Le Mandela in Cardiff

Delicious food, generous portions, lovely people - will definitely be coming back!

Reasonably priced. Good food. Recently refurbished. Grilled fish is amazing.

This is simply one of the best African restaurants I have ever dined in. Food is exceptionally good, the service was great and the business owner was courteous and professionally welcoming. I will recommend Le Mandela to anyone who wants a good quality and nutritious food.

This is a restaurant I frequently visit. It’s my go to spot each time I fancy some African food. You won’t believe I travel 60miles just to get a taste of their cuisine. I even encouraged our culturally diverse work team to take the staff quarterly outing there in March 2024 and everyone loved it. You will eat amazingly well for £10-20, I totally recommend 👍

Fantastic experience. recommended to all.

Boby is a really friendly and informative staff member who helped me order what i wanted. I will be back there in swear

A good place to go if you want an African restaurant and good food quality. Maria is so professional and will do anything to make a customer happy. I Highly recommend it

The best African kitchen you can think of in Cardiff, fresh and tasty food

The welcome is warm and the meals are delicious 😋, I highly recommend it to everyone

The meals are excellent, a clean and welcoming setting 👌🏻

Very freshly made tasty food, and excellent customer service

Food was great that I had to take away after eating.

I enjoy the food it was very delicious I think next time I'll be with all my friends for my birthday thank you again Mandela restaurant 😊

LE MANDELA Location: 156 Penarth Rd Cardiff CF11 6NJ UK Rating: 4.5/5 "LE MANDELA is a hidden gem in the heart of Cardiff! The moment I stepped inside, I was transported to the vibrant streets of West Africa. The decor was colorful and lively, with traditional textiles and rhythms setting the tone for a fantastic dining experience. The service was warm and attentive, with our server happily guiding us through the menu. And what a menu! From spicy jollof rice to poisson braisé, every dish was a flavor sensation. Don't miss the Okra soup - it's a game-changer! Portions were way generous, and prices were reasonable. Overall, LE MANDELA is a must-visit for anyone craving authentic African cuisine in Cardiff. Can't wait to return!" RECOMMENDED FOR: Adventurous eaters, African food lovers, spicy food fans🤸🏽 Price range: £15-£25 per entree I will ABSOLUTELY return!

The best African restaurant in South Wales, fresh food with natural flavours, with a touch of African spice. To anyone that likes good food, Le Mandela got you!

The food is amazing and delicious i highly recommend especially spinach with beef is always my favourite.

Great atmosphere, the people are kind, the food taste even better.

My favourite place to eat every time I come to Cardiff. The grilled fish is unbeatable and I always order one to take away

Best and favorite restaurant in cardiff. African will feel at home when you enter the restaurant.

Had a lovely time, delicious traditional meal and cozy atmosphere

Great place to be and we really enjoyed the food. Great customer service and excellent quality of service.

Beautiful food that you won’t forget! We had the fish, spinach, beans and okra soup. You can tell this food is cooked homemade, highly recommend.

A great place to experience homemade, traditional African food. We had chicken wings, jollof rice with fried beef and the X Large grilled fish. All were fantastic but the fish was definitely the highlight.

Great food, native and amazing service . 10/10. Only tip is the music was a little bit too loud to have a conversation but 11/10 restaurant and food. If you love west African food in Cardiff go here!

Visited La Mandela today with my fiance. It was an impromptu visit based on the recommendations of multiple Nigerian students that I have taught. It did not disappoint. This was easily the best food I have experienced in South Wales in the past 5 years. This was incredibly yummy, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Yes, the food has some spice (my nose was running from the Suya) but every dish was more flavour than spice which made it incredible. I generally have an aversion to spice, but at no point did the spice put me of here. Absolutely delicious and cannot wait to return

Absolutely scrumptious food. Lovely chilled vibes.

If you’re looking for proper authentic African food, Le Mandela is the place to visit. The flavours remind me of home sweet home.

We bought 2 bitterleaves sauce (Ndole), one with beef and prawns and the other one just with beef. And we also got one Eru (Ero) sauce with fufu. The food was delicious. We will definitely be back. We've been looking for a Cameroonian restaurant for a while now and we are so glad that Le Mandela didn't disappoint. We placed our order over the phone and didn't have to wait too long to come and pickup the food. We really recommend this restaurant. Taste authentic!

Called ahead and ordered a takeout. Swift and convenient.

