Ali Baba's Lebanese Restaurant

Ali Baba has been serving mezze, shawarma and charcoal-grilled kebabs on the Senegambia Strip for two decades, and it's stayed popular for good reason. The menu is straight-down-the-line Lebanese and Middle Eastern — generous mezze platters, hummus and grilled meats — with vegetarian options and a halal kitchen throughout. The hookah garden at the back is a local institution, busiest late into the evening once the strip wakes up. It's casual, the prices are low at around £15 a head, and the location is hard to beat: you can walk back to most Kololi hotels afterwards rather than hunt for a taxi. Open late, it's a reliable choice when the hotel buffet has worn thin, or for a relaxed group dinner that won't stretch the budget.