A UNIQUE restaurant offering ‘authentic’ African food is opening in Bradford later this week.

‘Lil Afrikana’ on Great Horton Road will be hosting its grand opening on Friday, September 22.

The franchise has flagship stores in Manchester and Leicester with other stores in Birmingham and Derby and now in Bradford.

Bobby Hussain, owner of the Bradford franchise has taken on this challenge as his first venture into the hospitality sector.

He said: “I wanted something challenging and something different.

“I’ve got a financial services business which has done well, and I was looking for something different, where I wouldn’t be sat behind a desk for 10 hours a day.

“I want to give back to the people of Bradford and this is something we don’t really have.”

Bobby, 43 who lives in Baildon highlighted he chose ‘Lil Afrikana’ as his first venture in the hospitality industry because of the rise in popularity of African culture.

The restaurant will offer authentic African food as well as African-inspired food and fusion food.

He added: “Whenever we see this type of food, it always seems to be a one-man band, but this commercialises it and it’s a bigger operation.

“We’re really focussing on the younger market as we’re opposite the university and we want the students to have other options.”

The menu features African favourites such as plantain, Jollof rice, Rice n Peas as well as goat curry.

“The menu is really diverse and we’re catering for a lot of different people, some who want to try something new, as well as other options.

Bobby described the restaurant as ‘unique’ and has been in the works for nearly three years due to the impact of COVID-19.

“The idea’s been in the works for three years and then it was COVID and we needed the right location for it.

“We’re excited to open, and we’ll be offering student discounts and NHS discounts.”

There will be live African drummers at the venue on Saturday and doors officially open this Friday.