Heard x Akoko food review – “burgers with bold West African flavours”

What did we think of the Akoko burger, the main headliner in the West African flavours-inspired Heard x Akoko collaboration menu?

The Akoko burger, accompanied by fries and dessert as part of a new limited-edition menu, is the tasty new collaboration between two Michelin-starred foodie brands. Akoko restaurant founder, Aji Akokomi and Jordan Bailey of Heard Burger restaurant have come together in this creation shaped by bold West African flavours.

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The Heard x Akoko menu is heavily influenced by food culture from Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria. A gourmet burger with West African flavourings? Say less. We headed out to the Heard Borough branch on a sunny day in May to check out the menu.

While we had the choice of opting for one of Heard’s usual burgers, we were there for the Akoko menu. When our order arrived, we were not disappointed.

The Akoko burger (£16)

The Akoko burger looked appetizing. It wasn’t that “towering” stack that you sometimes get, where you almost have to dismantle it before you can take a bite.

In between a shiny brioche sat the thick beef patty. Seasoned with Chef Akokomi’s special spice blend, there was a layer of tamarind jam, yassa-spiced caramelised onions, melted hard goat’s cheese, and topped with fresh shallot and parsley. I particularly enjoyed the

spicy warmth in the burger which came from the sosu kaani purée made from red pepper and scotch bonnet. You can really taste the heat in the burger, which was an unusual but welcome experience.

A nice touch is the option to request Halal beef.

Kelewele fries (£6.50)

Ghanaian street food, Kelewele is the inspiration behind the fries. Kelewele consists of diced ripe plantains that are seasoned with a spicy marinade usually made up of ginger, chili, and cloves and then deep-fried. The Kelewele fries, while crispy and flavourful, was missing the Kelewele taste for me. The shallot crumbs dusting on the fries also tended to fall off before making it into my mouth, but the fries complemented the burger well.

Calabash Nutmeg Ice Cream Sandwich – Dessert (£8)

This dessert was presented as a frozen white chocolate cookie surrounding the nutmeg ice cream and infused with a dash of guava jam. This dessert is not too sweet, with the rich taste of the nutmeg coming through. I personally found the texture of the cookie dough and ice cream quite hard. But again, it tasted good.

Overall, a nice way to end a delicious meal.

To fully commit to the burger and fries’ meal, we ordered milkshakes from the regular Heard menu. With lashings of whipped cream and almond flakes, my milkshake was delicious. Very naughty, but no regrets.

Service was quick and everyone was very friendly. Well done to everyone on the Heard x Akoko team for a great experience.

The Heard x Akoko menu is available at the Heard Soho and Borough locations until 14 May 2026.

Heard – Borough
1 Flat Iron Square
SE1 0AB

Heard – Soho
31 Foubert’s Place
W1F 7QG