Amazing food, great flavour and cooked to perfection!

Only popped in for a small bite to eat but was blown away by the food. The chicken and jollof rice was probably the best I’ve ever tasted. Juicy and full of flavour and halal!. The chilli sauce was also amazing. Highly recommend, the people were lovely. If I’m ever in Cardiff again will definitely go back!

If you Are at Cardiff and are you looking for a good Restaurant? Go to Le Mandela. Nice food, Nice place, Nice people. You are gonna enjoy It so much. I tryed and recomended you

Hey guys!! A beautiful place, with a wonderful reception, the food is delicious, you should visit it as soon as possible.💕

We visited the restaurant during the holiday season. The menu includes traditional West African dishes, prepared from original recipes. Food very good. Friendly atmosphere. We recommend it to everyone who wants to get to know or taste the cuisine of that region.

Mandela the only African Cameroonian restaurant to be in Cardiff wales .🇨🇲

Overall good experience and a friendly service. Sadly half of the items on the menu weren't available and the fried plantain was soggy. The jollof rice was very tasty as was the fried turkey. Definitely authentic and true to west African flavours.

First introduction to African food and was very pleased. Fantastic food that come in large portions for a reasonable price.

A little place with nice atmosphere and great food. The jollof rice, plantain and fried black beans is particularly excellent, will be going back.

Very good and reliable customer services

I have been going to Le Mandela restaurant with my friends and family for years and everything about their activities is amazing 👏 and lovely 😍

Small place, just a couple of staff, really nice atmosphere. Excellent food, particularly the jollof rice, fried black beans and plantain. My wife loved the grilled fish.

Chilling place to eat out with friends. Nice food and drinks

Very frustrating!!! How do you have your business showing as open on Google and actually be closed in reality on a Friday afternoon, it makes no sense!! At least update your availability and not make people come over for no reason. I’m very disappointed

Good experience, nice food and good environment.

We went on a Sunday afternoon restaurant was very quiet but the service was excellent and the food was top class . We had fish curry, chicken curry and a vegetarian meal excellent flavour and enough to fill us up would definitely recommend Le Mandela The only thing we didn’t know before we went there it’s cash only luckily we had money with us.

I have repeatedly ordered Edika Ikong with pounded yam…amazingly satisfying!

Absolutely amazing, food presentation was great I had the grilled fish and jollof rice. The flavours really were complimented by the green sauce that I had. Customer service was great, the gentleman that served me at the bar was polite. They updated me on the duration of the food. I also tried the suya this was tender and succulent. I will definitely be going back 😌 thank you so much

It's a nice place to hang out or treat family and friends. No formal or complicated reservation needed, just walk in and you are good to go. Nice and large varieties of African food , Which is also good for none Africans as well. Nice place to chill and need friends.

Spicy goodness, lovely flavours/mix of spices on marinade and dips. Very unique, would recommend 👍🏼

I have had food here before and it was great, though it took time, and that was why I insisted to go there today with my family and visitors despite hubby’s suggestion of another place. Ohhh I do regret that! The reception was soooo cold! The two guys around were just directing us to each other, and formed busy for more than 20mins of waiting, non approached to take our orders. We even walked out, they didn’t seem bothered or even offer water or drinks to buy time. We just wasted time and left very very disappointed, they didn’t even consider we’ve got kids who were eager to eat🤷🏽‍♀️.if last time was 70% today was minus 300% if possible

The food is delicious! And the staff were super friendly and talked me through the menu. Highly recommend the plantain and fried beans!

Nice fish grill and African dishes

I had an amazing experience at Le Mandela restaurant! The food was exceptional, prepared with great attention to detail and bursting with delicious flavors. The inviting ambiance and tasteful decor created a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere. The staff Ulritch and Ben was friendly, knowledgeable, and provided excellent service throughout my time. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a top-notch African culinary adventure!

Nice place to grab some African delicacy

Went here yesterday after hearing how amazing it was from a friend and seeing the WalesOnline article. Absolutely incredible food! It's one of the best things I've ever eaten. I had beef Sauce Tomato curry, and it was so packed with flavour. The person I was with had the plantain and beans, and that was equally delicious. Really affordable and friendly atmosphere. Cannot wait to go back and try some more of the menu. 11/10 would recommend.

