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New Nigerian restaurant Africfood to open in Cambridge

09:50, 28 June 2024

Africfood, a new African restaurant located at 42 Hills Road, is set to open tomorrow (Saturday, 29 June) from midday.

Sunkanmi Ariyibi, who is originally from Nigeria, is the woman behind it. She has been selling West African food at Cambridge Market since 2016.

Sunkanmi Ariyibi at Africfood. Picture: Keith Heppell
Sunkanmi Ariyibi at Africfood. Picture: Keith Heppell

Sunkanmi notes that the food she sells in the market has gone down “very well” with the local population, and that it maintains constant five-star reviews on Tripadvisor.

She says the renovation of the space, which was previously a bookshop, took longer than she had anticipated.

“It’s my first time doing this [opening a restaurant] so there’s a lot of new things to learn along the way,” said Sunkanmi. “It took a lot of time, and I struggled to get builders to do the job.

“Because the place used to be a bookshop, I’ve had to do everything from scratch so it’s been a lot of work. If it had been a restaurant before, it would have been easier.”

Sunkanmi eventually found a builder willing to take on the job last November, having initially acquired the building in July 2023.

Once open, the Tyrrell Art Gallery, which is run by Louise Clift and located at 3 Nuttings Road, Cambridge, will be exhibiting some of its artwork in the restaurant. The artwork will also be for sale.

The piece above the counter is called 'Breathe' and is by Caia Matheson, a UK-based artist.

“It will be a wonderful touch to the restaurant, it’s something different,” says Sunkanmi, who met and befriended Louise at the Cambridge branch of Natwest. “I like the artwork, it’s going to be something very nice.”

From left, Majod Zuaiter, Sunkanmi Ariyibi and Dami Ariyibi. Picture: Keith Heppell
From left, Majod Zuaiter, Sunkanmi Ariyibi and Dami Ariyibi. Picture: Keith Heppell

For more information, visit africfood.co.uk. For more on the Tyrrell Art Gallery, go to tyrrellartgallery.com.


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