Discover the best restaurants in Nairobi.
In a city of 4 million people, there is a Nairobi restaurant to suit everyone. Nothing, it seems, can stop Nairobi’s explosion and as the city grows, so do the tastes and demands of its citizens. Like its people, the best restaurants in Nairobi come in all shapes and sizes. In Nairobi, you will find tiny Nyama Choma joints serve sizzling portions of meat, vegan restaurants squatting in country gardens and the Italian influence in Kenya means that the coveted title of the best pizza in Nairobi is a prize vigorously fought over.
The best restaurants in Nairobi are in the city centre, Westlands, and some of the affluent suburbs, such as Karen, Loresho and Gigiri. Nairobi restaurants cater to all tastes. You can find Ethiopian, Japanese, Mexican, Chinese, Indian, European, and of course Kenyan to suit all budgets
Here is my list of the best restaurants in Nairobi. Those with the best food, service and ambience.
Table of Contents
New Kids on the Block – New Nairobi Restaurants
Bamba
Bamba is annoyingly popular, I say that with the surety of someone who just tried to reserve a table for tonight, and it’s fully booked. Bamba is always busy, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s good-looking, has great drinks, and serves incredible food. It does something obscenely good with aubergines, pomegranate seeds and tahini that I’ve been dreaming of for weeks.
Bamba serves Lebanese cuisine: think creamy hummus, grilled meats, and liberally spiced veggies. There are also sourdough pizzas and burgers for the less adventurous. I always grab a tapas and spend the night indulging in cocktails. Most of the venue is in a covered outdoor area with ambient lighting, a long bar, abundant plants, and some interesting artwork. It’s the place to be seen, so I’m always more interest in people watching —if I can get a table.
Contact information
Address: 847 Amboseli Road
Tel: 0112 889674
Website: https://www.thefoodlibrary.co.ke/bambino-latin-italian/
Best Wine Restaurant in Nairobi
Cave a Manger – The Wine Box
As its name suggests, The Wine Box emphasises pairing wine and food. Initially just a shop, the venue now combines both, with diners invited to peruse the wines and select one to go with their dinner (or to take home). The Wine Box has a huge selection of excellent wines from all over the globe.
Happily, the food is just as good, delivering a mix of contemporary European cuisine with some local influences. You can expect steaks, seafood, and pasta, all carefully crafted to complement their wine offerings.
The restaurant has a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere, great lighting and ambience. The new venue is much bigger but carefully designed to give a feeling of intimacy and warmth.
Contact Information
Address: Cave a Manger – The Wine Box
Tel: 0748428655
Website: https://thewinebox.biz/cave-a-manger/
Best African Fusion Restaurants in Nairobi
Jiko
Jiko is currently TripAdvisors No. 1 restaurant in Nairobi. I always think its worth checking out a restaurant that is voted for by the people, rather than by critics or food bloggers. Nairobi restaurants are in love with fusion at the moment and Jiko comes to us with a twist on conventional African foods. Consider sukuma ravioli, arrowroot con carne, mashed potato and baobab and kondoo mchuzi. There are huge, inventive burgers, mandazi sandwiches and massive hunks of meat moonlighting as steaks. They chef states that Jiko aims to ‘take African ingredients and give them a five star twist.’ Jiko is located in my favourite mall in Kenya, the palatial Village Market and is beautiful in design with light airy spaces, and plants cascading from the ceiling. All TripAdvisor reviews rave about the service, good service is such a rarity in Nairobi, that this alone makes it worth a visit.
Contact Information
Address: Tribe hotel at The Village Market
Tel: 020 7200601
Website: https://www.tribe-hotel.com/nairobi/jiko-restaurant-nairobi/
Best Family Friendly Restaurants in Nairobi
Under the Swahili Tree
Under the Swahili Tree is a firm family favourite in Karen. Set in delightful gardens off Marula Lane, there’s space for the kiddies to run around and on weekends they have a bouncy castle, make your own pizzas and often pottery making or face-painting. There’s a wide menu ranging from snapper taco’s, pizzas, curry, and salads and there’s nearly always a special think crab burgers or lamb tagine and they do a mean Sunday Roast. Emma, the owner, is excellent at setting up events. They’ve held karaoke, gin tasting nights, speed dating and art exhibitions to name just a few. I recommend you sign up to their instagram or Facebook to keep abreast of the many events.
