Phare Des Mamelles Restaurant
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Phare Des Mamelles Restaurant: Dakar Lighthouse Dining

ByThe Scribs and Nibs

The Phare des Mamelles Restaurant is one of the most popular restaurants in Dakar and it’s easy to see why. Situated by the lighthouse overlooking Dakar, Phare des Mamelles has great food and live music, with fantastic city views.


In French, Phare des Mamelles literally means “Lighthouse of the Breasts.” The Mamelles is the name of the two hills in Dakar, which translates to “breasts”. One “mamelle” has the lighthouse on it, the other has the African Resistance Monument.

There is a small souvenir shop at the entrance.

If you’ve just got one night in Dakar, this is the restaurant to visit.  

The Basics

  • To access the restaurant, you’ll need to park at the bottom of the lighthouse hill and take a minivan to the entrance.
  • Phare des Mamelles is also a museum and so you’ll need an entry pass to access the restaurant in the evening, after 6:30pm. Pay the 5000fcfa fee at the entrance. Your entry ticket includes a free drink (that’s about the same price as the entry).
  • If you arrive after 11pm, the entry price rises to 10,000fcfa, but you will only get one drink.
  • Make a reservation for brunch and weekend dinners.
  • Closed Mondays.
  • Check out all the deets on their website.

Dining at the Phare des Mamelles Restaurant

At Phare des Mamelles, you can get authentic Senegalese seafood, meat, and chicken dishes or indulgence in a couple of tapas to share. As with the other restaurants I visited while in Dakar, I ordered a fish dish and our meals came with a classic bread course with olives and peanuts.

I got the “pavé de mérou,” a grouper steak with spicy coconut milk & roasted cashew nuts. The flavors were simple, allowing the fresh grouper to really shine through. The “thiof with attieke & fried plantain” is a great option for those who want a classic Senegalese meal, while the “roasted barracuda steaks with spices, tajine style” sound like something for the adventurous!

Check out the menu here. Mains range between 10,000-17,000fcfa.

The vibe is intimate yet lively. There is a live band, or DJ, playing Tuesdays- Sundays. Evening performances start between 8pm-9:30pm. Thursday through Saturday, the restaurant stays open until 2:30am or later! The bar has a funky jazz vibe to it.

According to my colleagues, Phare des Mamelles is the place to be seen for brunch in Dakar. The live brunch performances start at 9:30am.  

Tour the Lighthouse

If you are eating at Phare des Mamelles Restaurant, then your entry to the Lighthouse and visit to the exhibition on the ground floor is free. The lighthouse is open Tuesday- Sunday between 10am-6pm. Pay an additional 3,000fcfa for a guided tour.

Built in 1864 by the French, the Phare des Mamelles Lighthouse is one of the oldest built in Africa. On the tour, you can climb to the top of the lighthouse to take a closer look at the light that has warned boats that they are approaching Dakar.

Check out the website here.