Though its dishes are Italian, Osteria Michelangelo feels like a spiritual cousin to Cantonments’ excellent French restaurant Le Tandem. Both are hidden away in former private houses, and both are overseen by a gregarious owner who positively glows with passion about his native country’s food. While there is little to choose between the two kitchens, Michelangelo’s is the more interesting dining room, filled with charmingly mismatched antiques, potted plants and Italian art – one table appears to have had a former life as an office desk, while another is beneath the gaze of a Modigliani nude.
Owner Leo is likely to come over and run through the specials, but it’s worth asking if he doesn’t – getting hold of the best ingredients in Accra is an inexact science, and he knows what’s fresh on any given day. On the starter menu, look out for specially imported buffalo mozzarella and a good, crunchy frito misto. The latter comes up big enough for two, which reflects a quirk of portion sizes here – starters are generous, mains a little on the small side. You’ll need both if you want to go home well-fed.
Pasta gets pretty poor treatment in Accra, so Michelangelo’s skill with it makes this the most appealing section of the mains menu. There are several great ravioli dishes, including a sweet-savoury pumpkin and a deep, rich mushroom, plus classics like spaghetti carbonara and amatriciana.
The wine list, like everything else, is exclusively Italian. They’re well kept and well chosen – another parallel with Le Tandem – and have a manageable price spread, with some under 40ghc a bottle. If you can find Osteria Michelangelo in the warren of streets around Airport Residential, you’ll be rewarded with easily one of the best international restaurants in town.
Expert Review
Though its dishes are Italian, Osteria Michelangelo feels like a spiritual cousin to Cantonments’ excellent French restaurant Le Tandem. Both...
Though its dishes are Italian, Osteria Michelangelo feels like a spiritual cousin to Cantonments’ excellent French restaurant Le Tandem. Both are hidden away in former private houses, and both are overseen by a gregarious owner who positively glows with passion about his native country’s food. While there is little to choose between the two kitchens, Michelangelo’s is the more interesting dining room, filled with charmingly mismatched antiques, potted plants and Italian art – one table appears to have had a former life as an office desk, while another is beneath the gaze of a Modigliani nude.
Owner Leo is likely to come over and run through the specials, but it’s worth asking if he doesn’t – getting hold of the best ingredients in Accra is an inexact science, and he knows what’s fresh on any given day. On the starter menu, look out for specially imported buffalo mozzarella and a good, crunchy frito misto. The latter comes up big enough for two, which reflects a quirk of portion sizes here – starters are generous, mains a little on the small side. You’ll need both if you want to go home well-fed.
Pasta gets pretty poor treatment in Accra, so Michelangelo’s skill with it makes this the most appealing section of the mains menu. There are several great ravioli dishes, including a sweet-savoury pumpkin and a deep, rich mushroom, plus classics like spaghetti carbonara and amatriciana.
The wine list, like everything else, is exclusively Italian. They’re well kept and well chosen – another parallel with Le Tandem – and have a manageable price spread, with some under 40ghc a bottle. If you can find Osteria Michelangelo in the warren of streets around Airport Residential, you’ll be rewarded with easily one of the best international restaurants in town.