Sweet Coffee

Sweet Coffee is a long-running café on the Route de King Fahd Palace in Les Almadies, the western district that holds many of Dakar's hotels, restaurants and beaches. Its palm-fringed terrace at the front is a good place for watching the comings and goings of the neighbourhood.

The menu is built around coffee, homemade pastries and light meals. Expect crêpes, salads, sandwiches and pizzas, with desserts, ice cream and milkshakes that make it popular with groups of young Dakarois in the afternoon. It is a useful address if you want a familiar breakfast or a simple lunch between beach sessions, and the free Wi-Fi makes it handy for catching up on messages or planning the next day. If you want to try Dakar's own coffee culture as well, look out for the street stands across the city selling café Touba, coffee ground with djar, a local spice, and served black with plenty of sugar, then compare it with a cup here.

The atmosphere changes through the day. Mornings are relaxed, with people stopping for coffee and pastries, while later on the terrace fills up and shisha water pipes appear on the outdoor tables; some guides also mention cocktails in the evening. If you prefer a smoke-free setting, come earlier in the day.

Au Sénégal lists opening every day from 07:30 to 18:30, but other guides describe later activity on the terrace, so check current hours if you plan an evening visit. Prices are moderate for the Almadies. It suits families, solo travellers and remote workers, and children will enjoy the ice cream and milkshakes. No booking is needed. Au Sénégal sums it up as a good place for a snack break or a relaxed lunch with family or friends.

Les Almadies is close to the Pointe des Almadies, the westernmost point of mainland Africa, and to King Fahd Palace with its golf course. Sweet Coffee is a few minutes by taxi from Ngor beach, where pirogues leave for Ngor Island, and from beach restaurants such as Noflaye Beach on the Corniche des Almadies. It makes an easy stop before a surf lesson in Ngor Bay or after a morning visiting the African Renaissance Monument and the Phare des Mamelles to the south.