Z Kitchen

Z Kitchen opened in 2018 in the former Westafco building on Saka Tinubu Street in Victoria Island and has built a large and loyal local following. It is owned by Ziad and Zeina Beydoun, a Lebanese husband-and-wife team, and has been included in the Discovery series of The World's 50 Best Restaurants, which highlights recommended places around the world. The restaurant serves both lunch and dinner every day.

The building is divided into several distinct spaces, which gives it a sense of occasion without feeling stiff. There is a main dining room, an enclosed courtyard garden that is pleasant in the evening, a dedicated wine room and a bar. This range of rooms makes Z Kitchen work for business lunches, family celebrations and dinner with friends alike.

The menu is broad, mixing upscale international cooking with Nigerian touches and comfort classics such as crab rolls, empanadas and rotisserie chicken. Meat eaters can order from a Butcher's Cuts section that has included a one-kilogram tomahawk steak and an ostrich fillet. A weekly-changing set menu is the best-value way to eat here, especially at lunchtime, and desserts such as sticky toffee pudding and cardamom-spiced apple crumble round off the meal. Wine is a focus, as the dedicated wine room suggests.

The restaurant suits groups, business diners and families, and anyone who wants reliable, generous cooking in a polished setting. Prices are at the upper end of the Lagos market, but the set menu keeps a lunch visit more affordable. Booking is advisable for dinner and at weekends, and for groups wanting the garden or wine room. Smart casual dress is appropriate.

For a first visit, lunch is a good choice: the set menu gives a taste of the kitchen at a lower price, and the courtyard is pleasant before the evening heat and traffic build. Groups planning a celebration should ask about reserving the wine room or the garden. As at most upscale Lagos restaurants, check whether service charge and VAT are added to the bill.

Saka Tinubu Street is in central Victoria Island, close to many offices and hotels, so Z Kitchen is easy to reach for a working lunch. Use a ride-hailing car in the evening. Bature Brewery's taproom and RSVP are both a short drive away if you want to continue the evening with a drink.