Contact information
Marula Lane, Karen
Tel: 0110 509778
Website: https://www.undertheswahilitree.com/https://www.undertheswahilitree.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/undertheswahilitreekenya/?hl=en
Best South American restaurant in Nairobi
Cultiva
Cultiva was voted one of the best restaurants in Africa. Cultiva in Karen is an Ecuadorian influenced, rustic, fine-dining restaurant that consistently tops the charts of one of the best restaurants in Nairobi. Chef Ariel takes the freshest ingredients and translates them to edible works of art. Cultiva restaurant describes itself as experimental fine dining, and Ariel’s Ecuadorian influences are felt throughout the food. He presents fresh seafood ceviche’s, perfect little beetroot and pulled pork tacos, bao buns all sourced from local suppliers with many of the vegetables grown on the Cultiva Farm Cultiva has an amazing cocktail selection and a mammoth wine list and sits in a sweet outdoorsy location in Karen.
Read my blog post on Cultiva here
Contact information
Pofu Rd, Karen
Tel: 0701 579902
https://cultivakenya.com/Website: https://cultivakenya.com/
Best Asian Restaurants in Nairobi
Hero
Hero has been crowned No. 62 in the World’s Best bars, so perhaps this should sit on a drinks blog, but the food in the Nairobi restaurant and the general ambience means it’s earned its place here too. Hero is primarily a sushi/Japanese restaurant and you’ll find all your favourites here along with a few unusual entrants. Try the octopus and rhubarb maki, or the pressed pork belly skewers. The sushi was excellent but i have to say that the cocktail were even better. Readers to this blog will know that I love a cocktail above all else, so i tried a few, the Madafu Sawa with coconut butter washed whisky was amazing but the Peter Porker with streaky bacon fat washed whisky was something else. The decor is pretty cool, or whatever the youth say instead of cool nowadays. Sick? Dope? Gucci? Who knows? Its probably aimed at a younger, trendier crowd with Samuri painted walls and a comic book theme, but this old lady loved it.
Contact Information
Address: Trademark Hotel, Village Market
Tel: 0732 186666
Website: https://www.hero-kenya.com/https://www.hero-kenya.com/
MeSo
MeSo is a Food Library offering, so you are guaranteed good quality food. I notice on TripAdvisor that some customers are complaining about slow service and a lack of alcohol in their drinks. This is one of the few restaurants on this list that I haven’t visited, but I wanted to include because it comes from the Food Library and their restaurants are excellent. MiSo seems to be half cocktail bar, judging by reviews a lot of people come here to sip cocktails and perhaps have a light bite, but it’s most definitely a restaurant. There’s a dim sum and a sushi menu offering more unusual sushi choices. There’s a Josper Grill serving fat steaks, lamb chops and ribs, and a large offering of ramen noodles, rice and wok fried dishes. The place looks delightful. I reckon it’s worth a visit.
Contact Information
Address: Westgate Mall
Tel: 0794 176355
Website: https://www.thefoodlibrary.co.ke/meso/
Best international cuisine
Talisman
The New York Times proclaimed The Talisman Nairobi’s best restaurant and who am I to disagree? There is nowhere else quite like Talisman in Nairobi, a social hub, a guarantee of splendid food, a place to eat, drink and party.
Recently updated the Talisman building is filled with ever-changing works from local artists and an abundance of Kitengela glass. Sumptuous little rooms filled with coastal style Kenyan craftwork surround a foliage-filled courtyard that comes alive at night when it sparkles with lit fires and candlelight. The menu is a European, pan-Asian and African mix; plump steaks, seared pork belly, teetering burgers, Zanzibar fish soups poke bowls and a full sushi menu. Cocktails are divine and the staff are friendly and efficient. The Talisman’s warming ambience belies the thought and care that goes into every meal and training every member of staff. A Nairobi must do.
Contact Information
Ngong Rd,
Tel: 0705 999997
Website: thetalismanrestaurant.com
Slate
Slate is one of the best restaurants in Nairobi. Another offering from the ever fabulous Food Library whose restaurants include Mercado, Inti, Bambino and Meso. French, African, Asian cuisine surely fit under the title of ‘international food’. Im quite a fan of fusion, if it’s done well. Take the best parts of a food culture and combine it to create something new. Slate does it well. TripAdvisor reviews are all 5 stars and glowing, but what is French, African, Asian cuisine? Think sushi with unusual fillings; surf and turf rolls, best cuts of steak (although you may have to take out a mortgage for the tomahawk), confit chicken, duck a l’orange, beef cheeks, chicken yassa. Some very typically french traditional dishes and some that require a little more investigation. Everything has a slight spin; simple fish n chips are marinated in Shio Kogi, the pork belly is in a soy, sake, white bean and chorizo stew, and the lamb canon is slow cooked with burnt herbs. Elegant and sophisticated decor, smashing cocktails. The bills will set you back a bit so dress well and treat yourself to a bit of posh in the city.
