tough-to-love city of ours, Luanda.

In actual fact the only reason I ended up visiting a restaurant was purely financial: my latest date offered to pay for our dinner. Sweet! So after hours of discussion we decided on Broadway Bar, an Indian restaurant next to Andy's Boutique. Andy's Boutique is frankly the most over-decorated shop in Luanda selling items of clothing and accessories, and I understand Broadway Bar is also a part of this establishment. The entrance is quite dramatic, with all the curtains and lights making the restaurant look more like a cheesy vodka bar. The inside decoration is actually rather pleasant and not so in your face - certainly if you've visited O Caril then you would know what in your face deco looks like… In my opinion Broadway Bar is a reasonably romantic place and you see many other couples wining and dining there.

Things turn slightly confusing when you are faced with that monster of a menu, which I’m sure they only created to provide you with a talking point, an ice-breaker if you like, to give you a hand with your awkward date. There are way too many pages in this book, with description of starters, mains and tourist attractions and activities. The choice of tandoori dishes is impressive but I have never managed to read all of them and always end up asking the friendly waiter for his recommendation.

It takes a while (more than 45mins) to prepate your food but when it arrives it's certainly worth it. I was a bit disappointed with the choice of Lamb dish, but the chicken was just delicious. On average the prices over 3000kwanzas for a mains dish, not the cheapest restaurants but one of my favourite places to eat.

I would definitely recommend Broadway Bar if you like good Indian food. It makes a nice change from the usual cuisine in Luanda and you will have a lovely time with your friends.

Apparently they also do take aways - contact them for more infromation.

Click on the map to enlarge.

Broadway Bar (In front of O Padrinho Restaurant)
Indian Restaurant
Address: Rua Albano Machado, 88 - Luanda – Angola
Phone: (+ 244 2) 39 49 62 / 39 15 89 / 923592116
e-mail: andyjr@andyfashion.com

Rio Seco (Maianga)

2010-01-10T22:36:00.008+01:00

Rio Seco is a small neighborood restaurant in Maianga, that looks like a small shop from the outside. We were surprised to discover the inside is quite new and modern, and it's with renewed enthusiasm that we ordered our dishes.

Unfortunately, the waiting was very long (over an hour), barely acceptable if it wasn't for the pleasant discussion the luanda-nightlife team had about NGOs in Angola, thanks to our special guest Ms R.

By the time the food was on our plates, we were so hungry that our first impression was that fine dining had been served. A few bites later we started to slow down on the eating, realizing that we didn't really enjoy our dishes.. I wouldn't say it was bad, but it was miscooked. In the end, we were quite disappointed by Rio Seco. The only positive thing I observed was that the waitress was wearing a Christmas costume and she was funny (if I remember correctly).

Chez Wou (Ilha de Luanda)

2010-01-08T11:20:00.012+01:00

So for a second time in the space of a week we are reviewing a Chinese restaurant. And we make no apologies for it given how long we've been neglecting the needs of the ever expanding Chinese community in Luanda. Needless to say, here at Luanda Nightlife, we are not in the business of angering any Chinese people!

Chez Wou is probably the most famous Chinese restaurant in Luanda. I never know which one is Chez Wou I and which is the number II, but I'm talking about the one at the beginning of Ilha, on the way to Chicala, with the grand exterior. I think this is the more modern of the two. The building is 4 or 5 storeys high but the restaurant occupies only the 1st floor. I’ve made a lot of speculations about what could be located in the remaining floors, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it very certainly holds a massage parlour, a casino or a karaoke. The interior decoration makes you feel like you are in a Chinese restaurant, which is usually a good start. It is not grandiose, but different enough from your own kitchen to make you feel disoriented for the first 5 minutes. They seem to have people of all ages working there, from the young Chinese waitresses to the old couple who greeted me. As with every other Chinese restaurant, service is quick (15-20 minutes max) and professional. The menu is long and written in French, English, and Mandarin, with an average price of 2000 kwanzas for a main dish. We found the food was OK but not that excellent given the reputation of Chez Wou.

One thing that does distinguish Chez Wou from the other places is their rotating round tables. I'm a big fan of the old round table as you can see and talk to all your friends more easily. The rotating top also provides some fun and games for customers, no matter how old they are! And of course it's a handy way to share food with others at your table. Just look at the photos and see how we are having fun!

Chez Wou
Av. Mortala Mohamed nº 50 R/C - Ilha do Cabo. Luanda
Tel. +244 222 309 517 - Mob. +244 924 237 190
Fax. + 244 222 309 583

Shanghai Baia Restaurant (Ilha de Luanda)

2010-01-05T10:55:00.009+01:00

Shanghai Baia is a Chinese restaurants located on Ilha after Cais de Quatro restaurant. The interior of the restaurant is quite modern, and you can enjoy the beautiful view of the city over the bay.

The menu is very chinese with some very vague names and even more peculiar photos that do not particularly help. There are quite a lot of dishes in the menu, with over 70 appetizers and mains. It remineded me of the menu at Cais de Quatro, but with less variety. Prices start from 700 kwanzas for a starter to 5000 kwanzas for a lobster. It took us a very long time to finally decide on our choice of food. Some mighty fine examples of Chinglish are on offer to keep the customers amused , with the puzzling "Deep Fride Vegetarian Duck" or the somewhat amibigous "deep fride garlic Hong Kong Abderdeen style" appearing on the menu!

The service was excellent and they prepared the food extremely quickly, within 15 minutes we had our starters and main courses followed shortly. Always impressive for Luanda, even more so given that we were in a big group. The waiters were very professional and attentive. I think the food is quite adequate and authentically chinese. If you know how to navigate your way around a chinese menu you can find some superb dishes in there but even if not; most plates are nice and worth the money.

email: shanghai_baia@yahoo.com.cn
tel: +244 222 309 198
923 788 188
924 296 66

Big Bite (Kinaxixi)

2009-12-19T10:07:00.004+01:00

Big Bite is a small fast food with one unique product, the chicken roll. It is quite cheap, 800 kwanzas, and I must say I'm very fond of it even though it is junk food.

It is always quite busy and I think it is also a hangout place for many Angolans.

Teatro Elinga (Downtown Luanda)

2009-12-13T20:42:00.006+01:00

Elinga is back, and apparently it is back for good! For those who were in Luanda last year, you may have been to one of the at least 10 "Last party of Elinga before closure", which were all really great! Elinga is by far my favourite bar in Luanda for different reasons: No traffic jam to go to Ilha, excellent music (international standard DJing in my opinion), moderate price and all that in an old, historical building with a lot of charm. The place is crowded with ONG, UN and embassy workers, and it is also popular with gays, making the atmosphere quite different than in any other bars in Luanda. Many expats, probably too many, but I hope it will become more popular among locals too.

The musical program can be quite varied... Before being a bar, Elinga Teatro is a cultural center in Luanda with many art shows, concert, and other cultural events. They have reggae, house, electro, blue, jazz, samba nights.. The best you can do if you like the place is to subscribe to their newsletter: x.movimento at gmail.com.

For about six months, Elinga had become a gathering point for Angolan rastafaris, among which the always popular Remi branch, also called the D'aarti Galôong movement, which originated in the early 2000 in the urban district of Maianga. I don't know if they will still be allowed to use the locals.

Click on the map to enlarge it!
Teatro Elinga
Near the BPC Building
Largo Tristao da Cunha 17,
Rua Amilcar Cabral, Luanda

Tel. +244 92 12 71 858
Tel. +244 91 25 95 798

Multibocas Restaurante (Ilha)

2009-11-26T11:06:00.009+01:00

One of the more unsophisticated restaurants on Ilha, Multibocas is located right opposite Tamariz restaurant. It’s a very simple and unpretentious place with a strong local feel. I think most of the customers are regulars, which might explain the surprise look on the waiter’s face when we asked for a menu. For some reason they didn’t have half of the dishes on the menu so we each had to settle for our second or third choice of food. Quite understandable i think given they're a small restaurant and frankly don't pretend to be anything else, but still I felt slightly disappointed not to be able to try the tasty looking food other people were having.

The wait was relatively long – over 45 minutes or so, but thanks to the ever entertaining Brazilian soap operas on the big TV we didn’t take notice of the time too much. Another thing I really liked about Multibocas is their direct attitude: for example if you ask for some juice, they don’t waste their time pouring you a glass of juice like they would in many other restaurant. They bring you the 1L carton of juice and a glass, and you may do whatever you please with it. Personally, I like that, it makes me feel more at home.

