The 2010 SWITLIST: Best Restaurants/Places to Eat (Freetown Restaurant Guide)

BEST PLACES TO EAT

1. Country Lodge—C-Lodge’s Eden Restaurant is home to the friendliest and most seasoned set of staff anywhere in the city. Boasting a beautiful panoramic view of Freetown’s beach coast, a Mongolian all UCANEAT Buffet on Friday’s C-Lodge is my favorite destination for Sunday Brunch and late night desert treats. *Choco-lava*

2. Posseh’s- Hidden in the suburbs of Babadorie Posseh’s is one of Freetown’s best kept secrets diverse offering of French influenced meat, chicken, and seafood dishes. It’s a quaint some may even say romantic restaurant with excellent service and a wide selection of wines. Best for Breakfast but even better for Dinner. *chateaubriand & mashed mint potatoes*

3. Crown Bakery—It is 19years later and Crown Bakery has survived the test of time to become the best place to eat lunch in Freetown. Whether it is the Eggs Benedict for Breakfast or Portuguese Giant Prawns or Jollof Rice and Stew, the specials are always hearty sumptuous servings for anyone looking for bellyfulls of satisfaction. *Everything is good including people gazing, from ministers, to bank MDs*

4. Solar Hotel-Each time I dine at Solar Hotel I am overwhelmed by the artistry of the locally made furniture and carvings. Out for dinner you can hear the sounds and murmurs of frogs, crickets, and other creatures of the night that turn your star lit dining experience into an adventure. *The Man O War Steak

5. Franco’s & Florence’s—It’s an hour drive to reach but its time well spent when Florence’s Italian Restaurant at Sussex is your destination. All the creatures of the sea seem to swim out of the kitchen right on to your table. From big fat 1kilo lobsters to crab legs, shrimp and scallops, Florence’s is the best place to chow down on the peninsular. *Grilled Lobster & Fries*

6. Mamba Point (Barracuda Sushi Bar)—Enter Mamba Point’s Sushi Bar and you get the feeling that you could be sitting at any Sushi Restaurant in New York, London, or elsewhere. Mamba Point is the best place to grab a drink after work, meet up with friends, eat sushi or share a slice of pizza. If Crown Bakery had a distant cousin it would be Mamba Point. *Sushi- African Thunder*

7. Bliss Patisserie—Bliss is our very own French café owned by a charming and hospitable elderly Lebanese couple. It’s a ideal for Breakfast, Brunch and everything pastry. Treat yourself to a Crepe with Apples Cinnamon and Sugar or a pain au chocolat and certainly stop by to pre-order your birthday cakes and treats. *Crepes*

8. Senegalese Restaurant—The heartiest biggest portions you will ever thankfully overeat anywhere in town. The Senegalese Restaurant on Wilkinson Rd. offers traditional meals like Chicken Yassa, Theubu jean and grilled fish with atchieke. Owned by two Senegalese bothers, each dish is served to satisfy any hungry man or woman. A local and expat favorite!! * Grilled Fish Atieke with plantains*

9. Caribbean Fusion—Sanders Street never tasted so sweet until Caribbean Fusion Jerked into town. Blending the shared culinary and cultural bridge between Sierra Leone and Jamaica, Valerie’s Caribbean Fusion offers the classics from Jerk Chicken and Curry with Rice & Peas and Plantains to an assortment of fresh home made juices like Sorrel (Bissap) to a Gingerbeer Pineapple concoction to quench Freetown’s hot humid afternoons. *Pineapple shrimp & rice*

10. Chill Grill—Chill Grill is fast becoming a lunchtime favorite for Freetown’s business community looking for tasty Sierra Leonean delicacies. Chill Grill recently launched delivery service so you don’t have to leave your office to get your goat pepper soup. Thursday’s Cassava Leaves with Coconut Oil is a finger licking goodness. *Olehleh & Plaintains*

11. Jaylin Chinese Restaurant–Do not let the modest exterior of Jaylin Chinese Restaurant prevent you from enjoying the delights of its kitchen. For although Freetown boasts of a handful of Chinese Restaurants, Jaylin offers the tastiest fast authentic Chinese food in town and you know its authentic because many of Salone’s Chinese merchants frequent this restaurant.

12. Lillies Café & Bakery—Kingharman Road once just a good piece of tarmark to drive on is now home to Lillies Café a cute, and cozy restaurant catering to hungry mouths looking for good and reasonably priced food. Students from it environs have made this the destination for their after school ice cream treat. Owned by a Sierra Leonean UK returnee this restaurant will soon become a local favorite once construction on outdoor patio is complete. *Grilled Chicken Salad*