Labone (Accra) Travel Guide - Free

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Labone, Accra blends leafy residential streets, contemporary galleries, Ghanaian dining, cafés and easy access to Osu, Cantonments and the Atlantic coast.

A Residential Quarter with Cultural Edges

Labone occupies a leafy, largely residential pocket of Accra between the busier commercial streets of Osu and the diplomatic character of Cantonments. Its low-rise compounds, walled homes, guesthouses and apartment buildings sit along relatively calm roads such as Labone Crescent, Kofi Annan Street and Dr Isert Street. The neighbourhood is close to the Atlantic coast, but its identity is shaped less by beachfront tourism than by its cafés, restaurants, galleries and cultivated urban quiet.
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Art, Food and Everyday Accra

The area has become one of the city’s useful addresses for contemporary culture, particularly through Gallery 1957, whose Labone presence connects local artists and wider African creative practice with an international audience. Dining is another defining feature: restaurants and cafés offer Ghanaian cooking alongside West African, Asian and international influences, while coffee shops provide informal meeting places throughout the day. Labone’s appeal lies in this combination of local life and outward-looking culture rather than in a concentration of monumental sights.

Walking Between Neighbourhoods

Labone is best experienced slowly, with attention to its changing streetscape: shaded residential lanes, larger roads carrying taxis and private cars, and pockets of commercial activity around restaurants and independent businesses. Osu’s Oxford Street is nearby, as are Cantonments institutions and the coastal districts of Labadi and La, but they should not be confused with Labone itself. The neighbourhood is a practical base for visitors who want access to Accra’s central cultural and dining districts while staying in a quieter setting.

Best attractions in Labone

Labone’s attractions are primarily cultural and urban rather than monumental. Gallery 1957 on Kofi Annan Street provides a significant point of interest for visitors curious about contemporary African art, with exhibitions that place Ghanaian practice within wider regional and international conversations. The surrounding streets offer a more everyday form of sightseeing: low-rise compounds, mature trees, cafés, independent businesses and restaurants reveal how Accra’s planned residential districts have adapted to new uses. Labone is also well placed for short excursions to nearby Osu, Cantonments and the coastal districts, although those areas should be treated as separate destinations. Visitors interested in architecture can compare older houses and walls with newer apartments, offices and hospitality properties, while food-focused travellers can build a relaxed afternoon around coffee, lunch and gallery-going rather than a long list of formal monuments.

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Best landmarks in Labone

Labone’s most meaningful landmarks are tied to its planned residential fabric and contemporary cultural life rather than to monumental civic architecture. The streets around Labone Crescent and Kofi Annan Street display the district’s characteristic mixture of mature compounds, boundary walls, low-rise homes, converted commercial buildings and newer apartment developments. Gallery 1957 is a prominent cultural marker, giving the neighbourhood a visible connection to Ghana’s contemporary art scene. Labone Senior High School is another established local institution, though it is principally a school rather than a sightseeing site. The area’s relationship with nearby Cantonments and Osu is also part of its geographical identity: important city institutions and historic coastal districts lie close by, but outside Labone’s informal boundaries. Visitors should therefore read the neighbourhood as a streetscape and living urban district, not as a compact collection of grand monuments.

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Explore Labone on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Labone, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Labone

Labone has one of Accra’s more established concentrations of restaurants and cafés without losing its residential feel. Ghanaian cooking is available alongside West African, pan-African, Asian and international menus, reflecting the neighbourhood’s professional, diplomatic and creative connections. Buka Restaurant is associated with the area’s Ghanaian and West African dining identity, while Labone Coffee Shop is a familiar daytime meeting place for coffee, light meals and informal conversation. Bistro-style venues, contemporary restaurants and casual cafés occupy converted houses and purpose-built premises along roads including Kofi Annan Street and Dr Isert Street. The best way to understand the scene is to notice the contrast between compound-wall privacy and open, sociable dining terraces. Labone’s restaurants also serve as cultural meeting points, but visitors should check current arrangements before travelling because ownership, menus and opening patterns can change.

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Best bars in Labone

Labone’s nightlife is generally centred on restaurants, lounges and relaxed evening gatherings rather than large nightclubs. After sunset, the busier roads acquire a social energy as diners move between eateries, cafés and drinks venues, while the residential lanes remain comparatively quiet. The area suits visitors looking for conversation, food and a gradual evening rather than a dedicated club circuit. Nearby Osu offers a denser and later nightlife scene, including bars and music venues around its commercial streets, but it is a separate neighbourhood and should be described as such. Traffic and the patchy walkability of some roads make door-to-door transport sensible after dark. Because events, music nights and venue arrangements change, visitors should confirm what is taking place locally rather than relying on an assumed weekly programme.