What I didn’t like so much however, was my food. The fish was rather bland with almost no flavour (not even salty!) but having tried my friends' foods I must say their meals were perfectly adequate. The meat was particularly good and in large portions, and at the end we only paid 2000 kwanzas each including a couple of cartons of juice and a couple of beers. Very good value indeed, bearing in mind you're in Ilha.

I would certainly come back to Multibocas again for a cheap and cheerful dinner, but I will come a bit earlier to have more choice off the menu and stick to the meat dishes next time. I think this is a fine place to start your night out before hitting the bars on Ilha, especially if you don't feel adventurous enough to go for the street food on Ilha but still prefer not to spend your monthly salary in one night.

Cafe del Mar (Ilha de Luanda)

2009-11-18T14:19:00.009+01:00

Angola's very own Cafe del Mar is located near the end of Ilha de Luanda, in between Miami Beach and Coconuts. The setting couldn't be more suited for this establishment, with beautiful views of the ocean on a nice sandy beach. As you might expect it feels different, very different, to the two restaurants next door as it's more laid back and spacious. I sometimes feel a bit spaced out and claustrophobic at Miami with the army of people fighting to get on the beach at the weekend, that doesn't really happen at Cafe del Mar.

I don't know if the owners have any links with the original Cafe del Mar chain, but I think they're doing a pretty decent job of things here. They play some of the original chill out tracks and it just feels so right to sit there on a sunday afternoon with a caipirinha and watch the sun go down.

Their food menu isn't that bad either for a place that's mainly a bar. Prices are in the range of 1800 to 2500 kwanzas, not very expensive for this part of Ilha. They have some nice sandwhiches and pizzas. I've heard a lot about their sunday brunch too. The waiters are friendly and professional and you don't wait that long for your order. It's definitely becoming one of my favourite places to hang out on Ilha because of its chilled out ambience and cool music which is never played too loudly. In the evenings they also show football matches on the big screen.

I recommend a visit to Cafe del Mar, it's a great place to relax, have a drink and grab a small bite to eat.

Cafe del Mar

Avenue Murtala Mohamed, - Ilha do Cabo Luanda – Angola
Tél.: (+244 2) 30 92 41 (+244) 912 205 777 / 923 581 333
Capacity: 120 people
Open Monday to Friday, 11 am to midnight.

Saturday and sunday: 10am to 11pm.

Taberna Cafe Cliston (Near Intermarket)

2009-11-16T21:41:00.022+01:00

I've been going past Taberna Cafe Cliston (Formerly also called Halaal Restaurant) every day on my way to work and always thought I would try it one day.... and finally, I found the courage! From the outside, this place is without doubt, the most unappealing restaurant I've ever been to. The stench from the street combined with the rubbish everywhere and the never disappearing crowd next to the restaurant do not exactly entice visitors. And to top it all, when you enter the lack of air conditioning is the first thing you notice, particularly on a hot summer day. But from here on, things can only get better: the warm greetings from the owners and the waitress are a good start. The owners are Somalians and very friendly. Naturally the decor is as basic as it gets, with some seemingly random paintings from different parts of the world: Burj Dubai appears next to Eiffel Tower and a Hawaiian beach... Clearly the Somalian work ethics have been stamped on the staff, as the service was very pleasant and rapid. My food was ready literally within 3 minutes of ordering it! Surely a record in a city where fast food restaurants take at least 15mins to prepare a burger....

Of course, this is no fine dining, but the food is surprisingly good. A big plate of fish or chicken with rice, salad and fries for 600 kwanzas. The only big downside is the lack of Air Conditioning (only fans) , but as the service is so fast you don't really suffer.

I recommend Halaal Restaurant for lunch if you work nearby, as they serve decent food at very low prices with very fast service.

Actually, after I wrote this review I saw two rats right outside the back of this restaurant. I know it's more psychological than anything else, but I am honestly not sure if I could ever go back now, even though nobody felt ill after that meal...

Update: I noticed they've painted on the "Halaal Restaurant" sign, only keeping the name Taberna Cafe Cliston. I dont know why, or what this suggests but I promise to visit again and investigate... watch this space...

Terraco Bar and Restaurant (Viana)

2009-11-12T11:40:00.020+01:00

As part of our special series exploring the best of Viana night life, we visited Terraco Restaurant and Bar, a popular restaurant and hang out place for Angolans and expats in town. Friday and Sunday nights are Karaoke nights, where you pay 1500 kwanzas entrance fee, which you get to spend inside. They have a buffet service for dinner but as we arrived late (after 10pm) they had run out of pretty much everything. They gave us a couple of choices from the menu and prepared our food within 30mins. The steak cost 1800 kwanzas and the fish 2500 kwanzas. I have to admit it was not the best fish I’ve ever had, and the steak wasn’t significantly better either. In fairness, I think most people go for the buffet which would be my advice.

In any case, you come to Terraco for the atmosphere not the food! The music is certainly loud and everyone is enjoying the karaoke as much as I’ve seen people enjoy anything in life. The microphone keeps moving about with every song and you feel like everybody is having a go at singing their favourite tunes, no matter how untalented they are! But it's all good natured and I liked it. At the beginning of the night there were a number of families, with young children eating and singing along. But as the night went on, we noticed a change in the crowd, with more and more single males entering the restaurant, closely followed by groups of young Angolan girls. By before midnight the place was really buzzing with prostitutes and their pimps, and we felt perhaps it was time for us to move on...

I had a very good time in this restaurant and bar. It’s really the perfect place on a Friday night to get things started with some food and drinks amongst a friendly crowd. Another big advantage is the proximity to one of the best nightclubs in Viana, Mukua, as it’s only a short walking distance away. If you ever find yourself in Viana, be sure to visit these two cool places.

Mukua Discoteca (Viana)

2009-11-09T11:05:00.008+01:00

As a true "caluanda", I had never really ventured out of our crazy little town, so it was with great excitement that we took the infamous Estrada de Catete (the road of death swore my friend!) on a little trip to Viana to celebrate our 3rd month of blogging.

One of our targets was the Mukua night club, whose fame rivals that of Chillout in this part of Angola and is considered to be as one of the best clubs of Luanda nightlife. Unfortunately, we just came a week after a big party to celebrate the ten years of the club, and the crowd was a little leaner than usual. But we didn't really mind, that only meant we had much more room to boogie!

Mukua has too floors, yet it is quite small and I liked how it feels very intimate. The configuration makes it easy to meet people, who were quite opened and friendly with us. I was surprised to see many Portuguese and Brazilians, probably working in construction, some of them with girls much younger and prettier than them and we thought they could be prostitutes. They didn’t illuminate the club with their dance moves but still, it was good to have them in order to make us look not too bad.

For the music, I was expecting a lot of kizomba, which I must confess is not always of my liking, but there was also quite a bit of Hip-hop, Rn’B and House music, sometimes retro, sometimes more recent. The DJ was good but the music quite loud and you could feel your body kind of shaking by itself, without you having to put too much thought into it. In fact, I noticed that there wasn’t anybody in a short perimeter around the main speaker as no one seemed to be able to bear with the decibels coming out of it.

The entrance fee is 1500 kwanzas and you get 4 beers or 2 hard drinks for that.

In conclusion, Mukua is a cool disco and I recommend it if you have the chance to make the trip to Viana. Also, I would like to point out that I felt very safe in this place and in Viana in general so you should worry too much about this issue.

We took the pictures with our cellphone so it looks very dark, sorry about that!

Contact details:

Mukua Viana

Tel: 923693188 or 933490501 or 923501020

Email: info@mukua.com

Website (incredibly, they have one..): Mukua Angola

Tambarino Restaurant and Bar (Rua Cabral)

2009-11-06T11:03:00.010+01:00

A classic restaurant in Luanda, Tambarino is located in quite a discreet and humble setting. In fact if you don't know exactly where it is, you don't stand a chance of finding it as there are no visible signs from outside. The interior of Tambarino could be your own dining room, only a bit bigger and with nothing too fancy nor too showy. The service is highly professional and certainly one of the best I've seen in Luanda. They also stock one of the biggest wine selections in town (mostly portuguese wines), although apparently they had run out of most of them on our visit!

They have an appetizing portuguese/international menu with many fish dishes, their specialty. Main courses are in the range of 2300-3000 kwanzas, which is reasonable. The wait was only about 30 minutes, and we certainly didn't struggle to fill this time, thanks to the delicious couverts and the fine wine. The food itself was very well presented and we all found it was delicious. Perhaps one of the few times that nobody had anything to complain about... . Too often you hear great reviews about a restaurant only to be disappointed upon your visit, thankfully this place is an exception.

