Copper Heat
A new Chapter with Ikoyi
Ikoyi has never followed a predictable trajectory. Since its 2017 debut, the restaurant by chef Jeremy Chan and co-founder Iré Hassan-Odukale has steadily reshaped expectations of what modern fine dining in the city can be, earning two Michelin stars. Its move to 180 The Strand marks less a relocation than an evolution, a spatial and culinary recalibration that feels confidently aligned with the restaurant’s restless creative energy.
The new interiors, conceived by David Thulstrup of Studio David Thulstrup, read as a study in controlled intensity. The dining room is deliberately minimal yet materially rich, where patinated copper wall panels cast a warm, almost ember-like glow across the space. Above, a woven steel mesh ceiling stretches the full width of the room, filtering light with a subtle industrial softness. The effect is quietly theatrical. Rather than competing for attention, each surface reveals itself slowly, creating a dense, atmospheric envelope that feels both restrained and deeply tactile.
The tasting menu mirrors this same sense of intention. Ikoyi’s cooking remains anchored in West African flavour profiles but now moves with greater technical nuance and global fluency. Signature ingredients appear in unexpected forms, transformed through precise technique into dishes that feel both familiar and disorientingly new. There is a quiet confidence to the progression of courses, each one carefully calibrated to build complexity without overwhelming the palate.
What makes the experience memorable is the way flavour and structure work in tandem. Moments of heat are softened by acidity or texture; richness is lifted by unexpected brightness. Chinese influences surface subtly in technique and balance, weaving through the West African foundation rather than competing with it. The result is cuisine that resists easy categorisation but remains deeply compelling. In its new home, Ikoyi does not simply refine its formula; it pushes the boundaries of deliciousness with clarity and control.
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