Guidebook for Nairobi
Food Scene
For Japanese food, Cheka is nonpareil! Not only is their seafood fresh and food authentic, the restaurant is thought-out and colorful in every detail: the hand-drawn daily menus, the custom Cheka ceramic dishes, the Japanese-speaking staff. It's not an "oasis" of Japan within Nairobi; its aesthetic is beautifully both Japanese and Kenyan.
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Cheka Japanese Izakaya
Kauria CloseFor Japanese food, Cheka is nonpareil! Not only is their seafood fresh and food authentic, the restaurant is thought-out and colorful in every detail: the hand-drawn daily menus, the custom Cheka ceramic dishes, the Japanese-speaking staff. It's not an "oasis" of Japan within Nairobi; its aesthetic is beautifully both Japanese and Kenyan.
Sierra is best known for their beer and burgers—widely known as the best in Nairobi (to which I'd agree)—but the quieter lower floor is my go-to coffee shop spot. Their coffee is always excellent, service is excellent, and it has the trifecta of convenience for coffee-shop working: reliable wi-fi, electricity outlets, and a close-by restroom on the floor above. Plus, it is the only place you can get good coffee or good beer, depending on how productive you're feeling.
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Sierra Brasserie
Sierra is best known for their beer and burgers—widely known as the best in Nairobi (to which I'd agree)—but the quieter lower floor is my go-to coffee shop spot. Their coffee is always excellent, service is excellent, and it has the trifecta of convenience for coffee-shop working: reliable wi-fi, electricity outlets, and a close-by restroom on the floor above. Plus, it is the only place you can get good coffee or good beer, depending on how productive you're feeling.
Habesha has been around for decades (friends who grew up here remember running around the restaurant as kids) and is pretty much an institution, as far as Ethiopian food goes. If you go, definitely order shiro. You will never forget it.
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Habesha Restaurant
Argwings Kodhek RoadHabesha has been around for decades (friends who grew up here remember running around the restaurant as kids) and is pretty much an institution, as far as Ethiopian food goes. If you go, definitely order shiro. You will never forget it.
Sagret Hotel has a nyama choma (Kenyan barbecued meat) restaurant often called the "Nyama Choma Paradise," a moniker they deserve. Not a place to go if you're in a hurry, but if you can wait 40 minutes for them to roast the hunk of meat you choose from the chiller, it's definitely worth it.
SAGRET HOTEL EQUATORIAL
Milimani RoadSagret Hotel has a nyama choma (Kenyan barbecued meat) restaurant often called the "Nyama Choma Paradise," a moniker they deserve. Not a place to go if you're in a hurry, but if you can wait 40 minutes for them to roast the hunk of meat you choose from the chiller, it's definitely worth it.
For fuss-free, frills-free, body-warming, soul-filling hot pot, go to Little Sheep. A very kind couple from Shanghai has been running this restaurant for years. I've been to fancier hot pots that are sometimes good sometimes $$$, but I always end up coming back to Little Sheep. The more the merrier, so bring a big group.
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Little Sheep Hot Pot
For fuss-free, frills-free, body-warming, soul-filling hot pot, go to Little Sheep. A very kind couple from Shanghai has been running this restaurant for years. I've been to fancier hot pots that are sometimes good sometimes $$$, but I always end up coming back to Little Sheep. The more the merrier, so bring a big group.
Arts & Culture
The Kuona Trust is an artists' collective tucked away on a quiet street in Kilimani, where you can find studios made from shipping containers. In the main building, there's usually a gallery show or workshop going on, plus a small store. You'll find artists who specialize in anything from wood to metal to oils to prints. Many artists have their work on display, some for sale.
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Kuona Artists collective, Centre for the Visual Arts
Likoni CloseThe Kuona Trust is an artists' collective tucked away on a quiet street in Kilimani, where you can find studios made from shipping containers. In the main building, there's usually a gallery show or workshop going on, plus a small store. You'll find artists who specialize in anything from wood to metal to oils to prints. Many artists have their work on display, some for sale.