What makes Tambarino even more special is the little bar/lounge that they have downstairs. The decoration is cool and retro, and it has a very laid back jazzy feel to it. It must have been used as a cigar bar at the time smoking was allowed in restaurants. Now here lies a comfortable place to have a drink before or after your meal, or even without eating in this restaurant. I had an excellent time down there, chatting to my friends after the meal in a more relaxed atmosphere. I'm sure they could easily spice up the place with some music and better lighting, and make it a popular hang-out place, but the fact that is is very quiet is also a good thing and maybe the owner wants to keep it that way. It is possible to book the whole bar for a private gathering... If interested, give them a call!

We definitely recommend a visit to Tambarino restaurant and bar. The food is excellent, service is very efficient, and the bar is truly a great place to chill. I also advise you to book in advance, perhaps a day before, especially if going in a group because some clients had to wait for about 30 minutes before getting a table.

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Tambarino Luanda
Rua Amílcar Cabral nº 23, r/c
Luanda, Angola

Tel. +244-222-396884 - Fax. +244-912-240188

Cais De Quatro (Ilha)

2009-11-04T09:48:00.013+01:00

It took me quite a long time to go to Cais de Quatro, because i'm usually not a fan of places that are already well-known. Cais de Quatro may be one of the most famous eating places in Luanda, so I can say I had very high expectations and was almost certain to be disappointed. As soon as I entered though, I must say I was charmed by the atmosphere of the place. Cais de Quatro is a busy restaurant, yet very relaxed, with a beautiful view on the Bay of Luanda. It is ideally set and it is not a surprise that it is so popular.

The menu is really huge, with at least 100 dishes, among which food from all over the world, including the usual Brazilian and Portuguese favourites (the cook is a Brazileira) along with pastas, sushis or hamburgers. We took a really long time to decide since it was the first time in Luanda we were confronted to such a large choice. Once ordered, the food was served after a reasonable waiting time.

At our table, everyone agreed that the dishes were above average, but not the best ones we had experienced in Luanda, and this is too bad because had the food been as good as in Veneza, Naquele Lugar or Embaixador, I would have had no difficulties to name Cais de Quatro the best restaurant in town. But in spite of that, I recommend it very strongly.

Contact details:
Cais de Quatro
Avenida Murtala Mohamed – Casa do Desportista – Ilha de Luanda – Luanda
(it's one street after Wimpy's, with plenty of parking space)

Tel.: 00-244-222 309 430 / 222 309 286
Fax: 00-244-222 309 286
E.mail: caisdequatro@hotmail.com

Le Petit Bistro (French Restaurant)

2009-10-31T10:17:00.007+01:00

Le Petit Bistro opened less than a week ago, and it is to my knowledge the only French restaurant in Luanda. Already, some people are calling it "Chez Antoine", the name of the French owner.

It is very small inside, with a maximum capacity of 30/40 people I would say, with a simple but neat decoration.

The menu is quite short, with only a few dishes, costing a little less than 2000 kwanzas for the entrées and around 3000 kwanzas for the main dish. As we were not sure about the location of the restaurant, we had eaten a little bit before coming, so we only took a gaspacho for my friend, and a fish for me. The waiter, who speaks french, as well as the manager (who seems to be Antoine's cousin), was very patient and welcoming. We were served really fast, in maybe 15 minutes, which have to be my personal record for Luanda (after Tendinha).

We both enjoyed our dishes, even on our already full stomach. We will have to come back to try the dessert and the rest.

I think it will become a popular address, and it's nice that Luanda's town center is having more and more bars and restaurants opening..

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Le Petit Bistro (Chez Antoine)

Rua Amílcar Cabral nª92 Mutamba

Luanda

Tel. +244 934117817

lepetitbistrot@hotmail.com

Naquele Lugar Restaurant (Fortaleza)

2009-10-28T22:56:00.020+01:00

Naquele Lugar or Fortaleza restaurant was highly recommended to us by a good friend and fellow blogger, so naturally our expectations were raised once again in anticipation of something special. The restaurant is located in the street that leads up to the Fortaleza de São Miguel , with a security check point at the bottom of the road. You really feel like a VIP after the army guards let you enter what is probably one of the most exclusive roads in Luanda - although it's no match for Futungo de Belas.

Needless to say, parking is readily available and you feel very safe with all the guards around. When you enter the restaurant itself, you feel like you've stepped in to somebody's back garden in Sicily on a warm summer evening. Laughter is in the air with all sorts of people sitting outdoors, drinking red wine and having a merry time. I've been here a couple of times and each time I went inside I found myself smiling as if I was in a different world, holidaying in the Mediterranean with no care... I don't know if people actually live inside this place but I certainly hope they do. And if they do, I'm very jealous!

You have to wait a bit to get your order in as they seem rather short staffed. But the waiters are quite friendly and helpful. The menu resembles a short article more than an encyclopedia, but it has some very nice dishes, including steak and a few original fish dishes amongst others. It only took around 30 minutes to prepare our food, which was a nice surprise. And when it came, I for one was not disappointed. A friend who had dined at Veneza the night before inevitably made the comparison and thought his steak was somewhat tame, but hey, this is no steak house! Personally, I enjoyed my food more than I have in a long time. The portions were quite generous too. And the price: 3500 kwanzas which also included a couple of beers and a big ice cream.

I highly recommend a visit to this super cool address. Food is well worth the price (and the wait!) and a phenomenal location to have a drink or three with friends. A word of warning: it gets very crowded on Friday nights so you will have to wait a while before getting seated or make reservation.

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Naquele Lugar Restaurant, or Fort Restaurant (Fortaleza de São Miguel)

Calçada de S. Miguel, s/n, Cidade Alta Província de Luanda

Tel. (Updated: July 2010) : 923448311, 926323958,

926322615, 924905859

Kimbo Restaurant (Marginal)

2009-10-24T00:04:00.009+01:00

We visited this restaurant for lunch on a weekday as it's close to my office. The place is very clean and modern without being in your face. There is a buffet for lunch, although it is not self service, which basically means you're put under the spotlight a bit. The guy looks at you and you pretty much have to know exactly what you want, no time for messing about and asking questions here. You're almost spoiled for choice with few different types of fish, meat, chicken, followed by different types of rice and pasta and vegetables and salad... I played it safe and chose the tasty looking fish and wasn't disappointed. One friend however, cracked under the pressure and pointed to a random suspicious looking object in a corner. Fortunately for him it turned out to be chicken and all ended well. But if you don't know what you're doing your plate could turn out looking very bizzare indeed, combining things that were never meant to go together...

At the end they weigh your plate and you pay accordingly. The price is quite reasonable: on average between 1200 and 1500 kwanzas including a drink. The food is actually very good and portions not too big. They also have a good range of deserts too, but again you need to plan ahead! Everyone at my table was happy with the food. In fact the only complain was that it was too noisy, so a bit tricky to even hear the person in front of you. Also you might have to wait a bit in the queue (10-15 mins.) as it can get very busy around mid-day. Come early to avoid the rush. There is also a seating area upstairs.

Overall, nice food and very good value for money. Recommended for lunch during the week, especially if you work nearby. They do take away too...

Note: they do not accept Dollars - Kwanzas Only

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Restaurant Buffet Kimbo

Rua Joaquim de Figueiredo

Luanda

Mobile: +244 (0)92 347 48 41

Tia Maria Restaurante (Near Coqueiros Stadium)

2009-10-22T13:15:00.015+01:00

Is it normal for angolan or portuguese food to be very salty? After Tamariz and Bela Napoles, it is the third time we go to a restaurant in Luanda where the food is extremely salty, to the point it's hard to finish your dish.. Connoisseurs please comment!

The evening had started quite well, with the nice surprise of finding, next to the Coqueiros Tennis Club, an original restaurant called Tia Maria. The entrance is unmissable, with a huge concrete lion head, then a long corridor with plenty of contemporary African paintings gracing the walls. The inside is outside, under a huge traditional thatched roof that reminded me of the kind of tropical restaurant you could find in a holiday resort in Senegal back in 1978, without the ocean, but with the mosquitoes. Tia Maria definitely has a very laid back charm, with an African feel to it and I liked it.

It specialises in sea food dishes, including fresh lobster, shrimps, king prawns, and other types of fish... They also have a number of meat dishes, but interestingly enough all sea food is more expensive than meat or chicken.