Contact information
Address: Skynest Residences by CityBlue, Ground floor Mkungu Cl, Nairobi
Tel: 0745 560272
Website: https://www.thefoodlibrary.co.ke/slate/https://www.thefoodlibrary.co.ke/slate/
Best pizza in Nairobi
Matteos
Matteo’s is always busy. The sunny country garden is filled with happy customers stuffing their faces with pizzas, pasta and delicious steaks. This restaurant in Nairobi was opened by an Italian couple and is run by an Italian manager, both are passionate about ensuring absolutely authenticity when it comes to delivering Italian classics. Matteo’s does wonderful steak, pastas and salads but the pizzas are why people come here. Crispy, light and delicately flavoured with high-quality ingredients. The restaurant is located in a former stables in a beautiful tree filled garden when horses still occasionally wander out the stables and poke their heads over the fence. There’s plenty of space for the kids to run around and an excellent and affordable wine list. This place is packed on weekends, so do book beforehand. Matteo’s delivers and has a sister restaurant in Naviasha that’s also worth checking out.
Contact information
Ngong Road
Tel: 0110 098333
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matteositalian.ke/?hl=en
360-degree Pizza
360 Degrees take their pizza seriously. The restaurant is named after the temperature at which they cook their pizzas in their Stefano Ferrara wood-burning stove. They import flour and tomatoes from Italy and hand make each pizza. The more-ish and man-sized pizzas are a chewy yet crisp delight… just the way pizza should be. Pizzas come with tomato or bianca (white sauce) and all the usual suspects are on the menu, but I urge you to try some of the more unusual ones; truffle, goat cheese and onion pizza, poached fig and prosciutto, broccoli and brie. 360-degree pizza does pasta and main dishes, and has an exceptionally good Italian wine list, but it’s all about the pizza for me. The venue is light and bright with high ceilings and light wood, warm, welcoming, just like the pizzas.
Contact information
ABC Place on Waiyaki Way
Tel: 0700 360 360
Rosslyn Riviera on Limuru Road.
Tel: 0700 360 360
Mail: info@360degreespizza.co.ke
Website: http://www.360degreespizza.com/
Best Ethiopian restaurant in Nairobi
Habesha Ethiopian restaurant
There are several good Ethiopian restaurants in Nairobi. I love Abyssinia and Asmara (Eritrean) but Habesha pips them to the post purely for the plethora of good reviews and its location. Habesha nestles in a colonial-era building in a veritable jungle of greenery. I don’t profess to be an expert on Ethiopian food but my husband loves the Shiro Tegamino (made of dried legumes), Nech tibs fir fir (injera and fried beef) and I adored the roasted goat. Make sure you don’t miss the coffee ceremony.
Contact information
Kilimani
Tel: 0733 730 469
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Habesha-Ethiopian-Restaurant-Nairobi/155890434474877
Romantic restaurants in Nairobi
Hemingways Restaurant Nairobi
What could be more romantic than a candlelit dinner looking over the Ngong Hills? Add in a plantation style building complete with sweeping staircase, marble floors and fountains cascading over emerald green lawns. Hemingway’s is the moon and stars of romance in Nairobi. Watch the sky turn orange over Karen Blixen’s famous hilly knuckles, listen to the bush babies chatter and the night frogs croak. Hemingway’s is posh, so dress up. Visit the cocktail bar on the terrace first and then dine into the night on drama king prawns, a Key West seafood platter, and steak from their Josper Grills. The menu is wide, catered to all tastes and uses only the best, freshest ingredients as befits a hotel of this calibre.
Want to make it a romantic night? Stay the night in one of Hemingway’s luxurious rooms. Prices start at $300 pppn Check latest prices here.
