Meet 'Too Good': The Dundalk food venture putting a fresh spin on Afro-fusion

What started as a hobby in Dundalk has grown into a food business bringing Nigerian and Afro-fusion flavours to customers across the region.

Too Good began in 2023, when owner Ope Stephen started sharing homemade dishes with friends and family. What began casually soon attracted attention, with people asking where they could get the food for themselves. Before long, those requests turned into orders, and the idea of Too Good began to take shape.

Three years on, the business has grown considerably. Too Good now operates in Dundalk and Drogheda, and has recently expanded into Balbriggan, where it currently operates on Thursdays. What makes the business stand out is its approach to food: a mix of Afro-fusion dishes, Nigerian-inspired recipes and familiar favourites, with the emphasis firmly on big flavours and homemade-style cooking.

For customers who have never tried Nigerian food before, it can also be an introduction to a completely different range of flavours. Dishes such as jollof rice, chicken suya, jerk chicken and fried plantain sit alongside sides including mac and cheese and peri-peri coleslaw, creating a menu that offers plenty of choice without becoming difficult to navigate.

The jollof rice is one of the dishes at the heart of the menu. A West African staple, it is made with rice cooked in a rich, seasoned tomato and pepper base, with Too Good offering it alongside a range of meats and sides. Suya, another popular choice, brings Nigerian street-food influence to the menu, with seasoned and spiced meat providing a completely different flavour profile.

There are also plenty of options for anyone who simply wants to put together a substantial takeaway, from jerk chicken and smoked turkey to fried plantain, loaded suya fries and a selection of sides.

But while the food is what brings customers through the door, the story of Too Good is just as much about the journey of the business itself. Stephen's Nigerian-Irish background has played an important role in shaping what Too Good has become. The food draws from recipes and flavours associated with Nigerian and wider African and Caribbean cooking, while being presented in a way that is accessible to a broad Irish audience.

That balance has helped Too Good attract customers from different backgrounds, including people who may be trying some of these dishes for the first time as well as those already familiar with the flavours.

The business's growth has also been driven by word of mouth. What began in Dundalk gradually developed into a more established operation before expanding into Drogheda, where Too Good has built up a following of its own. The move into Balbriggan is the latest step, giving customers in the town and surrounding areas an opportunity to try the food without having to travel to Louth. It is a significant change from the early days, when Stephen was simply experimenting with food as a hobby.

That progression is perhaps what makes the Too Good story particularly interesting. There was no long-established restaurant behind the idea or a large food company launching a new brand. It grew from cooking, sharing the results and discovering that there was a genuine appetite for something different.

And the menu continues to reflect that original spirit. There is plenty that will be unfamiliar to a first-time customer, but there is also enough that feels recognisable to make the leap into something new an easy one. For someone visiting Too Good for the first time, the obvious place to start might be the jollof rice with jerk chicken or suya, with some fried plantain on the side. Those looking for something a little more indulgent can go for the loaded suya fries, while the sides offer plenty of opportunities to mix and match.

The bigger picture, however, is that businesses such as Too Good are adding another layer to the food scene in the region. As Irish towns become increasingly diverse, so too does the food available on their streets, giving people the chance to experience cuisines and flavours that might previously have been difficult to find locally.

For Too Good, that journey has taken it from a Dundalk hobby in 2023 to a growing operation serving customers across the region in just a few years. And if the demand that got it started is anything to go by, the next chapter could be just as interesting.

Find Too Good

Dundalk: College Manor, Dundalk, Co. Louth, A91 CT80.

Too Good also operates in Drogheda, with Balbriggan currently served on Thursdays. For the latest locations, opening times, menus and online ordering, visit Too Good's website.

You can also follow Too Good on Instagram for food photos, updates and announcements.

Slán go fóill.