We had been warned that the wait could be quite long and it was a long wait indeed until our dishes finally arrived (not the ones we had ordered unfortunately for one person as there seems to have been a bit of a confusion in the kitchen...). It created among our little group of friends some mixed reactions and disappointment, especially after waiting 45 minutes to be served. I didn't mind, mistakes happen. What I found more annoying was the dish in itself, very salty, and very basic, but still costing between 3000 kwanzas and 4000 kwanzas for fish, and between 2000 kwanzas et 3500 kwanzas for meat. I have been to some simpler restaurant in Luanda with much better food (try O Vila for instance).

In the end, I had a good time and I would come back to Tia Maria if proposed, but rather for a drink in a nice setting than for the restaurant in itself.

Apparently also, they have live music on friday evenings.

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International food, with Portuguese, Angolan and Brazilian specialties. Club de Ténis de Luanda – Coqueiros Luanda- Angola. Tel: (+244) 912 503 050 / 923 635771.

e-mail: rtia-maria@hotmail.com - Accepts Visa

Open from 12h to 22h30 from tuesday to sunday, and from 19h30 to 23h on saturdays

Bela Napoles Pizza (Rua Rey Katyavala)

2009-10-19T23:24:00.008+01:00

After our 5th try, we finally made it to the mysterious Bela Napoles.. Im not sure about the right spelling of the place, because on the bill they gave us, it's written Bella Napoli, but in front of the pizzeria, there is a sign that says "Bela Napoles"... It is possible that one is the portuguese translation of the italian name..

The place is to say the less unsophisticated and basic, and you kind of feel like it's a pain in the ass for the waiter to take your order. We were there at 9h, and it is only after a long discussion that we managed to get the right to eat at a table instead of taking the pizza away, but on the condition that we would eat outside. I think the waiter prefers that you do not eat in the restaurant so that he doesn't have to bring you forks and knives and clean your table. Be considerate and don't forget to say sorry for coming when you leave. If he is in a good mood, he will accept your apology.

We had one vegeterian pizza (1600 kwanzas) and one country pizza. (1800 kwanzas) My first regret is that they barely put any tomatoes in it, just a tiny tiny thin layer of red sauce for colouring but that's it. It must be quite difficult to find tomatoes in Luanda because almost every pizzeria here has the same habit of hardly using any, which must be a crime in other parts of the world. So I was eating my first slice of pizza, and I thought this was good... after the second slice, I started feeling it was a litlle bit salty... and I couldn't finish it at the end because of all the salt. 3 hours later, my tongue was still hurting, just like when you eat a whole bag of chips.

Though my review may seem a bit harsh, I have to counterbalance it, because the guy who came with me was very satisfied with his pizza, and swore to me I should give it another try...

It is not so expensive, but for this price I think it's better to go to Rialto. Even though, from a quick internet search, it appears that the owner of Rialto, Pizza Napoles and Tamariz is the same person, or at least the same company, Ideas Tourism Ltd. I remember Tamariz food is also very salty so the cook must have a problem with healthy food or something.

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Pizzeria Bela Napoles ou Bella Napoli
Take away Pizza
Rua Rei Katyavala 73-A
Tel +244 2 447860
Open every day

Hotel Presidente Luanda (Near the harbour)

2009-10-19T22:40:00.006+01:00

This week was again very tough on our wallet, with yet another high-end restaurant reviewed... The Hotel Presidente (ex-Le Meridien) is much less modern than its main rivals, Hotel Tropico and Hotel Alvalade, but I find it has much more charm and that the view, especially from the bar, is great.

The restaurant has a french name, La Rotisserie, and few of the waiters speak good french. It is not french food though, but a mix of portuguese, angolan and international dishes. I had the buffet there, which costs 7125 kwanzas, excluding drinks. It is really expensive, but clearly overpriced. In fact, I don't think there are customers going there if their company is not paying for it. Of course, you have excellent choice and quality of food for this price (especially desserts) and the service is perfect.

The bar of the Presidente is very strange, and is rather similar to an airport lounge, with half the clients typing on their laptop, and the other one waiting nervously with a suitcase at their feet. I actually love to sit there and look at all the people coming and leaving, wondering what in heck they are doing here. It looks very cheap and dated but it is one of my favourite in Luanda.

Something worth saying: We had parked our car almost right in front of the hotel, and still, some kids were a bit aggressive in asking for money. It was a bit strange that they could do that so close from the Hotel, with the guards not even 25 meters away from us. I know that the area around the harbour is really unsafe, so be careful, especially at night.

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Luanda Hotel Presidente (ex -Hotel Meridien)
Largo 4 de Fevereiro
Luanda 5791 Angola
Phone: 244 2 311717

Mangais Luanda Club Restaurante (Near Sonangol building)

2009-10-17T14:43:00.006+01:00

Mangais is an upmarket restaurant just about a hundred meters away from Sonangol's new tower. Surprisingly, there is no carte but only an all-you-can-eat buffet costing a whopping 6000 kwanzas! Add some wine and the dessert, and you will easily spend a lot of money there... So the big question: Is it worth it? I found the place was really tastefully decorated since Mangais is also a decoration shop just next to the restaurant, and that there was a nice, intimate feeling inside. The service was also very professional. The buffet is a little light on starters and desserts, but very abundant for the main dishes, with an excellent choice of meat and fish. In comparison with the other buffets I had in Luanda, namely Hotel Tropico and Hotel Presidente, Mangais has a nicer settings, better food, but less choice. The three of them are way too expensive though, and I will probably not come back to Mangais for that reason.

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Restaurante Mangais Luanda Club
Rua Major Canhangulo, 3B
Ingombota, Luanda, Angola
http://www.mangais.com
mangais@mangais.com
Tel: +244 923 408 673
+244 925 883 286

Open for lunch and dinner until 23h
Closed on sundays

Chillout (Ilha de Luanda) - Updated post -

2009-10-16T13:37:00.002+01:00

The star of Luanda nightlife, Chillout is the most famous place to eat and go out in the city, but I find it really awfully pretentious. Every weekend I swear I will never go to Chillout again, but unfortunately, it is one of the only place in Luanda with house music so we end up there quite often.. There can be a long queue if you only come with guys, especially around 1AM. To be sure to come in if you have no girls with you, try to come a bit early, around midnight. The entrance fee is 2500 kwanzas and you get 5 beers or 3 hard drinks with that. In general, Chillout doesn't get very wild and people are not so warm and welcoming compared to many other places in Luanda. It has a very distinctive house music sound I think, with its main DJ, DJ Cesar, that sounds in between house and chill-out music.

The Chillout restaurant is open the evening only but starting 23h30, the music starts to kick in and it becomes louder and louder. It is very expensive, minimum 100 dollars for a full meal, and it is very similar with Caribe or Coconuts in my opinion (I think Caribe has the same owner as Chillout...).

They have a website if you want to know about the special events organized there: or if you want to look at their menu: http://www.chillout-luanda.com/

Contact and address of Chillout:
Rua Mortala Moamed
Ilha Do Cabo, Luanda, Angola

Telefone (+244) 924 28 28 10

Email: info@chillout-luanda.com

Open from monday to thursday from 5h30PM to 2AM
Open on friday and saturday from 5h30PM TO 4H30AM
Closed on sundays

Flor Das Ingombotas (Rua Dr Americo Boa Vida)

2009-10-14T22:48:00.005+01:00

Flor Das Ingombotas restaurant is located at the corner of the Rua Dr Americo Boa Vida and Rua Guilherme Inglès. It is very portuguese if you see what i mean and not very sophisticated. Yet, if you live nearby (and if you like portuguese food), I would recommend it because it is rather cheap (about 2000 kwanzas for the main dish, and only 170 kwanzas for a draught beer) and though the food is not fine dining, at least it will fill up your stomach. Also, it can get quite crowded and lively when there are important football games with most patrons seeming to be regulars.

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Restaurante/Bar Flor Das Ingombotas
Rua Dr. Américo Boa Vida
35/37-B Luanda
Tel: 222 331 417

Caçarola Cervejaria & Restaurante (Rua Che Guevara)

2009-10-14T22:23:00.005+01:00

Caçarola is the closest thing I found that looks like a bistro in Luanda. It is a small restaurant/bar in a U-shape with about 15 seats, and the welcoming barman/owner behind the counter brings you drinks and food with a smile and a chit-chat. It is on my way to the office so for me it's a nice place to have a beer after work. The food is ok for snacks, less for main dishes, and everything is very cheap (a coke for 100 kwanzas, a sandwich for 300 kwanzas, etc..)