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Best nightclubs in Labone

Labone’s nightlife is generally centred on restaurants, lounges and relaxed evening gatherings rather than large nightclubs. After sunset, the busier roads acquire a social energy as diners move between eateries, cafés and drinks venues, while the residential lanes remain comparatively quiet. The area suits visitors looking for conversation, food and a gradual evening rather than a dedicated club circuit. Nearby Osu offers a denser and later nightlife scene, including bars and music venues around its commercial streets, but it is a separate neighbourhood and should be described as such. Traffic and the patchy walkability of some roads make door-to-door transport sensible after dark. Because events, music nights and venue arrangements change, visitors should confirm what is taking place locally rather than relying on an assumed weekly programme.

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Best shops in Labone

Shopping in Labone is chiefly small-scale and service-oriented, with boutiques, design businesses, salons, food retailers and independent shops distributed among restaurants and residential compounds. Kofi Annan Street and the roads around the neighbourhood’s dining cluster are useful for browsing contemporary clothing, accessories, gifts and locally connected creative products, although the retail mix changes more quickly than in a traditional market. Labone is not a substitute for Accra’s major open-air markets: its appeal lies in combining shopping with coffee, food and gallery visits in a relatively compact area. Visitors seeking Ghanaian textiles, craft objects or souvenirs should ask individual shops about provenance and prices, as stock varies and bargaining customs are not identical across businesses. Larger commercial choices are available in nearby Osu and Cantonments, which should be treated as adjacent shopping areas rather than part of Labone itself.

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Labone essentials

Getting There
Labone is reached most conveniently by taxi or ride-hailing car from central Accra, Osu, Cantonments and Kotoka International Airport. Kofi Annan Street, Labone Crescent and Dr Isert Street are useful destination references, although drivers may rely on a specific restaurant, hotel or gallery rather than the neighbourhood name alone. Trotros and taxis operate along the larger roads around the district, but public transport routes can be less intuitive for first-time visitors. From Osu, Labone is close enough to reach by car in a short local journey, while walking is possible but less comfortable on roads with limited pavements and heavy traffic.
Getting Around
The central parts of Labone can be explored on foot, especially around its cafés, restaurants and gallery spaces, but the neighbourhood is not uniformly pedestrian-friendly. Pavements may be narrow, interrupted or absent, and open drains, compound walls and busy junctions require care. Taxis and ride-hailing vehicles are practical for moving between residential lanes and larger roads, particularly in the heat or after dark. Labone’s proximity to Osu and Cantonments makes short connecting journeys straightforward, although traffic can make distances feel longer at busy times. Cycling is possible for confident urban riders, but visitors should expect uneven surfaces and assertive traffic.
Safety
Normal urban precautions are appropriate in Labone: keep phones and bags secure in traffic, remain attentive around busy junctions and avoid displaying valuables while waiting for transport. Residential lanes can become quiet after dark, and limited pavements or lighting may make walking less comfortable than travelling directly by taxi or ride-hailing car. At restaurants and outdoor cafés, keep belongings within sight and use established transport arrangements when leaving. Traffic, rather than the neighbourhood’s atmosphere alone, is an important practical consideration when crossing roads or walking between venues.
Emergency Situations
In Ghana, call 112 for a general emergency; 191 reaches the police, 192 the Ghana National Fire Service and 193 ambulance services. Give the operator the nearest recognisable street, business or junction, as informal addresses and compound entrances can be difficult to identify. Visitors should keep their accommodation contact details available and ask staff to help communicate with responders if necessary. For non-urgent medical needs, accommodation staff or a local clinic can advise on suitable facilities in Labone, Cantonments or elsewhere in Accra; do not assume that every nearby facility provides emergency treatment.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress comfortably but respectfully, particularly when moving beyond restaurant and gallery settings into residential or religious spaces. Ask before photographing people, private compounds, security posts or staff at local businesses, and do not treat quiet streets as public photo sets. Queue patiently where a queue exists, confirm taxi fares before setting off when not using a metered or app-based service, and keep noise low near homes at night. In restaurants and cafés, service customs vary, so check the bill and leave a tip when appropriate rather than assuming one fixed practice.
Local Tips
Use a known venue as your navigation point because several Labone roads look similar and street numbering is not always obvious to visitors. Combining a gallery visit with lunch or coffee works well, while the neighbourhood’s residential lanes are most pleasant for orientation in the morning or late afternoon. If you want the social energy of Oxford Street, continue into Osu rather than expecting Labone to provide the same concentration of shops and nightlife. Keep a little flexibility in your plans: traffic, rain and changing business schedules can affect short journeys across Accra.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloƆha[oh-ha]
GoodbyeBaako[bah-koh]
YesAane[ah-neh]
NoDabi[dah-bee]
Please/You're welcomeMesrɛ[mess-reh]
Thank youMedaase[meh-dah-seh]
Excuse me/SorryKafra[kah-frah]
How are you?Ɛte sɛn?[eh-teh sen]
Fine. And you?Adɛn. Na wo ho?[ah-dehn. nah woh hoh]
Do you speak English?Wo nkasa a, na wo ma ho?[woh in-ka-sah ah, nah woh mah hoh]
I don't understandMennte ase[men-teh ah-seh]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseMɛgye menu no, mesrɛ[meh-jeh meh-noo no, mess-reh]
I don't eat meatMenntumi nnidi aburo[men-too-mee en-nee-dee ah-boo-ro]
Cheers!Afehyia pa[ah-feh-hee-ah pah]
I would like to pay, pleaseMɛyɛ nsɛm no, mesrɛ[meh-yeh en-same no, mess-reh]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Boa me[boh-ah meh]
Go away!Kaa daa[kah dah]
Call the Police!Kyerɛ sɛnea[chuh-reh seh-neh-ah]
Call a doctor!Kyerɛ dokita[chuh-reh doh-kee-tah]
I'm lostMenntumi atɔ[men-too-mee ah-toh]
I'm illMɛyɛ adwene[meh-yeh ah-dwen-eh]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Mɛyɛ wo[meh-yeh woh]
I'm just lookingMenntumi mma wo[men-too-mee mmah woh]
How much is it?Yɛntumi di sɛn?[yehn-too-mee dee sen]
That's too expensiveƐyɛ yɛn[eh-yeh yehn]
Can you lower the price?Wopɛ sika a, na wopɛ sɛ wo di atɔ[woh-peh see-kah ah, nah woh-peh seh woh dee ah-toh]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Dɔɔsoɔ bɛn?[doh-soh-soh behn]
It's one o'clockƐdidi bɛn[eh-dee-dee behn]
Half past (10)Nya (10)[nyah]
MorningAnɔpa[ah-noh-pah]
AfternoonAwia[ah-wee-ah]
EveningAnwummerɛ[ahn-woo-meh-reh]
YesterdayNda[ndah]
TodayƐda[eh-dah]
TomorrowƐbɔ[eh-boh]
1Kraman[krah-man]
2Mmienu[mee-eh-noo]
3Mmiɛnsa[mee-ehn-sah]
4Ɛnan[eh-nahn]
5Enum[eh-noom]
6Nsia[en-syah]
7Nson[en-sohn]
8Nwɔtwe[en-woh-tweh]
9Kronkron[kron-kron]
10Du[doo]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Ɛhe na...?[eh-heh nah]
What's the address?Ɛha adirɛs no?[eh-hah ah-dee-rehs no]
Can you show me (on the map)?Wopɛ sɛ wobɛkɔ me (atɔ mepa)?[woh-peh seh woh-beh-koh meh (ah-toh meh-pah)]
When's the next (bus)?Ɛnnidi (trotro) bɛn?[ehn-nee-dee (troh-troh) behn]
A ticket (to ....)Tikiti (kɔ ....)[tee-kee-tee (koh)]

