What do you get when you infuse international food culture with local ingredients? Au Souvenir, a restaurant in Fann that is hoping to revolutionize the way Dakarians approach food.

Innovative and edgy, Au Souvenir’s dishes are imaginative with a beautiful simplicity that highlights healthy ingredients and inspires a comprehensive dining experience. Here are our favorite things about this unique restaurant, and why we’ll be back.

Eating close to home
While buying local continues to hold top rank on the food industry’s list of trends, Au Souvenir isn’t sourcing nearby to boost their popularity. Instead, using contacts from the Dakar Farmer’s Market, they source locally to ensure the freshest, healthiest ingredients are used in their dishes. They look for growers who don’t use pesticides, but offer organic produce.

The result? Fresh, nutrient- and flavor-packed dishes at a reasonable price.

Things that will bring us back
√ African Cosmopolitan, a cocktail with a twist! Bissap replaces the traditional cranberry juice and is infused with lime.
√ Matam smoothie, blended with fresh strawberries, coconut milk, and sweetened with honey.
√ Aged mozzarella, smoked and melted on italian bread, topped with roasted red peppers.
√ Focaccia, baked with onions, garlic, and olive oil.
√ Lamb, perfectly seasoned with rosemary and served with seasonal vegetables.

The restaurant is committed to respecting food culture and dietary restrictions. They offer vegetarian, pork-free and gluten-free options. Oh, and the menu rotates based on the seasonal ingredients, so there’s always something new to try.

It’s not just about the food
Choose from indoor or outdoor seating and watch the sun drop into the ocean from Au Souvenir’s corner in the African Remembrance Square. Sitting quietly off the corniche and away from traffic, the restaurant’s friendly atmosphere caters to families, friends and couples. During certain hours, you can enjoy dinner and a show as drummers, a cappella groups and dancers perform in the square. Regular restaurant events like “C’est VINdredi” feature specialty wines and foods, making this not only a great place to eat, but a place to kick off your weekend.

Additional highlights:
√ Au Souvenir offers delivery and takeaway. And if you’re looking to host an event, they cater too.
√ WiFi is available.
√ Staff is French, English, and Italian friendly.

Things to look forward to
While they currently offer delivery through a private service, they look to one day work with Jumia. They also hope to eventually make their own ice cream, although for now, the ice cream they source locally is delicious and doesn’t disappoint. For stout lovers tired of Gazelle and Flag, perhaps the most exciting change to look forward to is the installation of taps, which will eventually feature Guinness.

Ready to visit?
Hours:
Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to midnight
Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 2 am

Address:
Place du souvenir africain,
Corniche ouest x Fann
Located beside Sea Plaza.