Recommended if you live nearby. I didn't feel so safe right outside the bar though and I got a little harassed by a lonely guy once. Be careful without being paranoid.

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Cervejaria Caçarola
Avenida Che Guevara 43A
Phone: 912 507 645 or 912 529 377

Asia Lounge Sushi Restaurant (Ingombotas)

2009-10-12T22:24:00.006+01:00

Asia Lounge is a brand new restaurant 150 meters down the Tropico Hotel (completely different from the restaurant Asia on Ilha!). It serves mostly Japanese food (sushi, sashimi, and others) but there are also some international food on the menu. All the dishes we were served were excellent (12 pieces of sushi for 2800 kwanzas, 1 "cabrito" with curry for 2,950 kwanzas, and 1 fish steak with herbs for 2650 kwanzas). It is really neat and carefully decorated and should soon become a hip spot of Luanda nightlife. Apart from us, patrons were only couples on dates and I must say the place is perfect for romantic dinner, especially on the upper floor, which is a bit more private.

The service also was very good, even though we had to wait quite a long time before being served. It is not so expensive on the main dishes, around 3000 kwanzas each, but more on the drinks and on the desserts.

We recommend Asia Lounge.

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Asia Lounge Luanda
Rua da Missao 55r/c
Ingombotas
Phone: 912 122 895 / 928 476 868
Open: From 11h30to 16h00 and from 18h30 to 22h00 from Monday to Friday.
From 12h00 to 16h30 and 18h30 to 23h00 on Saturdays.
Closed on Sunday

Flamingo Restaurant Hotel Bar Pool (Maianga)

2009-10-11T21:01:00.008+01:00

Flamingo restaurant is just about 200 meters from where we live, and that is pretty much the only reason why we tried it, because from the outside it doesn't look very appealing. We didn't really expect fine food nor anything special when we visited the place, and we were right: We were served average food (pizza and grilled chicken with French fries for 3000 kwanzas), similar in taste to that of any run-down office canteen, in a somehow kitschy environment. Most patrons seems to be construction contracted workers who also probably stay in the hotel and they all seem to know each others.

In spite of that, I was amused by the place and felt comfortable thanks to the two very nice waitresses and the general feel-like-home atmosphere. Another reason why I could go back is for the little bar they have and its brand new pool table making it the best nightlife spot in boring Maianga... Not really recommended though, let's stay realistic.

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Contact details: Aparthotel Flamingo
Rua Presidente Marien Ngouabi 37 - Maianga
Tel: (244) 2-2233-8598, 2-2237-0613, 2-2237-0666
E-mail: imbondexturistica@ebonet.net

Embaixador Restaurante (Ingombotas)

2009-10-08T23:42:00.008+01:00

The restaurant Embaixador is located in Ingombotas, near the Amilcar Cabral roundabout. It is a nice get away from exhausting Luanda as it is discreet and calm. The menu is quite original, with dishes such as deer steak or ostrich alongside more traditional ones like bacalhau. I went for the bacalhau mainly due to a personal misunderstanding of what cod meant and it was one of the best i had in Luanda. My friend took the langoust with curry and really seemed to enjoyed himself there... The service was attentive and the general setting of the restaurant was peaceful without being boring. We recommend Embaixador restaurant, even if you do not leave nearby. The prices are correct: The total bill for two people was 6,600 kwanzas including drinks (water and beer) and couverts.

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Restaurante Embaixador
Rua do Clube Maritimo Africano 62
Ingombotas
Telefones 222 396 979, 923 651 632
Luanda, Angola

Restaurante O Vila (Maculusso)

2009-09-28T23:25:00.005+01:00

This small, unassuming restaurant on Rua de Da Liga Africana in Maculusso, is a good place to try cheap local and portuguese dishes. More specifically, the steaks are not very expensive for Luanda (for instance 2000 kwanzas for a tournedos with vegetables). It is simple home cooking and we enjoyed it.

The only problem was that we waited about 1 hour to be served... thank god I had good company..

Generally speaking, I recommend this address because it has excellent value for money.

O VILA Restaurant
Rua da Liga Africana, 114 – Maculusso
Phone: (+ 244) 222 445 700 / 222 444 956 (+ 244) 917 665 483
e-mail: vilarest@hotmail.com

Don Castellana Elio Restaurante

2009-09-27T20:22:00.005+01:00

This very good address seems to be new in Luanda as I never saw any mention of it anywhere. It is an Italian restaurant with an Italian chef and an italian owner just behind the AAA tower on Avenida Lenin. The interior doesn't have so much decoration but it is very clean and completely new with an intimate atmosphere, perfect for a date.

Dishes costs from 2150 kwanzas for spaghetti carbonara to around 3500 kwanzas for the milanese steak. It is more expensive than average, but the food is much better than average. Everybody (6 persons) at our table was very happy about we ate. The best italian restaurant in Luanda so far...

They also have a bar and a snack corner, with good fresh sandwiches for 600 to 800 kwanzas.

Update October 2010: There seems to have been a change of owners since our first visit, with quite many novelties:
1) The dishes are less expensive, around 2500 kwanzas each
2) According to all the people who were with me, the food was not that great, and definitely not as good as our first visit. However, we visited the place quite late so maybe it's just bad luck, because the restaurant seems to be very popular.
3) You now have a nice outside terrace, where you can get pizzas from a place called "Bella Napoles", which is new but belongs to the same owner as Don Castellana.

Jango Veleiro (Ilha)

2009-09-20T14:08:00.008+01:00

Jango Veleiro is a big restaurant/bar/club famous in Luanda for being one of the best nightlife spot to finish a night of party. It is opened until 8am so many clubbers come there after all the other places on Ilha close. The atmosphere is nice because you have people with usually a high level of drunkenness, a great party spirit, and the beach nearby. If you feel too tired to dance, there is a large buffet, a bit expensive, for which you pay depending on the weight of your plate. Free entrance. The music changes every 10 minutes, with all the popular tracks in Angola, from kizomba to house.

During day time, it is quite a nice place to eat, though overpriced, with angolan and international dishes. I think it's enjoyable especially for the setting, not really for the food. I would recommend to eat somewhere else before and just come here for a drink.

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Jango Veleiro
Av. Murtala Mohamed – Ilha de Luanda
Telephone number: 222 309 071 / 222 309 068 / 222 309 278 / 222 309 060 / 222 309 154
Email address: jveleiro@hotmail.com

Aquario Bar & Club (Near Tropico Hotel)

2009-09-20T12:54:00.006+01:00

Aquario is a surprising place but it is very nice. It is located a few meters from Tropico Hotel, when you go down on the Rua Da Missao, and it is open only on Friday and Saturday nights. The crowd is quite young, I would say around 18 to 22 years old rich angolans. It is made of one room with an underground atmosphere, with a dark lightning and some graffitis on the wall.

The music was really great when I was there, the DJ was playing live kuduro with a few singers and it was quite danceable. I strongly recommend you try this place.

The price is 2000 kwanzas for entrance and you get three drinks for that. They do not differentiate between hard drinks and soft drinks.

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Maiombe Discoteca (Near Cidadele Stadium)

2009-09-20T06:39:00.008+01:00

Maiombe is an upmarket Angolan club with lively and cheerful atmosphere, playing mainly kizomba with some more upbeat Angolan and Brazilian tunes. It is a bit of a pain in the ass to find and the security can be a little annoying but inside you feel very welcomed and at ease. Don't miss this great address of Luanda nightlife. It is the perfect place to go to if you want to try a less westernized night club than those that you can find on the Ilha for instance. Lots of sexy beautiful girls also..

Entrance fee is 2000 kwanzas or 25 dollars.

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Maiombe Discoteca
33/A, R Olivença Bº Nelito Soares-LUANDA
Tel: 222 265 969

Bordão Restaurant (Ilha Luanda)

2009-09-19T17:42:00.005+01:00

The Bordão is a nice beach bar and restaurante located at the very end of Ilha, on the ocean side. It is much less pretentious than most of the other places on Ilha and almost twice as cheap. A grilled fish will cost you between 2000 and 3000 kwanzas for instance.
As usual on Ilha, you can also relax on one of the beach chair and spend a great relaxing afternoon there.

Conclusion: We recommend Bordão because the food is good value, the service helpful and the beach and coconut tree setting is peaceful.

Contact detail for the restaurant:
Avenida. Murtala Mohamed, 246 - Ilha do Cabo Luanda – Angola
Tél.: (+244) 929 645 596 / 928 978 312
e-mail: bordaonhrc@hotmail.com
Opened every day except on monday, from 9am to 11pm.

