HEAT African Restaurant
282 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UR, GB
Rating: 3.8 ★ (169 ratings)
Details
Spicy West African beef suya, marinated with peanuts and indigenous herbs, offers an authentic taste of the continent right on Cowley Road. HEAT African Restaurant presents a menu rich with traditional dishes, from flavourful Egusi, a West African melon seed stew with beef and assorted meat, to tender okra soup and aromatic pepper soup. Adventurous diners can explore Nyamachoma, a Kenyan-style grilled meat platter served with ugali and spinach stew, or a bountiful seafood boil packed with prawns, crab, mussels, and more. Sides like jollof rice, a flavourful one-pot dish, pounded yam, and fried plantain complete the experience, ensuring a comprehensive journey through African culinary traditions. Many dishes cater to various preferences, including vegetarian options like puff puff with beans.
Located in the heart of East Oxford's vibrant and multicultural Cowley Road, HEAT African Restaurant provides more than just a meal; it's an immersion into a lively cultural scene. The area is renowned for its eclectic mix of independent shops, global cuisine, and a generally buzzing atmosphere, making it a distinct Oxford experience away from the traditional academic centre. The restaurant itself is described as having a comfortable and cosy atmosphere, with options for dine-in, takeaway, and delivery. It's a place where you can enjoy great cocktails and even catch live sports, adding to the casual and welcoming environment. The friendly staff aim to provide professional service, contributing to an enjoyable visit.
Location
Opening Hours
Monday: Closed; Tuesday: 12:30 PM – 12:30 AM; Wednesday: 12:30 PM – 12:30 AM; Thursday: 12:30 PM – 12:30 AM; Friday: 12:30 PM – 12:30 AM; Saturday: 12:30 PM – 12:30 AM; Sunday: 12:30 PM – 12:30 AM
Contact
+44 1865 548296
Comments
Now, take a moment the guess the price of the soup you’re seeing…..whatever you guessed you’re wrong.
The soup alone cost—£21.10
the pounded yam—£5.20
And it wasn’t even freshly pounded yam, it’s the stuff you can buy from supermarkets. It was my Nigerian friend that ordered this for us to eat for lunch, in the hopes it would last a long time at her house(the soup I mean). Nope, this is what she got.
It really makes you wonder, what exactly is giving this food such an exorbitant price?.
i added the price here so you guys can be the judge of it, does this make sense to you?
Had Puff Puff and beans, which was really good (basically sliced banana + Kidney beans).
Also a Magnum drink - somewhere between an energy drink and vodka & coke.
Barman and waiter were friendly and was a great atmosphere. Some photos attached... to share their Good vibes. 😉
It is more relaxed and serves up a nice selection on the food menu.
I've tried the wings, rice, fries and puff puffs.
All of the food was to a high standard and tasted great.
Nice light afro tunes in the background.
If you're looking for a chilled evening with a few drinks and some food, this is the spot to try.
The portion of egusi was quite small for the price, but was enough for the pounded yam to finish with it. The taste itself was good, just lacked a bit of salt.
The plantain was soggy and really oily, they were also £3.99 and I was only given 5 pieces.
The pounded yam wasn’t properly wrapped in cling film so it ended up roaming in the bag and got dirty and the egusi also spilled all over the bag. So it wasn’t packaged properly.
The service took a while, but there were a lot of people and the music was way too loud, I couldn’t even hear my friends that was next to me.