What Is Nando’s Famous For?

A Journey of Fire, Flavour, and a Little Magic!

If you’ve been to Nando’s before, you’ll know it’s not the kind of place you just “eat and leave.” You walk in and something changes. The air smells smoky. The music has a rhythm. Colours feel alive.

One glance at the Nando’s Menu, and you already see more than food. You see flavours that started on another continent and somehow ended up right here, in your neighbourhood.

From South Africa to the UK

It all started in 1987 in Johannesburg. Two friends tried flame-grilled chicken cooked with African Bird’s Eye chilli and thought, “This… this is special.”

Five years later, in 1992, a small branch opened in Ealing, London. It didn’t look like the start of a food empire.

Yet here we are, 473 UK restaurants, with 416 in England alone. That’s not just popular. That’s woven into the way people eat out in Britain.

The PERi-PERi Obsession

The chicken isn’t rushed. It’s marinated for a full 24 hours in that famous PERi-PERi blend.
Garlic. Lemon. Herbs. And that bright, fiery Bird’s Eye chilli.

Some go mild. Some go straight for “Extra Hot” and regret it halfway through… but never stop eating. The flavour is smoky, tangy, and strangely addictive.

The Signature Sauce

So what’s inside the sauce people talk about?

Core notes you’ll taste: Lemon, vinegar, onion, garlic, and African Bird’s Eye chilli. Many bottles also include a little sunflower oil and paprika-style spices for the body.

To keep the texture smooth and stable, you’ll sometimes see xanthan gum or similar thickeners on the label.

Here’s a quick look drawn from Nando’s product pages:

Medium PERi-PERi Sauce: vinegar, water, onion purée, salt, lemon purée, sunflower seed oil, spices including cayenne and Bird’s Eye chilli, green chilli, garlic purée, plus stabilisers and antioxidants.
That’s the classic balance of citrus, garlic, and clean heat.
Extra/XX Hot sauces: water, white vinegar, lemon, onion, spices including African Bird’s Eye chilli, a touch of oil, sometimes serrano chilli, and familiar thickeners like xanthan gum.
Bigger chilli kick, same citrus-garlic backbone.
Quick Marinades (for home cooking): onions and garlic right up front, lemon purée, tomato paste, sunflower oil, Bird’s Eye chilli, paprika, and a little starch to help it cling to meat or veg.
Designed to soak flavour in fast.

Different heat levels change the ratio, not the soul. It’s still that Mozambican-Portuguese style, citrus, smoke, and a clean, bright burn.

More Than Just a Meal

Here’s the thing: Nando’s isn’t a formal “waiter and white tablecloth” restaurant. It’s not fast food, either. You order at the counter, grab your drinks, and then settle in. Once you’re seated, there’s no rush.

It’s your table until you’re ready to leave. And the walls? They’re alive with South African art, paintings, sculptures, and photographs, thousands of pieces collected over two decades.

It’s one of the largest public displays of contemporary Southern African art anywhere, with 32,000+ works by around 700 artists across the estate. No two restaurants look the same, which keeps the experience personal.

In a similar way, other casual dining spots like Chili’s also blend flavour and atmosphere to create a laid-back yet memorable experience. Known for its Tex-Mex roots and crowd-pleasing favourites, the well known Chili’s menu offers a different but equally bold approach to casual dining—think sizzling fajitas, creamy quesos, and hearty burgers served in a vibrant, easygoing setting.

The “Cheeky Nando’s” Culture

At some point, Nando’s stopped being just a restaurant and slipped into British slang.
“Fancy a cheeky Nando’s?” became a whole mood, spontaneous, fun, and usually followed by laughter.

It’s where you show up in trainers after work or bring your whole family on Sunday.
Relaxed, familiar, and still a little special.

A Taste People Take Home

The love doesn’t stop at the restaurant doors. Supermarket shelves carry the sauces, rubs, PERinaise, PERi-Salt, and “Bag & Bake” kits, so that flavour follows you home. Splash, marinade, grill, it’s Nando’s, but in your kitchen.

Why People Keep Coming Back?

Here are the reasons people keep coming back to Nando’s, and not just for the chicken:

Feature	Description
Choice That Fits Everyone	Chicken, wraps, salads, and plant-based picks, no one’s left out. Heat levels let you steer the ride (Plain…ish to Extra Hot).
A Feast for the Eyes	Each branch feels different because the art is different. The room has personality, not a template.
They Listen to Their Fans	People still mention the day bottomless frozen yoghurt vanished. Small change, big chatter, proof that guests care, and the brand notices.
The Flavour Feels Alive	That clean chilli heat, the lemon lift, the smoky grill marks, it doesn’t dull with repeat visits. It deepens.

Quick Facts

Founded: 1987, Johannesburg, South Africa
First UK branch: 1992, Ealing, London
UK locations: 473 (as of January 2025)
Art collection: 32,000+ works by ~700 artists
Sauce family: restaurant bastes, bottled sauces, PERinaise, rubs, marinades, and home-cook kits.

The Heart of Nando’s❤️

“Flame, flavour, and friendship, that’s the Nando’s recipe people keep coming back for.”

So, what’s Nando’s famous for? Not just chicken. Not just heat. It’s warmth, colour, laughter, and a flavour that still feels fresh.

It’s the mix of African heritage, Portuguese influence, and British dining culture, all on one plate. Some come for the spice. Some come for the art. Most come because it feels like… well, home.