Tasty, authentic African food, good customer service, and a nice cosy vibe with great lighting and music. Would recommend

We accidentally ended up trying this place. Man was it delicious. I’ve never really had proper west African food before. It was so tasty!!! Great service. thank you

This was our first time going to an African restaurant and the server was super helpful. He explained the whole menu as well as the origin of the dishes and even brought the beer bottles to our table for us to choose. The food was amazing and the prices were extremely reasonable! I definitely recommend their Sadza and the tomato stew. We will definitely be back soon. :)

Proximity to all means of public transport,food deliciously cooked Affordable and friendly staff.Highly recommended.

Had the most delicious meal here last night. Staff were really pleasant when collecting the food, and our meal was very flavoursome, will be back soon.

The restaurant decor is light and airy, the one man serving was friendly and helpful. The food was great, although a bit too liberal with the pepper especially on the beef spinach. The sadza was amazing! Unfortunately La Mandela does not do hot drinks and this was rather disappointing as we had to wait 45 minutes for food without a drink. Being a cold day we didn't fancy any of the cold drinks on offer.

I’ve been a few times and have always loved how homely and different the food is from what’s usually on offer in Cardiff. The server has always taken the time to see what I know of the menu and helps me try new dishes that I’ll like each time. They’ve recently refurbished but the quality of the food stays true to culture and never fails impress. They’ve always had incredible food and is one of my favourite local hangouts for any occasion. The ambience is relaxed with plenty of lighting with great music that is background enough that it won’t disturb any conversation at all. Top place, will be back plenty more in the future.

We were in Cardif for my sons christening from London. We ended up having way more people than originally planned confirmed for dinner after, so we were scrambling around trying to find somewhere that could accommodate 26 of us. My hubby found La mandela online and the owner was more than happy to accommodate us at such short notice. And boy, they did not disappoint! Every aspect of the evening was outstanding. Food: 5/5 I've been to many african restaurants and I must say this was the best I've had in regards to authenticity and flavour. There was also alot of thought on how the food was presented, very chic and upscale. African food in most restaurants are usually made previously and frozen. As the stews often take a while to cook. Every single dish was delicious and FRESHLY made! But my favourite thing on the menu was the suya. ( You've been warned, It was deliciously spicey!🔥) Atmosphere: 5/5 the music was amazing, which set the tone nicely. I often found myself wanting to have a dance every other mouthful. Music was also the right volume, which is super important as you want to be able to speak and listen comfortably. Service: 5/5 it's a family business and every single person that served us were amazing. The host was outatanding, got all of our 26 orders correct and was very gracious especially when a couple of my older family members were slightly demanding. The kitchen is open style which to me speaks volumes about their standard and skill. The chefs were great, he went above and beyond by actually slicing my cake into perfect portions for my guest. You normally pay for that service in London. Decor: Warm Afrocentric vibes, adorned with cool art pieces and captivating African mask. I didn't feel like I was in Cardif tbh. I will definitely be back when we are in Cardiff again, can't wait!

Absolutely delicious, wholesome, soulful food. Chilled atmosphere, happy service. Taliapa and beef stew are absolute winners. We will definitely be back.

Bloody grate atmosphere and stunning food and the staff were friendly and practical I will be back next week

Best African restaurant in Cardiff. Their food is superb

Way way way above my expectations. I came here with a friend at his recommendation as he had enjoyed the food in the past, but they have recently revamped the restaurant and changed its menu so we didn't know what to expect. This was, without hyperbole, one of the best experiences I've had in Cardiff. The food was absolutely incredible. Everything had complex flavours and textures, and was presented well. I'd compare it to Brother Thai, but real African food. I was going to write down my highlights but I'd just have to write down everything that we had, so here you go. Boneless chicken, Suya, Sauce Tomate, Sauce aux arachides. Everything was 10/10. This place really is a hidden gem.

Service was 5 star, the waiter took time to ask if we had ever eaten African food (which we hadn’t) then explained every dish for us and he gave us his recommendations. The atmosphere was great, music in the background which was not too quiet which I love! The food was absolutely delicious, we had loads of different dishes and they were all so tasty. We will definitely be coming back.

Jah Breadz eat there on his Uk Tour from August to September #2020 Thank you Uk 🇬🇧 for experience 💯

Good Custom Service. The Food is ok and there are no varieties. All the same, it was good to have Nigerian cuisine in Cardiff.

