Amaarae

Amaarae is a multi-talented musician and English Lit major hailing from Accra, Ghana. Experimenting with music from an early age, the singer-songwriter, producer and sound engineer travelled a lot as a child. Now a growing force within the Ghanaian music scene and starting to make waves across the seas, Amaarae’s unique sound, which combines an experimental mix of neo-soul and African drums, is getting her the attention from the likes of Gilles Peterson. 

Clued in to the scene in her hometown, scroll down for her favourite spots across the city.

Ghana

There is so much more to Accra, Ghana than what meets the eye. A haven for thrill-seekers located on the southern coast of the gulf of guinea, the city's activities often spill into the Atlantic ocean via its healthy surfing, fishing and boat tourism scenes. 

The capital city serves as the undisputed epicentre of youth culture in Ghana, the location of its first skate park and the birthplace of the nation's premier streetwear brand Free The Youth. Art schools such as the Ghanatta College of Art and Design are producing highly skilled art practitioners in the city while exhibition spaces like Gallery 1957 are providing the infrastructure for them to flourish. Its nooks and crannies are riddled with new adventures for people from all walks of life.

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Accra

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Go on a Friday or Saturday if you like to be in the hustle and bustle and like crowds, but if you're chill and want a great night with a great atmosphere go after work. Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday, at about 6 – 9 pm and just have a drink and chill out.

Music 

Live Music

Drinks

Food

Restaurant

BloomBar

A little hole in the wall spot with a rooftop, they do sick Thai food. If you go there ask for everything extra spicy, it's sick.

Dinner

Lunch

Zion Thai

It’s a stretch of tiny alcohol kiosks, there’s one dude who has a kiosk and he had a couch outside and people just post up on the couch. Order a bunch of local shots.

Street

City

Community

Kiosk

Spintex Road

Go drink at the republic bar, tell them Amaarae sent you.

Grill

The Republic Bar

Accra has a beat like no other city. In between the cacophony of Trotros (public buses), street hawkers and local pubs, there's always a hidden symphony. La Même Gang call Ghana home and as a creative collective of individual artists who have come together, they're truly making a name for themselves on the scene. As unique culture icons of the city, they share their favourite spots across Accra with us...

"Try their shisha. They've got amazing flavors!"

"Ask for the kelewele lady. Late night sweet tooth."

"Go on Sunday evening. It's the best time, best burgers."

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Accra with La Même Gang

Ghanaian Afropop singer-songwriter Camidoh loves to create music inspired by his home country. Ghana's lush scenery and natural beauty is one of the things that helps Camidoh creatively but also to just wind down. He explains, "I love to go to the beach to relax. I personally like going on weekdays because most people are at work and there is more space for me to sleep on the sand. I love going with friends to drink, eat and just have chats and chill together."

Read his guide to see the all of the beaches Ghana has to offer. From Bojo beach which requires a boat ride to access, to Labadi which is lined with coconut trees, Camidoh's suggestions capture some of Ghana's best kept secrets. 

I enjoy this beach mostly at night, because it reveals the real "architectural" aesthetics and its marvellously decorated beachfront with thatch roofs, summer huts, beautiful bonfire and scented oil lamps.

At this beach, I get to have a practical contact with two exceptional climate zones in close proximity and also see the offshore oil rigs at work. This eco-lodge beach is always a favourite destination anytime I am in the western part of Ghana.

Officially known as the La Pleasure Beach, anytime I visit Labadi beach, it is because of the scenic stretch of sand. Due to its spacious shoreline lined with sparse coconut trees, I am offered that lovely opportunity to have a great walk with cool breeze, enjoy horseback rides, delicious street food, and live band music without travelling out of town.

I love Bojo Beach to the core. You have to travel far out the capital city to relax by the sea, it offers great intimate and pleasant experiences and you can also canoe!

Ghana's Best Beaches with Camidoh

Surf Ghana is a skateboarding collective with an intent to create social change in Ghana. For four consistent years, we have focused on building a creative and inclusive community that will not be forgotten. Our message is simple: Anything is possible, and through skateboarding, the youth can learn that we are not defined by perceived obstacles, but that we can find meaning in our ability to adapt to them. That is what skateboarding is truly about and for us, it is more than just skateboarding but the synergy between the arts: Music, graffiti, photography, writing, styling, and carpentry as a way to campaign for a healthy body and mind, sound education, and social awareness.


We have travelled to major cities in Ghana to teach skateboarding and this is how we found the best bucket-list meals, affordable spots, and experiences to help you find out what to do, where to go, where to stay, who to be with, and what to eat in Accra.

The kids go Trade Fair to learn skateboarding in a space that is secure and private but in the open street still. It is a fun and inclusive space and a coach is also available to give lessons and guides through the process of skateboarding for an easy ride.

National Theatre is a mix of both Trade Fair and Mile 7 and it has a larger space to contain the gender mix. This year, as the skateboarding scene grew larger the National Theatre was voted the best place to meet all the skateboarding crews without hassles. You will not see any female skateboarder at Mile 7 but you will see them at the National Theatre because of how comfortable the environment is.

Only skateboarders with the shit can skate at Mile 7. It is the ghetto, under an overhead bridge. How can you be a poser and go to Mile 7? That is impossible. There is no coach, only thrashers. It is no man’s land and to skate there you must earn the respect of the hobos who have turned the space to their abode. It is the definition of skate or Die: You either skate well or your board will skid to the main road and get crushed by an oncoming vehicle. That is the end.