Al Amir Lebanese Restaurant (Maculusso)

2009-09-14T21:16:00.006+01:00

Al Amir is a new Lebanese restaurant and I must say I was quite impressed by the place. It is currently one of my favourite addresses for eating in Luanda because the food is affordable (plate of shawarma meat with salad & chips for only 1200 kwanzas) , the service is perfect and the place is very clean. They also sell some nice looking cakes and biscuits, and they have the largest and best choice of ice-cream and sorbet I've seen in Luanda.

We recommend Al Amir Restaurant.

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Al-Amir Restaurante, Pastelaria, Paderia, Geladeria, Take Away
Rua Fernao de Sousa, 21/23
Tel.: 923 336418/928 347666
Email: alamirlda@hotmail.com

Sao Joao (Rua Da Liga Nacional Africana)

2009-09-13T10:40:00.007+01:00

Sao Joao is a local restaurant and bar located at the end of the Che Guevara street, in front of the car rental Avis. It is partly open-air and surrounded by plants and trees so it is quite relaxing and nice for a drink. When we went there, in the end of the afternoon, the place was not so busy. Patrons were mostly regulars reading their newspaper or watching a football game.

It is rather expensive: from 2300 kwanzas to 4000 kwanzas for a dish (fish or meat). The food is good but not impressive since it is similar to what we can get pretty much everywhere: A mix of Angola and Portuguese dishes cooked and presented in your plate just as you could expect to have it served at home.

Conclusion: Recommended if you live nearby because the setting is nice but food a bit pricey. Good service.

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Rua da Liga Africana,121
Maculusso Luanda
Telephone:(+244) 926 430 294
Mobile: (+244) 921 647 328 / 912 672 870
Open everyday from 8h to midnight

O Padrinho Italian Restaurant (Near Sagrada Familia)

2009-09-12T19:11:00.006+01:00

O Padrinho restaurant is a popular Italian restaurant near Sagrada Familia. The food is a bit expensive, at least above average, but it is good and very clean. The cheapest pizza, the Margerita costs 1500 kwanzas and the most expensive 2500 kwanzas. The service also is very polite and quite fast.

You can sit outside as there is a big terrace. It also does take-away.

We recommend Padrinho.

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Rua Joaquim Kapango, 51
Tel: (+244) 222 333 805
Mobile: (+244) 923 469 121
Open from 12h to 23h

Ceu Azul Restaurante (Edificio Secil on Marginal)

2009-09-06T23:25:00.007+01:00

The restaurant is on the last floor of the Secil building.

Ceu Azul is an open-air restaurant located on top of the Edificio Secil, with good local food. The dish of the day cost 1,200 kwanzas with one drink. People come here mostly for lunch and to enjoy the view on the Ilha and the rest of Luanda. Recommended for people who work nearby.

Tamariz Restaurant (Ilha Luanda) CLOSED

2009-09-06T23:01:00.005+01:00

Tamariz Beach Club is a restaurant on Ilha that you can easily spot from the road, about 800 meters before Chillout, on the ocean side. There is a huge sign in front a bit ridiculous, making it look as if we were about to enter Jurassik Park. They have local, portuguese and international food, a bit pricey for the quality you get: 1 caipirinha is 850 kwanzas (10 dollars), a pizza between 1500 and 2500 kwanzas (20 to 30 dollars), 5 gambas : 4,800 kwanzas (60 dollars).

There are two good things about it: The service is attentive, though the waiters tried twice to take away my drink that was not finished yet, and the location is cool as usual on Ilha.

Now for the bad things: Too expensive, too big, not so much charm, not enough attention paid to the decoration, and the worst: 10 people out of 10 at our table found the food was very, very salty.

Conclusion: Not a recommendation, Prefer Caribe or Coconuts.

Update November 2010: Tamariz is closed at the moments, probably undergoing some renovations.. We will keep you informed when it re-opens.

Palos Night Club & Bar Luanda

2009-09-02T21:46:00.001+01:00

Palos is in my opinion one of the best club in Luanda at the present time, and it is clearly one of the most happening place in the Luanda nightlife scene.

It is open air club in which it's not so difficult to enter compared to Dom Q or to Chillout, and you are not looked down. It is quite lively with action on 2 main dance-floors. The music is a mix of angolan/brazilian and international fast beat/housy/latin tracks. On thursday especially, they have special latin nights with salsa. On some occasions, I have seen sexy dancers also, male and female.

My only regret for this place is that it is extremely difficult to get a drink, because there are not enough waiters compared to the number of clients. It can be really annoying sometimes.

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Palos disco
Rua Frederic Engels
Tel.: 222-394957

Dom Quixote/ Dom Q Club

2009-09-01T22:06:00.000+01:00

Dom Quixote is the "place to be" in Luanda many people told me. For Angolan people, it is where they can spot socialites, actresses and models, all dressed up to go out. Since I'm far from being a model and actor myself, and that I was wearing my stupid jeans and a bad haircut, I didn't feel very comfortable inside, nor very welcome. I would never have dared talking to one of these beautiful women and was rather grateful that I could be accepted within their world for an evening, staring at them.

I was very lucky to get in, probably because I was there so early it was still empty, but if you want to come and you are white, and you are a guy, try to bring a girl with you and don't come too late. You will always get in I guess but it might just take a lot of time.

The music is the same as usual in Angola: Some house, some RNB, some kuduro, and unfortunately a lot of kizombas... The place in itself is far worst than a provincial club in France with bad music and a very basic settings.. It is crazy to thing that this can be luanda nightlife most happening place..

Hamburg Miramar Snack Bar

2009-08-31T11:41:00.006+01:00

Hamburg Miramar was introduced to me as being the best burger in town and though I will have to wait a bit longer before confirming that, I must say it was quite good over there!
It is a snack bar about 200 meters away from the American embassy, on Rua Dunduma, with no exterior sign so you will have to be very careful when walking by or you will miss it.
The price is moderate also, 600 kwanzas for a huge burger and 150 kwanzas for a drink. It's not fine dining, but if you leave nearby, it's a very good place to go for a snack.

Interesting enough, they have an excellent website where you can order your sandwich via internet... Please check http://www.hamburgsmiramar.com

Veneza Restaurant (Rua Che Guevara)

2009-08-28T21:58:00.003+01:00

One of the best value for money in town. Don't be scared by the prices you see on the menu, because the portions are so big you can pretty much eat for two each one of the dishes on display. The pepper steak is excellent. Very crowded, very popular address especially with Portuguese people.

The only problem is the building in which the restaurant Veneza is located, old and sad. It urgently needs some painting..

Update October 2010: Veneza underwent some renovation and at least for the outside, it looks much better.. The food is still great and we highly recommend it.

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Rua Comandante Che Guevara #116/120.
Tel. 222-320-954.

The Tendinha Restaurant & Cervejaria (In front of Tropico Hotel)

2009-08-25T21:35:00.007+01:00

The Tendinha is a very popular restaurant stuck between two large buildings on Missao street, in front of Tropico Hotel. It is always packed during lunch hours and you might have to wait a few minutes before sitting down. Don't worry, it won't be long because the turnover is high. People go in and go out all the time. An army of waiters will take your order the second you enter the restaurant, and the dish will be on your table no more than 3 minutes later... There is an outside terrace, and a small eating room inside, decorated with many angolan artefacts and paintings. Clients are a mix of everything: Angolans, portuguese, expatriates, but also construction workers sitting next to beautiful trendy girls! All these people are talking, laughing and eating in a fast moving environment... waouh for a second I thought I was in a parisian bistro!

There are quite many items on the menu! Probably 10 dishes of the day, mostly portuguese and angolan favourites like calulu, fish and bitoque. The average price is 2000 Kwz, plus 200 for a soft drink.. It's not very expensive I think considering how popular the place is, but the food is only average. There is a small bakery inside also, with good cakes and biscuits.

I recommend you to go to the Tendinha for the atmosphere, even if you don't work/leave nearby for eating or for a drink (it is also a cervejaria, a beerhouse). It's open from 8h30 to 22h.

Update: We can back to the Tendinha today for lunch, and this time we waited about twenty minutes for our dish... But we were 5 people eating the same dish so maybe this explains that..

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Panza Restaurante (Near Escom tower)

2009-08-24T19:05:00.003+01:00

Panza restaurante is a canteen, with a buffet during lunch hours (12 to 14pm). You take everything you want on your plate, and then you weigh the whole thing and you pay accordingly. This means they consider plain white rice costs as much as cooked meat. You have to guess: Whether it's very good imported rice, whether you're eating very cheap meat.

