Restaurants in and around Nairobi

I think this is one of most asked question when you move to a new city. Are there any nice restaurants? How is the food? Is the food expensive? How is the service? I will provide some information for the places I have dined at so far. Another great source that has detailed information on restaurants in different areas is tripadvisor, which I used a lot and even created my own accountJ

When we moved here, we first dined at the restaurants we had heard about. We did not want to take any risks because of the hygiene issues. So, first we tried the Art Caffe. This is an “all in one place” that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It also has a bakery. You can find Art Caffes in and around Nairobi, as it is very popular among expats because they serve continental food. Art Caffes are always crowded, especially during weekday lunchtime and on weekends. Most, but not all of the Art Caffes, have live music on Friday nights. So, if you want a quick bite to eat, this is definitely the right choice! The food is reasonably priced and the service is not bad for the Kenyan standard. Even though I found the service to be quite slow, I highly recommend trying something from their bakery like a cake, or yummy chocolate brownie. Their breads are even good from western standard, very strong in flavor.

Osteria: This is a family run Italian eatery with two locations. One is located in Karen and the second is in the Village Market. I have dined many times at the Osteria located in Karen. It is situated in quite a leafy party of Karen. Since it is very close to our home, it is a frequent stop for us. The great thing about dining in Nairobi is that you mostly dine outside due to the lovely weather throughout the year.  Osteria serves great food with a one of a kind Italian touch. The managers always come to the table to check on the food and service, which is lovely. On Sundays they offer a family brunch where there are many activities for kids, such as jumping castle and a pool. I definitely recommend making  a reservation during the weekend. Even though everybody has a different perspective what is expensive what is not, Osteria is well priced in comparison with service, food and environment.

Talisman: For some reason, Talisman is highly popular among expats. I could not figure out why though, but I will look further into this. We’ve been to the Talisman so many times and it has always been overcrowded in both the dinner and bar area. You definitely need to make a reservation!! I personally am not the biggest fan of their food, it is not too expensive and not too cheap. Talisman offers a diverse menu ranging from sushi to pork. This is probably why they are always crowded, based on their variety of options to choose from. It is right on Ngong Rd, before the Osteria. Talisman offers an open sitting area with a lovely fireplace. Like some of the previous restaurants I have mentioned, they also have live music on Friday Nights.

Brew Bistro and Lounge: If you are in the mood for big steaks, this is THE place to go. This place is also very hip and popular among local young crowd and expats. The bar section tends to always be packed and plays loud hip hop music. To give you an idea: the dining area is located on the other side of the bar. For those who do not like the bar scene, you can have dinner in the dinning area, away from the music. Brew Bistro also offers its own flavor beer, which I hear is very good. Since I am not a beer person, I cannot comment on that specifically, but I’ve heard friends mentioning how good the beer is. In general, the food is well served and tasty. The price is above Nairobi average , so I would overall classify the Brew Bistro as being one level up from the other restaurants.

Karen Blixen Restaurant: I think there is a separate name for this restaurant, Tamambo. Restaurant is sitting on a very big , beautifully kept garden. Is very popular among expats, also one of the stopping point for tourist busses. Restaurant part serves great burgers and some local food too. On Sundays, Tamambo offers brunch, great place to hang-out with children, well-kept garden offers them a free space to run around. It also has a separate bar area, which has TVs showing rugby, baseball, and soccer. The bar gets crazy busy at nights. Since Karen Blixen is a historical area, there are also great places to visit nearby for food, coffee, and sight seeing.

Mediterraeno Italian Restaurant: This is another Italian chain. I have dined at this restaurant in Junction Mall many times. You dine with candle lights and have the option of both indoor and outdoor seating. While the restaurant is mostly busy, it never feels too crowded. Pizzas are great! Serving is fine, prices are average.

Phoenician: Phoenician serves both Lebanese and Japanese food. Interesting combination, right? Anyway, whenever we wanted to eat Japanese, this is the place! The Phoenician is located on the top floor of Junction Mall. When you are ordering the tepanyaki, it is more than enough for two people. I have never tried their Lebanese food, so I cannot comment on that. But, if you eat Japanese you know you have to be careful about fresh ingredients! So, I can comfortably recommend Phoenician, their sushi is always freshly served and delicious.

Seven Seafood and Grill: So far, this is the only seafood restaurant I have been to. I am not sure if there are more seafood restaurants out there. It is located on ground floor in ABC Place, right on Waiyaki Way. Do not be surprised if you see a chic decoration once you are in the restaurant. That was a surprise, I would not expect a decoration like this in ABC Place, I loved it! It is highly popular and crowded, so you need to have a reservation especially on Fridays and Saturdays. Seven also offers an open seating and lounge area offers hip music playing at the background, kind a noisy though. The dining area is separate and made up of beautiful tables with the right amount of separation for privacy. By the way, expect to pay more than what you usually pay since you are dining at a seafood restaurant.

Le Rustique: I love this restaurant! It is not only quiet, but never overly crowded. In the chance it is overcrowded, you still never feel that way. The restaurant also has a play area, which makes all the difference for people who bring their children to dinner.  They have wonderful crepes, salads, sandwiches, meats and pastas. Like all the restaurants in Nairobi, Le Rustique has indoor and outdoor dining seating. The outdoor dining area is also surrounded by beautiful greenery. It sort of feels as if you are dining at the National Park. We did not make a reservation and were very lucky to have found a table as fast as we did. Depending on the day, you may still see expats trying to find a table. And pricewise, the food at Le Rustique is not expensive, but it still is not cheap.  

About Thyme: Both Le Rustique and About Thyme are located in the same area and have similar price ranges. I found that this restaurant (About Thyme) was kind of dark, closed off, but the cost for dinner was quite similar to that of Le Rustique. I also believe that the dark furnishing probably could be attributed to the dark feeling the restaurant gives off. When I went to About Thymes once, I went with a group of friends for brunch and it was not busy. Most places here get crowded after 1pm. Regardless, the menu has tons of choices, but do not expect anything special as most of the menu is usual stuff.
I truly hope this information helps and I will update this page accordingly. Even though we all have different expectations food and price wise, we all want to eat fresh and nice food right? So, keep reading me please and I will keep updating :)