History of Labone

From Coastal Hinterland to Urban Accra

The land around present-day Labone formed part of the wider coastal settlement landscape associated with Accra’s Ga communities before the area was absorbed into the expanding colonial and later national capital. Unlike older quarters such as Jamestown and Ussher Town, Labone developed as a modern residential district rather than as an early mercantile centre. Its position inland from the coast, yet close to older settlements around Osu and Labadi, made it part of the southward growth of Accra during the twentieth century.

The Planned Residential Estate

Labone’s recognisable urban character emerged during Accra’s postwar expansion, when planned residential areas were laid out beyond the older central districts. Low-rise houses set behind compounds, broad roads and relatively spacious plots distinguished the area from denser historic neighbourhoods. The estate-like development reflected changing ideas about housing, administration and suburban planning under late colonial rule and the early years of Ghanaian independence. Much of the original built environment has since been altered, subdivided or replaced, but the neighbourhood’s leafy, low-rise pattern remains visible.

Independence-Era Accra and Its Southward Growth

After Ghana became independent in 1957, Accra’s administrative, diplomatic and professional functions continued to spread through the southern part of the city. Labone benefited from its proximity to Osu, Cantonments and government-related districts, while remaining primarily residential. The arrival of new households, offices, schools and service businesses gradually diversified the neighbourhood’s social and architectural character. This period helped establish Labone as part of the connected urban belt linking central Accra with the coastal settlements to the east.

A Contemporary Cultural and Dining District

In recent decades, Labone has experienced the wider pressures affecting central Accra: rising land values, redevelopment of older compounds, traffic growth and the conversion of residential properties into restaurants, offices, galleries and short-stay accommodation. Contemporary art spaces such as Gallery 1957 have added a visible cultural dimension, while cafés and restaurants have made the neighbourhood an evening and weekend destination. Labone therefore retains its residential identity but now functions as a mixed urban quarter whose local character is continually shaped by redevelopment and creative enterprise.

Labone in Photos

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Neighbourhoods near Labone

The closest neighbourhoods to Labone, if you have time for more than one stop.

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