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Best Dining Bets
Start the day with a coffee: Kenya is well known for its coffee-growing, which was introduced from Ethiopia during the colonial period. Most of it is grown 1,470 to 2,040m (4,900-6,800 ft.) above sea level, and the rich, red volcanic soil provides the nutrients necessary to grow supreme beans. Even the local East African instant coffee, Africafé, is worth a try.
Buffets: Hotels in Kenya offer reasonable and elaborate buffets, with an assortment of quality beef dishes, and seafood on the coast, supplemented by an array of tropical fruits and vegetables. Bananas, pineapples, and papaya are available year-round and citrus fruits seasonally.
Nyama Choma: The staple meal across Kenya is nyama choma, which means "roasted meat" in KiSwahili. Hunks of beef or goat and sometimes game meat are roasted over an open charcoal fire, and it's usually served with kachumbari, a mixture of chopped or shredded vegetables in a vinegar or lemon-juice dressing.
Swahili Cooking: Swahili cuisine, like its language, is a blend of ingredients from all over the world. For hundreds of years the coast of Kenya was plied by traders from Asia, Persia, and Arabia, and these cuisines have influenced the African way of cooking and produced a unique Swahili taste. Spices include cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and there's a variety of dishes featuring seafood and tropical fruits. Try fragrant coconut prawn curries, coriander-laced baked fish, spicy tamarind dips, or aromatic crab bisque.
Drinks: Sodas (soft drinks) are available everywhere and are very cheap; it's difficult to miss the saturation of advertisements for Coca-Cola on brightly painted buildings. When buying soda from a shop, you must drink it there as you have to give the bottle back. The local Tusker beer is very good and is served icy cold. A popular Kenyan souvenir is a t-shirt with the Tusker logo (an elephant's head) on it; they're widely available in souvenir shops in the tourist areas.
The Best Restaurants
Carnivore (Nairobi; tel. 020/602-990): Hugely touristy but a Nairobi institution with a lively, packed-to-the-gills nightclub attached, most tour companies include a visit here on their itineraries. Meat is barbequed on Masai spears over a central fire pit, and waiters keep slicing it onto your plate until you surrender by dropping the little white flag in the middle of the table. Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and some game meat like crocodile or ostrich are on offer, accompanied by a variety of sauces and starches. There are alternative vegetarian dishes, too.
Lord Erroll (Nairobi; tel. 020/712-2433; www.lord-erroll.com): One of East Africa's finest gourmet restaurants is tucked away in Nairobi's leafy suburbs, where crown cranes stalk the impeccable lawn and tables are elegantly dressed with white linen and silverware. Dishes on the a la carte menu take a French twist, while the legendary Sunday lunch buffet of a variety of roast meats, seafood, and salads is accompanied by a pianist.
Pasara Café (Nairobi; tel. 020/338-247): Located on the ground floor of Lonrho House, this is an excellent lunchtime spot in the heart of Nairobi and popular with business people. You can build your own sandwiches and omelettes; there's hot tasty soup of the day, and a good selection of coffees and teas. Newspapers and magazines are available.
The Tamarind (Nyali, Mombasa; tel. 041/474-600; www.tamarinddhow.com): This tourist trap is an undeniably stylish and memorable way of eating on the coast. The Tamarind restaurant is in a lovely white-washed, arched Moorish building with a terrace overlooking Mombasa's harbour, while the two Tamarind dhows (traditional white-sailed wooden boats) make two sailings a day for lunch and dinner to take in the view of Fort Jesus. Expect lots of excellent Swahili seafood -- the prawns, crab, and lobster are superb.
La Belle Inn (Naivasha; tel. 050/202-1007): This is a handy stop in the town of Naivasha en route to Lake Naivasha, and also a worthwhile detour off the main road between Nairobi and Nakuru. The shady terrace is a great place for a cup of Kenyan coffee, and there's an expansive range of homemade pies, cakes, pastries, and sandwiches, as well as affordable full meals.
Peponi's (Shela, Lamu Island; tel. 042/633-421, 633-422, or 633-423; www.peponi-lamu.com): Located under a trellis of bougainvillea at one of Lamu's best hotels, the stylish terrace restaurant and bar overlooks the ocean and beach from where you can watch local fisherman with their dhows. Snack on oysters and sandwiches; main courses include lobster and giant prawns. For something special, try the Swahili menu, which is eaten on the floor around a large brass platter.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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