Palm Moments is the spanking new alternative restaurant that is on the lips of everyone in the creative community. A slight bamboo and plywood structure built at the pocket of 3rd Otswe Street, Ako Adjei. It is scarcely furnished with a sofa and some chairs barricaded by large outdoor plants. The space is minimal, intimate and can only sit a few group of friends, but the good energy and camaraderie are what makes all and sundry decide it is the best place, fluid to their creative taste, to powwow and get refreshed while at it. This year all roads led to Palm Moments.

As the sun goes over the horizon you see the crews trickling in, reacquainting, eating, drinking and sometimes dancing. It is also the best place to have a block party because out there the ever-growing crowd literally takes over the street.

Alley Bars signature is their well-cooked and timely served meals! It is really a good bistro to eat at. A bonus, it is the place to be every Sunday for the best Afro-house party in Accra. It was created in a Cul-de-sac which means the roof goes on fire when the vibe is right and people start to dance, the vibrancy of the environment sustains the culture of Afro-house music in Accra pretty well.

Purple Pub takes our number one vote of "The Peoples Bar". There is no rule to being at Purple Pub just like skateboarding culture, it is a public place. You make your own table, set your chairs and sit. If you cannot find any because the zone is packed, then you can stand or freestyle if that is what you feel like doing. It is the street literally so, anything goes. The main entertainment is the pool tables, the cold drinks and the Dj. The unique thing is that they have a kitchen open all night long with fried Chicken, rice and yam chips on the menu, which is always a tasty treat.

Kozo is the hype for the best entrepreneurial minds in Accra. It is a well-lit outdoor and indoor premium restaurant and cocktail bar with a nice ambience. The staff are welcoming and available when you need anything and sometimes, at certain places in Accra, that can be too much to ask for. They are famous for their Asian-fusion meals and cabaret on Friday evenings.

Front/Back is top-shelf service, we love to see it. To cut to the chase Front/Back serves the best cocktail and everyone should, while in Accra, go there and try it. Most trippers don't know this secret because they can't even get in; it is a membership-only lay-lowcation. For Front/Back, a guy who knows a guy will come in handy; they already know they have the best drinks in the house so bouncers are there to stop you from going in free to enjoy your life. The music is great, the ambience is a mix of serenity, disco frenzy and the beautiful, stylish and artistic personalities you meet in there will kick your tongue out.

Right beside the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum is the famous Accra culture art centre. We love this place and visit it often because it is a vortex of artisans ranging from gold and silversmiths drum makers, woodcarvers, tailors, painters, bag makers and dealers of all sorts of African sculptures and textiles. To fulfil our appetite for customization and interior decoration we go to the culture centre. At a lonely corner is a vinyl collector with an amazing catalogue. On Major Laizer’s last trip to Accra he went there and could not believe his eyes, he went away with blessings.

Most top cat chat happens at Nate Barbers Place and they are not called the Hairmasters for anything, they do what they have to do to get your hair styled as you want it done. Don't want to take it from us because we are just random skateboarders? Then ask Wizkid or R2bees and other known personalities that prefer Nate for hair grooming whenever they’re in Accra. The place is basically a celebrity barbershop with services that also caters to the young and stylish who wish to rock the best hairstyles, one thing though; it is strictly by appointment.

Blessed Beauty Salon is the favourite salon of bloggers and influencers in Accra. You can never catch us slipping with a weird hairdo, everything from dreadlocks, braids, high cornrows and ponytails we get it done at Blessed Beauty.

When the Video of Naomi Campbell going into Lokko House surfaced on Instagram everyone was like why Lokko House out of the entire trendy concept stores in Accra? Because Lokko House has been the backbone of alternative street art culture for a good number of years, giving the Accra creative scene a platform and space to showcase highbrow fashion and streetwear gears either through the Lokko House Concept store or through the warehouse where most photo and art exhibitions take place.

The sunset show was a musical concert performed by Moses Sumney during the special viewing of James Barnor Retrospective exhibition at the brand new Nubuke Foundation art gallery, and that cemented Nubuke's idea to create an environment that supports youth inclusivity in the culture and arts sector. Literally, everyone in the creative industry was there to see the exhibition and start a dialogue about the direction Accra art industry is heading to. Nubuke Foundation is an artist’s art gallery because it leads the conversation of decolonisation, powered by a team of seasoned curators with a vibrant youthful support system. That is why we love it, we feel part of it.

Exploring Accra with Surf Ghana Collective

A destination people love visiting in Africa, Ghana's capital city boasts a rich and eclectic nightlife scene. Full of culture, music and vibes, Accra attracts those that are into beach-living, and positive energy. Over the years, the destination has hosted music festivals like Afro Nation and Afrochella, which has brought together African talent and music-lovers alike. Ghanaian-British singer has throughout his career collaborated with African artists and musicians like Mr Eazi. In his guide for us, the rapper and singer-songwriter Eugy shares his favourite spots around the city to go clubbing, meet with friends and have the best Banku and Okro.

Club twist is popping! It took me 4 years to get into the Club Twist, if you get in you're made! If you haven't met the bouncer FM you haven't been to Twist.

After the party it's the after party! It's for the after partiers, when you leave Twist you go to Ace Tantra. Look out for my guys Yeho and Pablo Ghost they'll look after you.

Drinks to order - Ginger Shots, Kokokro & taste their Calamari - it makes sense!

The Best Spots for a Drink in Accra with Amaarae

The Best Spots for a Drink in Accra with Amaarae

BloomBar

Zion Thai

Spintex Road

The Republic Bar