Mafe Peanut Stew in Dakar: Ge'eza's Tuesday Lunch Special

On Tuesdays, between midday and early afternoon, Ge'eza serves mafe as its Senegalese dish of the day: a slow-cooked peanut stew, priced at 5,500 F (West African CFA francs) per person, with a local water or juice and attaya included. The restaurant, set in a villa at 656 Avenue Birago Diop in Point E, Dakar, runs this lunch format Tuesday through Friday, with a different dish each day.

Mafe, as the menu describes it

Ge'eza's menu describes mafe as a slow-cooked peanut stew, rich and smooth. It is one of Senegal's most recognisable dishes, made in homes across the country as well as in restaurants, built on a long-cooked, thick, fragrant sauce that coats the meat and is eaten with rice. At Ge'eza, mafe is the Tuesday fixture within the Senegalese dish of the day format: a single menu, no browsing required, built for a weekday lunch.

A dish found across West Africa

Mafe, sometimes known by other names depending on the region, turns up in related forms across several West African countries, with variations between households and whatever ingredients are on hand. Its base stays constant: a peanut paste diluted and simmered slowly, which gives the stew its thick texture and rounded flavour. It is a sharing dish, traditionally placed at the centre of the table alongside rice. Beyond that shared foundation, habits differ from kitchen to kitchen, and Ge'eza's menu does not claim one version to be more authentic than another.

What the 5,500 F lunch includes

The Tuesday lunch price covers three things.

• The mafe of the day, served hot.
• A local water or juice of your choice. What is on offer can change from day to day, so it is worth asking the team what is available.
• Attaya, the Senegalese tea taken after the meal, served in small glasses with its characteristic foam.

It is a single fixed price, built for a straightforward weekday lunch with nothing extra to work out.

The rest of the week

Mafe is only served on Tuesdays. The other weekdays bring a different Senegalese dish: thieboudienne on Wednesday, supu kanja on Thursday, chicken yassa on Friday. The full weekly schedule is covered in Senegalese dish of the day in Dakar. In the evenings and over the weekend, the house returns to its Ethiopian menu.

A midweek lunch

Tuesday lunch suits a work break in Point E well: one dish to order, a fixed price, and attaya to let the conversation run a little longer without rushing. The setting, a villa with a terrace under the trees, a gallery lounge and a glass-roofed room, is a change from a typical office lunch spot. For the full picture of weekday lunch options in Point E beyond Tuesday, lunch in Point E, Dakar breaks down the prices day by day.

Coming for Tuesday lunch

The dish of the day is served at lunch only, Tuesday to Friday, with no closing time given, so it is best to arrive around midday to make sure it is still available. The house is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8am to 10pm, and closed on Mondays. For a guaranteed table, especially with a group, it is worth booking online or writing on WhatsApp at +221 78 660 07 07. The full menu, Ethiopian and Senegalese alike, is set out on the restaurant page.

Why a Senegalese dish in an Ethiopian restaurant

Ge'eza is an Ethiopian restaurant in Dakar, and the Senegalese dish of the day is not meant to replace the Ethiopian menu, which remains the house's foundation. On Tuesdays, someone visiting for the first time can start with something familiar before coming back, on another day, for an Ethiopian meat dish or a beyaynetu platter. It is also a simple option for anyone working near Point E who wants a filling midday meal without working through a long menu.

For a visitor passing through, this Tuesday lunch has the added advantage of simplicity: one choice, a price known in advance, and no need to be familiar with the Ethiopian menu to decide. Afterwards, there is still time for a walk through the gallery lounge before heading back out.

Mafe alongside the rest of the week

Tuesday's mafe is only one part of a wider rhythm at Ge'eza, where a different Senegalese dish appears each weekday at lunch and the Ethiopian menu takes over the rest of the time. For a first visit, starting with mafe on a Tuesday is a gentle way into the house: a single dish, a familiar peanut-based sauce for many visitors from West Africa or with some exposure to the region's cooking, and a fixed price that removes any guesswork. Return visits can then explore Wednesday's thieboudienne, Thursday's supu kanja or Friday's chicken yassa, before moving on to the Ethiopian side of the menu, with its fasting dishes, slow-cooked meats and shared beyaynetu platters, on another day of the week.