We went on another restaurant adventure; Pit Stop Lagos. You’re going to love this one! Pit Stop Lagos is a wellness, fitness, and cycling inspired cafe. It’s situated in a quiet area in Victoria Island and is easy to find, but can be easily missed too.
Pit Stop Lagos is conscious of the COVID-19 safety measures to an extent. A security guard at the gate ushered me in with a hand sanitiser he sprayed in my hands. He wasn’t particular about nose masks because some people came in later on without them & they weren’t turned away. There was a hand wash station with a tap & kitchen towel, but I wasn’t asked to wash my hands.
There is an outdoor sitting area, an indoor space (where I sat), and another on the first floor. The ambience in this place is perfect for almost every kind of visit; friendship dates, couple dates, solo chills, & private meetings. The outdoor sitting area is an open air space with a wooden roof, open side, with some beautiful plants lined at the side.
Let’s go in!
My entry was quite fast. There’s someone stationed at the door to welcome visitors. I didn’t know this because I didn’t see anyone through the glass door, but as I was opening the door, someone quickly ran to the door & opened it at the same time, then welcomed me. It felt good knowing that the welcome greeting is taken seriously.
I was asked if I was dining alone or expecting company. Then, I was showed two tables and asked where I wanted to sit. My waitress, Blessing, made sure I was comfortable & got me a wooden stool for my handbag (I didn’t have to ask). Then, she got the menu, said I should look through it and let her know when I was ready to place my order. I went ahead to take the ambience in properly. The prominent colour theme within the restaurant is yellow. Pit Stop Lagos is aesthetically pleasing and good for taking great shots. However, the indoor lighting wasn’t so great, which has some effect on the quality of the pictures. Even if you know your way around lighting/photo edits, you might not be delighted.
I loved that anyone who walks in already has a strong sense of what inspired their café. I mainly thought the design and decorations under the staircase were enjoyable to look at. The waiters and waitresses were conscious of their environment and knew the menu off the top of their heads (when I was placing my order, Blessing finished my sentences).
Before I was ready to place my order, a waiter came to ask if I was okay (He noticed I didn’t have a meal or menu in front of me). I mentioned that Blessing was already attending to me. In less than 5 minutes, I raised my hand to get Blessing’s attention, and I placed my order for an appetiser – Tempura Beer Batter Prawns, Chilli jam (₦4,000), with some water. My main – Spicy Seafood Pasta with Tomato, Prawns, Calamari, and Fish (₦7,500). A Pink Lemon Mocktail (₦2,500).
I stated that she should watch me and bring my main course when she noticed I was almost done with my appetiser.
Five minutes later, she brought a complimentary bread and butter for me. The bread was perfect, with a slightly crunchy exterior but maintained softness and warmness. Immediately I tasted the bread; I knew garlic oil was glazed over the bread, and trust me, it was heavenly. I called Blessing to confirm, and she wasn’t sure. I asked if she could ask in the kitchen, which she seemed reluctant to do, but she went. She came back with a yes!
As I was rounding up, she brought my appetiser, which was arranged in a wooden tray. I wouldn’t say the plating was a 10, but I’ll give it a 7. I took pictures first (lol) and dived right into my prawns. They weren’t too hard or soft. The texture was just right. I dipped it into the chilli jam that tasted like it had too much tomato, and it was really peppery.
For someone who likes pepper, this one was too much. It came with a side of vegetables (yellow, green, red pepper, and something else that I was unsure of) on lettuce. The vegetables were an excellent companion for the prawns. At this point, I realised Blessing didn’t bring water as I had requested. I raised my hand to get the attention of another staff and waitress; Oma (mind you, the staff didn’t have name tags. I asked.) responded. I asked for the appetiser left on my tray to be packed as a takeaway as I needed to leave some space in my tummy for my main meal.
Watch the Vlog here
In less than two minutes, Blessing was out with the greatness that was my main course. Ooh chile, it was picture perfect and neatly plated.
Oma brought my takeaway, and I mentioned that Blessing hadn’t brought my pink lemon mocktail. I was very thirsty at this point. While talking to Oma, Blessing appeared with my glass of pink lemon drink. I brought up the forgotten water, and she looked at me like, no, you didn’t ask for water. I said I did, and it must have skipped her mind. She seemed adamant about it, so I just let it go.
My main course was a mouth full, saucy, and spicy. The prawns and fish were tasty. However, I can’t say the same about the calamari because it tasted a little burnt, but the texture wasn’t all bad.
I had a little of my meal and asked for it to be packed. I also requested my bill. The staff were attentive to details and were pleasant (apart from Blessing’s forgetfulness). While dining in the indoor space, I noticed some graffiti on the wall outside (at the right side of the compound) and made a mental note to take pictures/videos before leaving.
All in all, I will give Pit Stop Lagos an 8/10.
Ambience | Western-styled, cycling inspired café. | |
Food Quality | Tasty and perfect texture. It wasn’t over-the-top, but it was far from underwhelming. | |
Location | Easy to find with Google maps, but easy to miss if you’re walking. Street parking is limited. | |
Price | Pricing is $$$ Total damage came to ₦15,750 Tempura beer batter prawns, chilli jam: ₦4,000 Spicy seafood pasta with tomato, prawns, calamari, and fish: ₦7,500 A glass of pink lemon mocktail: ₦2,500 Vat + Tax: 12.5% (₦1,750) View Restaurant Menus here | |
Service Delivery | Top-notch service. I felt bombarded by attention. |
Have you ever been to Pit Stop? What was your experience?
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