Contact information
Karen Mbagathi Ridge
Tel: 0711 032000
Website: https://www.hemingways-collection.com/nairobi/
Mexican restaurants in Nairobi
Mercado Mexican restaurant
Mercado has won a slew of awards for both its cocktails and its food. The chefs are native to Mexico city and bring their latino brilliance to Nairobi. Located high up in the Kenrail building, you can pick from seating in the spacious Mexican themed dining room or outside on the deck looking over the city skyline. Killer cocktails par for the course, but what we are interested in is the food. Mercado doesn’t disappoint.The menu includes all the classics: ceviche, little taco cones filled with veggies, tostadas, quesadillas, burritos, mole, tacos and fajitas. The ingredients are local and Mercado switches up some of the classic Mexican dishes with crunchy veggies, and shrimp: think tortilla cones filled with aubergine and corn, tacos piled high with mushrooms, chilli and cheese, and tamales stuffed with Mayan chicken. Mercado is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Nairobi. Well worth a visit.
Read my review of Mercado here
Contact information
Kenrail Towers, Westlands
Tel: 0700 245795
Website: https://www.thefoodlibrary.co.ke/mercado/
Best Party Restaurant in Nairobi
Geco Cafe
Geco Café in Lavington is a vibrant bar / restaurant that specialises in live music. The café offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and its décor is a unique mix of rustic charm and modern elements, with art-filled walls. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings are reserved for live music often featuring local artists.
The menu at Geco Café is eclectic, catering to various tastes. It features everything from gourmet burgers and pizzas to grilled meats and vegetarian-friendly dishes. Signature items include their pizzas, burgers, and the famous meat platter, which includes a variety of meats such as beef ribs, lamb chops, and chicken.
To me, Geco feels more like a bar than a restaurant, but this is great place to visit if you want to eat, drink and dance.
Contact details
Address: Mbaazi Avenue, Lavington
Tel: 0792 489449
Website: https://www.instagram.com/geco.cafe/?hl=en
Best Chinese restaurant in Nairobi
Zen Gardens
Zen Gardens isn’t strictly Chinese. They also have Thai and Japanese influences, as indicated in their lavish sushi menu, but it’s the best place to get Chinese in the city. This Spring Valley restaurant sits in green gardens with indoor and outdoor seating and… forgive me for saying… a very zen-like environment. Calm and order pervade and the food is heavenly. Zen Gardens is several restaurants under one roof: Jade restaurant brings you regular dishes such as burgers, pizzas, sandwiches and a fab brunch menu. There is a tearoom, an ice cream parlour and a bakeshop. The Bamboo restaurant dials up the Chinese, Asian side of Zen gardens (although Asian dishes are available in Jade too). Zen Gardens has a selection of Asian dishes so good that it has won the best Asian restaurant in Nairobi two years’ running. Chinese food aside, its a gorgeous place to brunch or lunch or sup cocktails until the sky turns pink.
Read my blog on Zen Gardens here
Contact information:
Lower Kabete Rd, Spring Valley
Tel: 0709 828000
Website: https://www.zengarden.co.ke/
Best burger in Nairobi
Mama Rocks Burgers
The best burger in Nairobi is made in a food truck. A truck that delivers fat buns of gloriousness, juicy, sloppy, gluttonously glorious burgers. Buns are soft on the inside, crunchily charred on the outside, burger patties are plump with meat juices and there are tons of adventurous options. My favourite the Mango Masai Mama comes with a sunshine yellow chilli mango mayonnaise (which you can buy by the jar), other hot faves are the TIA – an African take on a regular burger and the Desmond Flaming Tutu which has biltong infused sauce. The veggie options vary; falafel patty, chickpea patty, halloumi patty. There are a ton of sides mozzarella sticks, sweet potato fries and plantains and scrumptious milkshakes. I particularly love the chilli chocolate. You can catch a Mama Rocks van at 3 locations in Nairobi.
Contact information
The Alchemist Bar, Westlands
Argwings, Kilimani
House of Treasures, Karen
Tel: 0735433007
Website: https://www.mamarocksburgers.com/
Best steak restaurant in Nairobi
The Local Grill Steak Restaurant
The Local Grill is serious about its meat, following a field to fork strategy which means that the meat is sourced through ethical and sustainable means. The chefs at this steak restaurant in Nairobi totally indulge themselves in their love of all things meat, experimenting with different cuts and cooking methods to bring you the best steak in Nairobi. They use smoke, Himalayan salt blocks, slow-cooking and all parts of the cow to bring you steaks that transcend ordinary beef cuts.
I love a restaurant that keeps things simple, 6 cuts of meat, 3 different sizes cooked to your desire. The steaks are thick-cut, full of flavour and the best I’ve ever tasted in Kenya.
