Kaieteur Kitchen is a neighbourhood restaurant serving traditional Guyanese food just off Elephant and Castle’s Castle Square. Designed to feel like a home away from home, this locally loved restaurant was brought to southeast London by owner Faye Gomes in 2003. It started out as a food stall in the Elephant and Castle shopping centre before graduating to a bricks-and-mortar site on the first floor of Castle Square.
This warm and relaxed spot is perfect for enjoying a relaxed meal with friends and family, from laid-back weeknight dinners to larger group gatherings. The interiors are reminiscent of a brightly lit canteen complete with plastic seats, laminated menus and a buffet-style counter on one side where you can order dishes to go.
Staples on the menu include traditional Guyanese patties filled with vegetables cooked in a rich curry sauce, and homemade cheese rolls wrapped in pastry and filled with cream cheese. While further starters might include salted cod fish cakes with a fruity dip, and a warming lentil and sweet potato soup.
Kaieteur’s signature fried chicken is not to be missed, with a crispy, golden coating seasoned with a signature blend of spices. People often pay Kaieteur Kitchen a visit for the chicken alone. For main course, there is an array of traditional, soul-warming dishes, from curry fish and stewed oxtail to coconut lamb with sweet potato. While vegetarians are taken care of with dishes such as stewed chickpeas cooked in an aromatic spiced broth, and fried okra. You’ll also find a selection of Guyanese sweets that are well worth a browse, from boozy rum cake to pineapple tarts featuring buttery pastry and pineapple jam.
Wash all that down with one of its homemade drinks, including fruit punch, ginger beer, spiced sorrel or mango and ginger juice.