This is my second experience with this restaurant. I made a call to place my order and it was actually taken; 2 hours later I drove to pick it up and guess what, my order hasn't being prepared. A friend who lives here says this is their norm. With time new African restaurants will open then I'll see how you guys will cope. So disappointed.

Very nice enjoy dining here, also took for take away nice service.

First time trying this place, must say I’ll be going back!! The ntaba & chicken wings was MWAH chefs kiss and the jollof was party style😩😩we got the chicken stew and egusi too..chicken stew was lovely the egusi however was a little too fishy.The only complaint I have is the wait time, waited about 90 minutes for it

The ambience, the food and the friendly staff make this a great experience at any time of day! I would recommend the fish, especially the way they cook tilapia.

I love the food and the staff were very welcoming. Recommended.

good service, amazing food and presentation👌🏾👌🏾 You won’t be disappointed!

We were so pleased we found the Mandela restaurant. We have virtually no experience of African food, but Ulrich was really friendly and helpful and gave us some recommendations. We had one of the best meals we have had in a long time and really felt like we were on holiday. We definitely hope to return. Highly recommended if you want a unique experience away from the big food chains.

Lovely food. African alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Music was too loud.

Exaggerated prices, ordering online on their website promotes a 15% discount, but the discount is not given and they deny the existence of this promotion

This is like a takeaway joint. Not a restaurant.

Incredibly warm and welcoming. Let them choose your food if you're not fussy on what you eat! Can't wait to go back and try the rest of the food 😀😀

Some of the most delicious African food I tasted in Cardiff ...lovely ambience but the staff is way too slow 🤧

The food is amazing, very tasty. The service is quick and friendly and it is amazing value for money. Go and check it out.

The food here is delicious and a really good price, but don't expect your food to be ready quickly unless you order before you arrive. This restaurant serves real, traditional African food. It is delicious. There may not be many options for vegans or vegetarians who don't eat fish (many African dishes are meat/fish based, so that's to be expected) but it was fine for gluten free diets. The chefs know what goes in their food, so if you have any questions just ask. As mentioned, food can take quite a while to come out once ordered. This is because everything is cooked from scratch, not pre-packaged food like many restaurants. It's just a consequence of the good quality food preparation. So don't turn up when you're about to drop dead from hunger and you'll be just fine!

Food was great, we ordered mainly Nigerian dishes egusi soup, okra, stew grilled fish and it was amazing. The guy serving was a young guy, also mainly eats pescatarian so was able to advise me on what to have.

Pounded blazing hot and delicious

the pando yam i bought here doesn't taste originally as the normal. Guess some artificial substance were mixed with the flour. Assorted meat doesn't taste like cow meat, lifespan of soup is short!

I wish I could write enough to convince every African in Cardiff and it's environs to visit this restaurant after eating egusi and poundo Yam, I would have criticised several other African restaurants that I tried in Cardiff before I got to know about this but this is just a review, 🙃 they are not even close to Lè Mandela when it comes to enjoying the value of your money(delicious, tasty and affordable). You will love it.

They sell African foods and drinks.

Food is good but customers service 👎

Food took quite a while to be brought out to our table however I have to say I enjoyed every bite 🫕

It was lovely restaurant. Great ambiance. The food was tasty. It is a place you go to be seen. People make an effort to dress up. No that's a lie.... The Ladies make an effort to look a million bucks... men...not so much. The grilled fish is one of their most popular dishes. Rightly so, as it is phenomenal! They bring it with their own homemade chilli sauce on the side but beware ☣️☢️⚠️ that it burns like lava 🌋 in your mouth. On the downside, expect to wait about an hour for your food. Expect to buy bottles and mix your own cocktails as they don't sell shots. The staff just seemed grumpy which was not at all in keeping with the ambiance. There were zero #COVID19 measures in place. Even the music was loud so people had to speak louder to be heard. If you are a wheelchair user you have to ask for a ramp to enter. I don't believe that the toilets are wheelchair friendly at all. That said, Le Mandela is an experience I would highly recommend. 🙂

Great place to go for African food and to meet up with friends.

Service a bit slow. But food is great

Nice This restaurant offers African cuisine .... Jollof rice, egushi soup, ogbono soup......

Very tasty food. I definitely recommend.

Superb experience!! Great services, will recommend it for a nice experience!!

Very nice restaurant, lovely food and friendly staff.

Best African/carreabean Restaurant In town

The food reminds me of home. It’s a whole new African experience. Home away from home.