There are other items on the menu: burgers, pork, lamb and salads but the emphasis is on steak. You can choose from one of four tasting menus which walks you through different types and cuts of meat, or even book a beef experience when you can learn about different cuts of meat and cooking styles.
Contact information
Village Market
Tel: 0757 130 061
Mail: info@thelocalgrill.co.ke
Website: https://www.thelocalgrill.co.ke
Best Sushi restaurant in Nairobi
Tokyo
Chef Chef Young Ho (Philip) Shin founded Tokyo in 2001 and it’s had a steady stream of admirers ever since.
I’ve only ever sat outside in teh pretty, fairy light strung garden, which is very romantic.
Tokyo offers a typical Japanese menu of sushi rolls, including favourites like the spicy crab roll and black dragon rolls, ramen, donburi and tempura. They have a teppanyaki tables for live cooking experiences. There are vegetarian and vegan option. Online reviews on the food are mixed—some find it to be great, while others feel the quality could be improved, but personal recommendations are only ever favourable, which matches my personal experience.
Contact Information
Address: Kolloh Road, Lavington
Tel: 0722 485 556
Website: https://tokyorestaurant.net/
Furusato
Furusato is the godfather of Japanese and sushi restaurants in Nairobi. Specialising in authentic Japanese food which is beautifully presented in whopping portions. Japanese food, and in particular sushi, must always be served fresh and Furusato’s expansive sushi bar means you can pick from the freshest, prettiest and tastiest sushi in town. Their teppanyaki is moreish and the prices are very competitive. Not the most glamorous of restaurants inside and out but the sushi more than makes up for it
Contact information
Ring Road Parklands, Westlands
Tel: 0722 488706
Website: https://web.facebook.com/FurusatoNairobi/?_rdc=1&_rdr
Haru Japanese restaurant
Haru does fabulous sushi and Japanese food. I’ve been here more times than. I can count and it never failed to impress. Fresh fish, beautifully presented and a wide range of options.
Try the yummy crispy tempura prawns and the marvellous monsters of rock. My two favorite dishes. It’s another shopping mall venue but the outside area transports you away from busy Karen road with plants and pots and firepits. A decent wine list too.
Read my full blog on Haru here.
Contact information
Tel: 0720 945400
Website: https://web.facebook.com/HaruRestaurant/menu/?_rdc=1&_rdr
Best Chicken Restaurant in Nairobi
Jakoni
Hands up! I confess I haven’t been here. I was intrigued. Jakoni is No. 2 on the TripAdvisor list of best restaurants in Nairobi ,and on further investigation it has over 107 5 star reviews and nothing lower. That’s high praise indeed from an industry that attracts Karens like bees to honey. This is a chicken joint, serving well anything chickeny. They do a chicken wrap or omelette for breakfast, chicken burgers, chicken samosas, chicken wings, chicken curry… you see where I’m going. They also do some mean-looking burgers and a great list of cocktails and decent wines. Located on Ngong Road, this looks like a laid back joint for some excellent casual food and drinks. Let’s all go and check it out.
Contact Information:
Address: Lexo Energy Prestige, Ngong Rd, Nairobi
Tel: 0114 757601
Website: https://www.jakoni.co.ke/menu
Best Breakfast places in Nairobi
Wasp and Sprout
The Wasp and Sprout in Loresho is so small and unassuming, it’s almost impossible to find. It is tucked round the back of a shopping centre (fronted by the amazing Tradewinds Antique furniture store) this gives meaning to the throw way phrase ‘a hidden gem”.
Inside the small shop selling bags and lamps and the odd piece of art is a food and drink menu that’ll put hairs on your chest. A whole menu just for Bloody Mary cocktails, – Bloody Machete for breakfast, anyone? Baked eggs many ways, 5 different types of eggs benedict, great towering piles of southern fried chicken on waffles and some unusual items like a breakfast parfait and a sprout omelette.
Contact information
Old Loresho Shopping Centre
Tel: 0799 873 422
Website: https://www.waspandsprout.com
Shamba Café
One to try? Shamba café in Loresho seems to split opinions; on the face of it, Shamba Café looks amazing. A brick red American style barn set in lush gardens in leafy Loresho invites customers in a cavernous space decorated in eclectic style. The cocktail menu is impressive, the breakfast and brunch menus are fairly run of the mill. I’ve been twice, and the food was yummy, the environment delightful and the service terrible. A glance at Trip Advisor says that I am not alone in that opinion. However, I don’t want to throw Shamba out with the bathwater, so if you live in the area, venture on down and let me know if they have upped their game. It has been a while since I’ve visited.
