Afro Fusion Lounge and Restaurant opens in Manchester

One can hear the enthusiasm in Chelsea Muyuka’s voice as she describes the newly opened Afro Fusion Lounge and Restaurant on Hanover Street in Manchester.

Chelsea Muyuka

Muyuka is the event director of The Olive Grove Event Center, which opened in April 2025, and is the “doing business as” host of Afro Fusion Lounge. She is dedicated to building meaningful connections within the community, making the venue the premier host for both private and community events and bringing every experience to life.

Chelsea’s husband, Loïck Muyuka, is one of the four partners of Afro Fusion Lounge. He has built strong connections within the community, playing a key role in guiding each step of the process leading up to the restaurant’s soft opening.

In his role as director of community engagement with the Small Business Development Center, Loïck Muyuka has been instrumental in fostering relationships and supporting the business’s successful launch.

Peter Zagabe serves as the general manager overseeing operations across both establishments.

“I’m excited to bring something like this to the community and to be part of the economic growth in New Hampshire,” Zagabe said.

Zagabe and Loïck Muyuka met through Zagabe’s sister, Isabelle Ruhamya, who is the fourth partner of Afro Fusion Lounge and brings a strong hospitality background rooted in African cuisine.

The West African staple, attiéké, is served with tilapia and plantains

Together, the partners share a vision of introducing culturally rich and diverse food experiences to the Manchester community. Zagabe and Ruhamya have expressed a shared commitment to honoring and carrying forward their mother’s legacy through Afro Fusion Lounge.

Afro Fusion Lounge held its soft opening on Feb. 5, 2026, and was expected to be fully operational by May. The restaurant’s seating area is 1,147 square feet and is colorfully decorated in red, yellow and black. There is also the VIP lounge that serves as an extension for both the restaurant and the events space for special occasions and an 1,800-square-foot courtyard that can accommodate up to 125 guests.

Chelsea Muyuka shared that The Olive Grove Event Center, in total, can accommodate up to 400 guests and offers Afro-Caribbean cuisine catered directly from its in-house restaurant, the Afro Fusion Lounge.

Dish of white rice and sweet potato greens

“Since opening the event space, we’ve hosted a wedding, featuring a beautiful and intimate outdoor ceremony in the courtyard with seating for 150 guests, followed by a reception across all three halls in the Olive Grove, accommodating up to 350 guests,” Muyuka said. “We’ve also welcomed a variety of events, including a quinceañera, a graduation party, the Community Driven Economic Empowerment event hosted by the Community Loan Fund, the NAACP 2025 Freedom Fund Dinner and Small Business Saturday hosted by the Business Alliance for People of Color.”

Afro Fusion Lounge is designed as an African-Caribbean dining destination, blending flavors from across Africa and the Caribbean in a warm and welcoming space for all.

On the culinary and operational side, Beauty Zagabe works closely with her husband, Peter, to shape and deliver the restaurant’s menu and overall dining experience. In collaboration with Ruhamya, the restaurant’s visionary, they blend traditional African cuisine with Caribbean influences to create distinctive and authentic offerings.

Chelsea Muyuka sees Afro Fusion Lounge as a hub, where meats and produce are locally sourced. One of their main goals is to support local small businesses. They are pursuing ways to source goat and other ingredients from local New Hampshire farms.

Left to right: Peter Zagabe, general manager of the Afro Fusion Lounge; Chelsea Muyuka, director of the Olive Grove Event Center; and Loick Muyuka, finance director

“The goat meat is freshly cut, seasoned well and served with kwanga (cassava bread), a traditional African staple,” Muyuka said. “It is deeply flavorful, hearty and rooted in rich culinary traditions.”

A beloved West African staple, attiéké, is served alongside grilled tilapia or red snapper, complemented by caramelized onions, fried plantains, a fresh salad and a creamy mix of seasoned vegetables in mayonnaise, finished with a housemade hot pepper sauce.

“The main component is attiéké, a fermented cassava dish with a light, couscous-like texture,” Chelsea Muyuka explained. The menu also features classic fish and plantain pairings, an essential part of Caribbean cuisine, bringing familiar, comforting flavors to Caribbean guests.

Early reviewers have already praised the restaurant. One review noted, “A breath of fresh air in Manchester! Amazing food and vibes. The goat stew is out of this world, and don’t skip the beignets or the plantains.”

Starters feature African doughnuts and freshly baked cornbread. The full drink menu offers island and tropical favorites, alongside globally inspired fusion cocktails and a variety of nonalcoholic options.

The restaurant will also feature live music (national and international), enhancing its lively and vibrant atmosphere. Located at 201 Hanover Street, just a short distance from the Palace Theatre, makes Afro Fusion Lounge and The Olive Grove Event Center a premier destination in Manchester for dining, culture and entertainment.