I got sick the day after eating there, and I think it was related to the steak, which had an aftertaste between vinegar and solvent. Far from good. So stay away from the fresh food and focus on the rice, bread and beans.

Foresta Restaurant (Near Kinaxixi)

2009-08-24T18:32:00.005+01:00

It looked much better in real than in the pictures!

We found this nice address after seeing a discreet sign "Foresta Restaurant" near Avenida Nasser. Though painted in flashy green, the place seems to be almost hidden and if it wasn't for the big board "Restaurante", we would never have guessed we could eat in there.

The interior is very clean and has charm. It's too bad there are some bars at the windows, the main room would be much better without it. On the walls, there are many pictures of the owner, who, we learned there, is a famous Angola singer named Sabu Guimarães. On some photos, he can been seen with Bonga. It is actually him who welcomes us.

We order two basic dishes: fish (red snapper?) for me and steak for my friend (the cheapest items on the menu because we didn't bring so much money with us) plus two Cokes plus two "couverts" (bread and butter), for a total of 4900 kwanzas. Otherwise, most dishes cost between 2000 and 3000 kwanzas. It was good but not so special.

The place is a bit expensive but it's not that bad, and the portions are really generous (see the pictures, bad quality but it's better than nothing). The service was very polite but we waited a bit too long to be served (around 20-25 minutes).

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Ilha's Street Food (End of Ilha)

2009-08-23T19:06:00.006+01:00

No exactly a restaurant, but since it's an excellent way to eat grilled fish and not ruin yourself on Ilha, we had to mention it. These little stalls are pretty much everywhere on Ilha, but the nicest place to go to is at the end of Ilha (punto da Ilha i think in Portuguese). I usually prefer the ones that are not located on the ocean's side because they are less noisy, but it's up to you. For less than a 1000 kwanzas, you can get here a delicious grilled fish with sweet potatoes, banana and manioc plus drinks. The hygiene is good for street food and i've never felt sick after that. The only problem is that there is no street lighting so after dark, you cannot even see your plate.. The area is not so safe either, so don't bring too much stuff with you, as usual. We recommend you this place.

A Nossa Sombra Restaurante (Kinaxixi)

2009-08-23T18:44:00.006+01:00

A Nossa Sombra is a true gem. It is tucked in a corner of Kinaxixi's noisy roundabout and it is truly relaxing. Before being a restaurant, it is a flower shop but the owner put some tables and a bar, and here goes your restaurant. I had the dish of the day for Kwz1,500, fish and rice, and I really enjoyed it. The service also was excellent. Definitely a place where I will come back.

They have a website : A Nossa Sombra Tropicale
Contact:
Tel.: 222 372 333

If you speak portuguese, you have more information and pics on the blog AngolaBela.

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Sonabrasa Bar & Restaurant (Maianga)

2009-08-22T19:55:00.001+01:00

Sonabrasa is a bar and restaurant which is partly in the open air... Actually, there is a new roof now so i dont know how it qualifies.. it serves some good food as long as you stick with the fish and sea food... I had the bitoque once (steak) and it was a very tiny piece with too much salt. There is a large flat screen TV inside with the most often football games on (portuguese premier league, not so great).
At night, don't forget to bring mosquito repellent cream. A good address if you leave nearby (Maianga), but if not, no need to bother because it doesn't have anything special.

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Malepo LDA restorante & esplanada (Near Escom)

2009-08-21T15:14:00.000+01:00

About 50 meters from Escom tower, Malepo LDA is a new restaurant very clean and with good service and good value for money. The buffet at lunch will cost you Kwz 1500 plus kwz 150 for a can of Coke. My portuguese being what it is, i ordered the "cozido a portuguesa" instead of the fish, and it's a bit too much pork for me. I think it was well cooked but i really couldn't eat it, seing the skin of the animal with the hair still there made me want to throw up. This has nothing to do with the place, but rather with the dish in itself. My friend told me his dish was very good, so i think you should try this address if you work nearby the Escom tower. There is an open air terrace which is nice to have a drink even though with the nearby building being built, it can be a bit noisy.

Pub Royal (PR)

2009-08-20T15:16:00.001+01:00

Pub Royal (also called PR) is a typical african-expat prostitute bar, filled with congolese and angolan girls, and oil workers (mostly contractors). I did have fun there however, because a lot of alcohol had perveted all my moral values. That would be my advice if you go there, do drink irresponsibly and let yourself go.
The entrance fee is 2000 kwanzas I think and you get something like 4 or 5 beers for that. There are two floors, but all the action is upstairs, with the albinos DJ playing a bit of everything danceable, African or western music.
On the way out, be extra careful because we had some problems once with kids. Do not walk at all in this area.

O Caril Restaurant - Palm Beach (Ilha)

2009-08-20T14:56:00.008+01:00

If Indian food is what you are after, then you just stumbled on a little gem! This relatively well known restaurant serves one of the best Chicken Tikkas in Luanda. Located adjacent to Palm Beach opposite the ocean side on Ilha, the interior decoration will momentarily make you think you have left Angola... But let's be honest, you don't come here for the decoration. It is their food that puts this place on the map: A welcome change from the usual Angolan and Portuguese. It is a little on the expensive side - main dishes are from 2500 kwanzas, with starters and drinks you are looking at 4000 kwanzas. Not exactly cheap for an Indian restaurant, but we think it is worth it.

Av. Murtala Mohamed, 188 A (Hotel Palm Beach) – Ilha do Cabo

TEL,: 912 527 230 / 912 306 813 / 923 27 36 74

Open daily, from 12h to 16h and 19h to 23h.

ATM nearby

A Quentinha (near Intermarket)

2009-08-20T14:40:00.004+01:00

Directly marketed at office workers, Quentina is a small diner just off the Marginal that serves basic Angolan and Portuguese buffet. The service starts from 12 o'clock during week days, be sure to arrive early - it can get quite crowdy very quickly and you will not be sitted as the number of tables are few. You also have the option of Take Away food. The price depends on how much your plate weights - expect to pay between 1000 and 1400 kwanzas on average.

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D Cafe (Derbi Angola)

2009-08-19T16:57:00.002+01:00

D Cafe (Derbi Angola) is somewhat of a puzzling place. On the one hand it is a stylish, small, modern restaurant. But once inside, you can't fail to notice the dozen or so motorbikes that are on display on the right of the restaurant... I am still not entirely sure what the concept is supposed to be: "buy a hamburger and drive away with your dream bike!". I suppose if nothing else, it makes for an unusual talking point for visitors. As for the menu, nothing too adventurous, the usual assortment of burgers and steaks which are quite good and decent value too at around 1700 kwanzas. The service was very polite and rapid.

I recommend a visit to this interesting little restaurant, as above all they serve some decent food at reasonable prices.

O Retiro Do Bancario Snack Bar (Maianga)

2009-08-19T16:32:00.002+01:00

The name "Snack Bar" sums up the place perfectly: basic unsophisticated food such as burgers and "fish & chips". Not particularly elegant, but very charming local eatery with a unique location next to the football stadium. It also serves as a karaoke bar on weekends. Well worth a visit - especially if you live close by!

Al Dar Restaurant (100 meters from Sagrada Familia)

2009-08-19T15:24:00.009+01:00

Close to Sagrada Familia, Al Dar Lebanese restaurant has it all! Delicious food, polite and rapid service, relaxed family friendly atmosphere, and value for money. The menu covers all the favourite Lebanese dishes, including beef and chicken shawarma and mixed grill and Lebanese kebabs. The price for a plate of shawarma meat with fries and salad is less than 1800 kwanzas. I love coming to Al Dar for lunch on a sunday, after a gentle stroll around Segrada Familia.

They also offer a ready made buffet service for lunch mainly composed of Angolan type food - but naturally it's not as high quality compared to food made to order. They have a very nice take away service too, offering shawarma wraps, sandwiches, burgers and even pizzas. Again it only takes a few minutes to prepare your food and the quality is very good. One of few restaurants to serve Halal food. Parking is usually available in sorrounding streets.

We highly recommend a visit to Al Dar for the good value, delicious food and very professional service.

Update- January 2010

I noticed the prices have gone up slightly. Not sure if the price increase applies to all items, but the lunch is now 3300 kwanzas. I think they tried to improve the quality a bit and perhaps they are trying to make the best of the CAN 2010 period, but i believe they no longer offer good value for money.