Contact information
Loresho Ridge
Tel: 0740 345168
Website: https://www.shambacafe.co.ke/
Full blog on the best breakfasts in Nairobi is here.
Best Italian restaurants in Nairobi
La Terrazza
La Terrazza located in the Greenhouse mall on Ngong Road is a secret little venue serving amazing, authentic Italian food and wine. The Italian restaurant in Nairobi is made extra special with the addition of an art gallery showcasing breathtaking pieces of art and its 4th-floor views across Nairobi city. Try snapper filled ravioli, mouth-watering Osso Bucco, the pinkly pretty beef carpaccio or island baked fish stuffed with olives, capers and mint.
La Terrazza’s food is gastronomy as it’s meant to be, healthy portions of fresh perfectly flavoured food cooked by an Italian chef who remains true to the roots of the cuisine.
Contact Information
Email: laterrazzanrb@gmail.com
Phone Number: +254 748 101 503
Website: https://laterrazzarestaurant.co.ke/
Bambino
Bambino won an award in 2022 at the World’s Best Luxury restaurant. For excellent Italian food in Nairobi you can’t go wrong with Bambino. This Latin Italian restaurant, is fusion based, meaning it takes traditional Italian dishes and gives them a twist. The menu reads like a gorgeous Trattoria and makes me want to book a ticket to Roma straight away. Arancini, lasagne, gnocchi, burrata, porchetta, fish en papillote. The food is carefully curated, and very tasty. An extensive wine list supports their signature cocktails. Less fussy than some other Food Library restaurants but with the same attention to detail with food and service.
Contact information
Address: Ground Floor, 9 West Building, Mkungu Close, Off Parklands Road, Nairobi
Tel: 0712 524517
Website: https://www.thefoodlibrary.co.ke/bambino-latin-italian/
Best fine dining restaurant in Nairobi
INTI – A Nikkei Experience
Voted the No.1 restaurant in Nairobi, you only need a quick glance at Trip Advisor to see why. The reviews speak for themselves as people rave about INTI. From its location at the top of One Africa place to the almost surreal presentation of its food, INTI is a step above and apart from many restaurants in Nairobi and it wears its crown with pride. INTI restaurant specialises in Nikkei cuisine, which is a marriage of Japanese and Peruvian foods. You’ll find ceviche sushi, robata, meat and fish grills and a series of wok-fried meals. The food plating is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Each dish is a work of art. I enjoyed fat noodles, perfectly tender meat in a dish of crisp and bright vegetables and a rainbow arc of sushi. The service is exceptional and the venue in a glass bubble at the top of one of Nairobi’s tallest building offers unparalleled views across the city if you can take your eyes from the striking décor.
Contact information
Waiyaki Way
Tel: 0735065945
Mail: inti@thefoodlibrary.co.ke
Website: https://www.thefoodlibrary.co.ke/inti/
Best Middle Eastern Restaurant in Nairobi
Tambourin
The dusky rose walls of Nairobi’s Kempinski hotel rise above the grey towers block of Chiromo road, a beacon of luxury and decadence the hustle of the city. Perched on its rooftop is the delectable Tambourin, a middle eastern restaurant with a Syrian-Greek head chef. The setting is gorgeous, sparkling city lights spied from the luxury of Arabian Night style tents and laid back benches. I grew up in Saudi Arabia so I’m a bit biased but I adore Arabian style food. Big mezze platters, plates of shawarma, hummus, baba ganoush, tabouleh, falafel, koftas, biryani and baklava – oh yum, my mouth is watering. This place has a special feel, and while I’m not usually mad about hotel restaurants, this one feels different.
Contact Information
Address: Villa Rosa Kempinski, Chiromo Road.
Tel: 0703 049000
Website: https://www.kempinski.com/en/hotel-villa-rosa/restaurants-bars/tambourin
Best Seafood and Fish restaurant in Nairobi
Mawimbi
Weighed down with awards for best restaurant in Nairobi, this seafood restaurant offers fine dining with an emphasis on fresh fish from the coast. Beloved by TripAdvisors reviewers, the accolades are piling in. Mawimbi serves which every which way: Osso Bucco, parpadalle, sushi and tempura. Fish recipes from the Philippines, from Kenya, from France and from Japan. Fish is anything but boring. 5 star food, delivered in a tasteful environment with stunning art and attention to detail in the decor.
Contact Information
Address: Longonot Place, Kijabe St, Nairobi
Tel: 0758 956805
Website: https://www.mawimbirestaurant.com/
Seven Seafood and Grill
Seven Seafood and Grill is the best fish restaurant in Nairobi. With fresh fish flown in from the coast daily. Fish comes in all forms, stuffed into ravioli and squad, baked in its shell, basted in a pan. The prawns and lobster are cooked in different ways with the options of different basting sauces. The crab comes in shell Masala, Ginger and Chilli style or you can opt for both with the giant seafood platter which adds calamari and octopus. There are even 6 different ways of ordering your oysters. But Seven Seafood and Grill is more than just fish. It sources the best meat from Kenya and offers you a butcher’s block of different cuts cooked to order. Desserts and cocktails finish off a menu that can only be described as food porn.
Read my blog on Seven Seafood and Grill here
Contact information
ABC Place, Waiyaki Way
Tel: 0737 776 677
Email: reservations@experienceseven.com
Website: https://www.experienceseven.com/
Best budget restaurant in Nairobi
Doner Express
Doner Express in Parklands offers barbeque with an Indian flare. Think meat on skewers and strips of meat in a pita with garlic sauce ladled over – yum. I love kebab. The place is very unassuming from the outside, but the food is loved all over Nairobi and the prices are very reasonable. The kebabs, both doner style and skewers, are outstanding. You can choose from the (hopefully) ironically named garbage pizza, chicken portions, sausages, naan and chapatis.
The best budget restaurant in Nairobi for scrumptious food that costs less.
Contact information
Mpaka Road
Tel: 0712 088072
Best Nyama Choma in Nairobi
Carnivore
Carnivore is a Nairobi institution, home to the Dawa cocktail (my absolute favourite) and great chunks of meat, cooked on Maasai swords over an open fire. Famed for their unusual selection of meat, including various local game, crocodile and ostrich.
Carnivore are no longer allowed to serve zebra and giraffe but that doesn’t stop hordes of foreign tourists flocking to Nairobi’s most famous Nyama Choma joint. I’m always reluctant to follow the crowds but the truth is Carnivore is good for a but gusting fill of local meats. The experience is fun, the kids love it, your visiting relatives love it and the dawa’s are some of the finest in the country. I can’t swear on it being the best Nyama Choma in Nairobi, but I can promise you an experience unlike any other.
Contact information
Langata Rd
Tel: 020 5141300
Website: https://tamarind.co.ke/restaurant.php?carnivore
Best café in Nairobi
Tin Roof Café
I love the Tin Roof Café tucked away behind the delectable House of Treasures on Dagoretti road. The sweet hut has squishy sofas inside, a large deck outside and further seating under a canopy of trees. The Tin Roof Cafe is a world away from the hubbub of Nairobi, and it has a kid’s playground so you can send the littlies off. Food is fresh and the menu is healthy and nutritious with a range of Gluten-free and veggie options. The smoked chicken burger is divine, the superfood salad comes is moreish and there are fresh juices and scrummy pudding to satisfy your sweet tooth. A great place to relax with coffee and cake as well as to come for lunch. Tin Roof Café has a second location in Langata Link shops in Hardy.
Contact information
Dagoretti rd, House of Treasure
Tel: 0706 348215
Website: https://www.tinroof.cafe/tin-roof-cafe-karen
Best outdoor restaurants in Nairobi
The River Cafe
The River Cafe at Karura Forest is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Spend you morning cycling, hiking and swimming in waterfalls and then head to the best outdoor restaurant in Nairobi for lunch.
The River Cafe is a delightful venue in nature filled Karura Forest. Sit indoors in a bright, glass filled, wooden hewed building or outside on the deck that has panoramic views across the forest.
The River Cafe serves a continental menu of soups, salads, pasta, burgers, steaks and sandwiches and a great all day brunch menu. The food is tempting, well prepared and portions are generous. Just what you need after a stroll.
Contact information
Karura Forest
Tel: 0725 969891
Website: https://www.therivercafekenya.com/
Best Indian restaurants in Nairobi
Open House
Open House does the most aromatic, creamy, saucy, prawny goodness in the whole world. If you like Indian food then their Goan Prawn dish is unbeatable. An Indian restaurant that is consistently voted the best by our many Nairobi Indian residents, you can’t go wrong with any of the dishes at Open House. They use few local ingredients and spices and make all the food to order.