Coconuts Restaurant (On Ilha de Luanda)

2009-08-19T15:05:00.004+01:00

Coconuts Restaurant is located on a large open area towards the end of Ilha. As expected it has its own private beach on the ocean side which creates a magnificent setting. A few deckchairs are provided for that obligatory sunday afternoon rest! As for the menu; it is extensive and multi-lingual - English, French and Portuguese. Plenty of European and Portuguese dishes as well some local cuisine are on offer. The prawn curry is sublime, and I highly enjoyed the Sea Food Kebab. However the price is unashamedly high - on average 2500 - 3000 kwz just for the main course. For a 3 course meal with drinks, you are easily looking at over 6000 kwanzas... So maybe you just found the perfect place for your business lunches!

Av. Murtala Mohamed, s/n - Ilha do Cabo Luanda

Tél.: (+244 2) 30 92 41 / 912 205 777 / 923 581 333

e-mail: coconutsluanda@netcabo.co.ao

Capacity: 120 people

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 11h00 to midnight

Saturday and Sunday: 10h00 to 23h00

Rialto (Marginal, near the new Sonangol Tower)

2009-08-19T14:36:00.003+01:00

Rialto restaurant is essentially your basic pizzeria. The cuisine is simple and they serve a decent variety of pizzas and pastas to cater all needs, including vegetarian and sea-food pizzas. Not much can be said about the interior of the restaurant however, as there really is nothing special or memorable in sight. The bar in front of the restaurant serves all the usual alcoholic drinks. The service is usually polite and not too slow, normally taking no more than 20mins to prepare your order... The price is fairly reasonable too - a large pizza for 1 from around 1700 kwanzas.

Rue de la Reine Ginga, 12 - Marginal, Luanda
Tél.: (+244) 222 392 436
(+244) 917 616 617
Fax: (+244) 335 495
e-mail: ideasturismo@snet.co.ao
Capacity: 120 people
Open daily, from lunchtime to 23:00.
Cash only!

Trinca Espinhas

2009-08-19T14:21:00.004+01:00

This relatively well known restaurant is a favourite hit with the Portuguese expat community in Luanda, and it is easy to see why. Their Portuguese fish dishes are one of the best I've tried in Luanda and they provide good value for money. A main course dish will cost you no more than 2500 kwanzas. But the popularity does have a down side: you might have to book in advance as they are known to be extremely busy at peak periods; particularly on weekends.

We recommend Trinca Espinhas for the good value for money and their superb food

Now re-opened, after several weeks of renovation. We will update the post with new photos and information as soon as we get a chance...

Caribe Restaurant (On Ilha, next to Chill Out)

2009-08-19T14:02:00.001+01:00

If only that place wasn't so expensive, that would be great! The setting is really nice, especially during summer, with a view on the gold sand beach and the blue sea.
The menu is diverse but my personal favourite is the langoust with maracuja cream for dessert. Expect to pay around 4000 kwanzas for the main dish. With drinks, appetizers and desserts, you should spend around 7000-8000 kwanzas (US$100). You can also come to enjoy a lazy afternoon watching people around a drink.
An army of waiters is there to serve you but I found it not very efficient, though very polite.

Tel: 222 309 493

Bahia (Marginal)

2009-08-19T13:38:00.016+01:00

Bahia restaurant is one of my favourite places in Luanda. The decoration is gorgeous throughout the 3 floors. On the top (3rd) floor is the seating for the pizzeria restaurant with great views of the marginal and retro wooden furniture. The second floor functions as a bar and restaurant and it is rather a romantic place for a date, complete with candle lights. The pizzas of the top floor are superb and not so expensive, average of around 1800 kwanzas. This is also an excellent place to have lunch during the weekdays, and quite a few oil company workers seem to visit regularly at lunch. They also serve some very nice sandwiches if you fancy a light meal. Normally fairly easy to find parking in nearby streets.

We recommend Bahia for the great atmosphere and food.

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Bahia Restaurant Luanda
Av. 4 de Fevereiro, 183 - Marginal Luanda
Tél.: (+244) 222 370 610
Fax: (+244) 222 370 630
e-mail: bahia@netangola.com
Capacity: 150 people
Open daily, from 12h to 16h and 19h to 23h

Zanzibar

2009-08-19T13:38:00.015+01:00

Funge House (Avenida Lenin)

2009-08-19T13:37:00.013+01:00

The House of Funge is possibly one of the bigger disappointments, but only because I had very high expectations of this restaurant. From the outside Funge House has a very attractive and misleading appeal. It's the kind of place that is designed to attract tourists, in a country with very little tourists. This may well be the reason why we were the only customers on a thursday night.

For an excessive 2500 kwanzas you are provided with quite a small buffet that contains 6 or 7 dishes, including local fish, meat of unknown origin, boring plain rice and worst of all cold funge. In many ways you feel like you are eating food made in a school canteen but are being charged high prices. I am sad to say I will not be visiting this place again

Cha de Caxinde

2009-08-19T13:37:00.012+01:00

Cha de Caxinde is the restaurante next to the Teatro Nacional of Angola and as such, it is famous for being a cultural meeting point.

Luanda Expat Guide

2008-09-16T17:07:00.001+01:00

Send us your questions about expatriation in Luanda and Angola, and we will try to help you the best way we can.

How to get an Angolan visa?
Most companies will take care of your visa application so you won’t have to go through the immigration process by yourself, which is a rather sweet thing.
In case you are coming by yourself, it is possible to get an ordinary visa by yourself as long as you get a letter of invitation from a sponsor and that you can prove that you have enough funds during your trip (more detailed info here: http://www.angola.org/visa.html).

Very Important: You need to apply in your country of residence!!!.

To help you in the process, you can contact Angola Travel Services, a travel company based in South Africa: http://www.aasafaris.com/ATS.htm

The normal process takes more than a month, but with them, you can do it in less than 10 days.

Luanda's Top 10 Restaurants

2008-08-23T19:27:00.006+01:00

Our motto is "You can say which ones are the best only if you've done all of them!".

RN's personal top 10:
- Naquele Lugar: unique location, excellent food, romantic setting
- Pimms: for me it doesn’t get posher than this in Luanda. Great service and quality food, and not super expensive
- Al Amir: suitable for the whole family. Superb food with impressive speed. Perfect if you have young kids.
- Embaixador: one of the more underrated restaurants, fantastic food, charming deco
- Broadway bar: love the food at this Indian restaurant, cool atmosphere
- Café del mar : great place to chill with a drink at the weekend and grab some light grub
- Sao Jorge : I only discovered this Ilha restaurant recently and I love the food, the setting and the service. Cool bar area on the beach
- Asia lounge : romantic, trendy restaurant, terrific sushis and international cuisine
- Trinca espinhas fantastic food at affordable prices, terrace area perfect for an early evening drink

The final spot remains open for the time being... watch this space!

TO's personal top 10:

1) Caribe restaurant on Ilha: Perfect way to spend a sunday afternoon in Luanda, It's really expensive but the setting makes it all worthwhile.

2) Veneza: If you are very hungry for good meat, Veneza is the best steakhouse in Luanda.

3) Naquele Lugar (Fortalezza): Great food in a charming, quiet little restaurant.

4) Embaixador: Simply very good food.

5) Bordao: Great beach restaurant on Ilha, much cheaper than most of the other classy places.

6) Asia Lounge: Brand new restaurant and sushi bar with a nice design and elegant atmosphere.

7) O Vila: Basic portuguese food, long wait, almost no decoration, but great fish and very nice waiters.

8) Tendinha: Best place to have a fast lunch in downtown luanda.

9) Tambarino: Good food, good service.

10) Cais de Quatro: Average food, but perfect spot for dinner with a view on the Bay.

Runner-up: Le Petit Bistro, Bahia, Don Castellana Elio, A Nossa Sombra, Rialto, Trinca Espinhas

Luanda Nightlife Guide

2008-08-23T19:26:00.000+01:00

Coming soon...

Luanda Nightlife Top 5

2008-04-19T21:03:00.000+01:00

After 2 years as an expat in Luanda, I haven't done that many clubs, but probably enough to tell you what are my top 5 favourite bars & clubs of Luanda Nightlife.

1) Teatro Elinga
2) Eden Club & Maiombe
3) Miami
4) Palos
5) Dom Q & Chill Out

I want to spend my third year in Luanda more in clubs than in restaurants, so this rankings will probably change as I get a better taste of the nightlife Luanda has to offer.