The venue in Karen, is the only one I have been to and wasn’t much to write home about, but it’s satisfactory and you can order the food to takeaway.
Contact information
Karen Crossroads, Karen
Tel: 0725 585175
Website: https://www.openhouserestaurant.co.ke/
Best restaurant in Westlands
About Thyme
About Thyme calls itself a neighbourhood refuge but its much more than that. One of the best and most popular restaurants in Nairobi, this Westlands escape is the perfect place to spend romantic evenings or sunny days with friends. The menu gallops all over the world, from fresh tuna and mango from the coast, Greek moussaka, chicken dopiaza, moroccan tagines, french crepes, and the ever popular buddha bowl. The vastness of the menu doesn’t take away from the quality of the food, and there truly is something for everyone.
Cosy and romantic garden venue, strung with fairy lights, plump cushions and shady places to hide from the midday sun. Don the saxophonist is a laid back dude – the cherry on the cake of lazy ambience.
Contact information
Eldama Ravine Rd, Westlands
Tel: 0721 850026
Website: http://about-thyme.com/
Child-friendly restaurants in Kenya
The Talisman – playground at the rear.
Under the Swahili Tree – lawn, kids menu, bouncy castle and face painting on weekends.
Tin Roof Café – playground
Asmara restaurant – climbing frame/ jumping castle
Zen Garden – jumping castle on weekends
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden – jumping castle on weekends
Mama Rocks (Karen) – playground in garden
Further Reading on Nairobi
https://theexpatmummy.com/kids-nairobi-what-to-do-and-where-to-go
Nairobi Nightlife: A Vibrant Experience for Expatriates
45 Unmissable Kenya Tourist Attractions & Secret Gems
Finding expat housing Nairobi – how to find your Nairobi expat home
Kids Nairobi : 34 Ways To Smash Those Fun Days Out
Book Your Kenya Trip – Insider Tips
Find everything you need for visiting Kenya on my TRAVEL RESOURCES page.
Find everything you need for moving to Kenya in my THE EXPAT GUIDE TO LIVING IN NAIROBI book.
- Kenya Accommodation: Booking.com has the cheapest rates for hotels and guest houses in Kenya.
- Accommodation Reviews: TripAdvisor is my go-to portal for checking reviews on accommodation/restaurants in the local area. I never book without checking TripAdvisor first.
- ESIM: Airalo allows you to access the Internet from virtually any country without paying roaming charges
- Car Rental: Rental Cars is managed by Booking.com – guaranteed reliable.
- Tours and Guides in Kenya : Check out Get Your Guide and Viator – reputable companies that do tours within Kenya and East Africa.
- Travel Insurance: Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I recommend Visitors Coverage, which covers you for East Africa and offers ‘special insurance’ for safaris and adventure sports:
- Visitors Coverage
- Compensair – if you have a cancelled or delayed flight, you may get a refund.
Agree with most of these recommendations, but was not at all impressed with Inti when I visited; mediocre food at best, poor service and generally not a great experience. Same impression as you of Shamba with several visits under my belt. Surprised you missed Tokyo for Japanese, Hashmi, Nargis and Chowpaty for Indian. Great article otherwise!
I didnt have a great experience at Tokyo. So i didnt want to add it. Ill add Hashmi, Nargis and Chowpatty to the list :)
And Grenier a Pain on Riverside for French bistro and amazing patisserie!
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Misono on ngong road has some decent sushi , Mama rocks has awesome burgers with their spicy sauces,
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I guess for non-Japanese, furusato, tokyo and misono are good restaurant. As Japanese, Shokudo and Chekafe are much better. The differences is whether you really know the food or not. I guess.
I guess you are right.. Ill have to try the others
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Inti is absolutely awful when it comes to food. Slate the same. Someone should teach them what Duck L’orange is. A whole lot of room for improvement. I enjoyed Chophouse at Radisson although it’s pricey. Under the Swahili Tree is fantastic for kids especially. The Hemmingways brunch is always a delight. You can never go wrong with About Thyme.
I totally disagree about Inti. I adored the food. Never tried Duck L’orange, not a mad fan of duck.
I agree with almost all of these (the ones I have been to, about half) Open House for Indian, Seven for seafood, Hero and Meso for Asian, Inti, Talisman, Boho Eatery, and others. One is missing from here and I venture to say it is my favorite in Nairobi, Ate. Been there twice recently and the food is excellent and they have a great bar with lots of fun cocktails!
Ooh great. Ill try it. Thanks for the recommendation.