Guidebook for Nairobi
Food Scene
Furusato $$$ (Japanese)
One of my personal favorites. Furusato is also just a couple hundred meters away from the house, at the fork in the road between Eldama Ravine Rd and Ring Road Pardlands. Furusato is a Japanese restaurant, which does great sushi. Not sure I’ve ever had/needed anything else…
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Furusato Restaurant
Furusato $$$ (Japanese)
One of my personal favorites. Furusato is also just a couple hundred meters away from the house, at the fork in the road between Eldama Ravine Rd and Ring Road Pardlands. Furusato is a Japanese restaurant, which does great sushi. Not sure I’ve ever had/needed anything else…
About Thyme $$ (European)
A restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere, set also a few hundred meters away in a house at the intersection of Peponi and El Dama Ravine Rd. The restaurant’s stated theme is “modern european”, but I’d generally describe their meals as good home cooked meals. So good comfort food!
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About Thyme Restaurant
Eldama Ravine RoadAbout Thyme $$ (European)
A restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere, set also a few hundred meters away in a house at the intersection of Peponi and El Dama Ravine Rd. The restaurant’s stated theme is “modern european”, but I’d generally describe their meals as good home cooked meals. So good comfort food!
La Dolce Vita $$ (Italian)
A little further away from the house, but still a five minute drive away at the Muthaiga Mini Mart. This restaurant has been around for years and does great Italian pizza, as well as many other great dishes.
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La Dolce Vita Restaurant
Limuru RoadLa Dolce Vita $$ (Italian)
A little further away from the house, but still a five minute drive away at the Muthaiga Mini Mart. This restaurant has been around for years and does great Italian pizza, as well as many other great dishes.
Abysynia $ (Ethiopian)
If you like Ethiopian, you’re also spoilt for choice in Nairobi. This, however, I’d say is my favorite. Its located about a five minute drive away as well, on Muguga Green Rd in Brookside, on the balcony of an old house. Its pretty basic, but has fantastic and very cheap food. The round tables also make it great for going to with big groups.
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Abyssinia Restaurant
Waiyaki WayAbysynia $ (Ethiopian)
If you like Ethiopian, you’re also spoilt for choice in Nairobi. This, however, I’d say is my favorite. Its located about a five minute drive away as well, on Muguga Green Rd in Brookside, on the balcony of an old house. Its pretty basic, but has fantastic and very cheap food. The round tables also make it great for going to with big groups.
Wasp & Sprout
A bit of a hipster hangout (Nairobi’s traditionally never had these, so suddenly they’ve become very trendy)! This is a coffee shop located on Loresho Ridge Rd, which is about a 10 minutes away by car, but a fairy pleasant drive. Its a great place to go if you want a quiet place to get some work done in the morning, but also does a good breakfast, and also sometimes does live music at night (check their FB page).
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Wasp & Sprout
Loresho RidgeWasp & Sprout
A bit of a hipster hangout (Nairobi’s traditionally never had these, so suddenly they’ve become very trendy)! This is a coffee shop located on Loresho Ridge Rd, which is about a 10 minutes away by car, but a fairy pleasant drive. Its a great place to go if you want a quiet place to get some work done in the morning, but also does a good breakfast, and also sometimes does live music at night (check their FB page).
Diamond Plaza $ (Indian)
Diamond Plaza is a mall a few hundred meters around the corner from the house, which generally caters to the Indian community in Nairobi. As a result is has some of Nairobi’s best Indian food. Check out either the food court, which offers a lot of options but can also be a little chaotic, or Chow Patty, which is one of the better restaurants in the mall.
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Diamond Plaza
Diamond Plaza $ (Indian)
Diamond Plaza is a mall a few hundred meters around the corner from the house, which generally caters to the Indian community in Nairobi. As a result is has some of Nairobi’s best Indian food. Check out either the food court, which offers a lot of options but can also be a little chaotic, or Chow Patty, which is one of the better restaurants in the mall.
Drinks & Nightlife
A little bit further away from the house, but still worth the trip. This is located on Muthangari Drive, just on the other side of Wayaki Way. This bar also has a bit of a hipster feel and is good fun on Thursdays when they have live music, as well as on the weekends. They also do pretty good food, if you get there early.
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J's Fresh Bar & Kitchen
Muthangari DriveA little bit further away from the house, but still worth the trip. This is located on Muthangari Drive, just on the other side of Wayaki Way. This bar also has a bit of a hipster feel and is good fun on Thursdays when they have live music, as well as on the weekends. They also do pretty good food, if you get there early.
One of Nairobi’s most popular bars at the moment. This is just up the road in Westlands and has a fairly rustic vibe, but is very popular with Nairobi’s expats at the moment. Just be warned, they tend to charge a steep cover on weekends (Ksh2,000). I’d recommend going there on a weeknight, particularly on a Wednesday, when they usually do a movie screening.
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The Alchemist Bar
Parklands RoadOne of Nairobi’s most popular bars at the moment. This is just up the road in Westlands and has a fairly rustic vibe, but is very popular with Nairobi’s expats at the moment. Just be warned, they tend to charge a steep cover on weekends (Ksh2,000). I’d recommend going there on a weeknight, particularly on a Wednesday, when they usually do a movie screening.
Parks & Nature
Karura Forest (Ksh200)
A fantastic forest set in the middle of Nairobi, and very close to the house. There are two entrances to choose from, in opposite directions of the house, but both about five minutes away by car. One on Limuru Road (Opposite the Belgium Embassy) and the other at the end of Peponi Gardens Rd. The Limuru Road entrance tends to be busier, but that side of the forest is bigger, has a waterfall you can walk to, and an excellent restaurant you can eat at. If you’re a runner, or just want a quiet walk, I’d recommend the Peponi Garden Rd. They have 5km and 10km you can choose for the runners, or else you can just find your own way through one of the forest’s many trails.
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Karura Forest
Karura Forest (Ksh200)
A fantastic forest set in the middle of Nairobi, and very close to the house. There are two entrances to choose from, in opposite directions of the house, but both about five minutes away by car. One on Limuru Road (Opposite the Belgium Embassy) and the other at the end of Peponi Gardens Rd. The Limuru Road entrance tends to be busier, but that side of the forest is bigger, has a waterfall you can walk to, and an excellent restaurant you can eat at. If you’re a runner, or just want a quiet walk, I’d recommend the Peponi Garden Rd. They have 5km and 10km you can choose for the runners, or else you can just find your own way through one of the forest’s many trails.
Everything Else
Indoor Rock Climbing (Ksh1,000 + Equipment Rental)
Diamond Plaza has one of Nairobi’s only rock climbing gyms, which is located on the top floor. Their climbing walls are great for children or first timers and, if you’re already an experienced climber, they also have a great bouldering area you can check out.
BlueSky Adventures
Masari RdIndoor Rock Climbing (Ksh1,000 + Equipment Rental)
Diamond Plaza has one of Nairobi’s only rock climbing gyms, which is located on the top floor. Their climbing walls are great for children or first timers and, if you’re already an experienced climber, they also have a great bouldering area you can check out.
Arena Health Club (Ksh1,500)
Located on the top floor of the Sarit Center, five minutes by car from the house, Arena has a nice gym, sauna, steam room, and a swimming pool.
Arena Health Club
Karuna RoadArena Health Club (Ksh1,500)
Located on the top floor of the Sarit Center, five minutes by car from the house, Arena has a nice gym, sauna, steam room, and a swimming pool.
Massage (Ksh2,000/hour)
If the traffic and chaos of Nairobi has become too much to handle, perhaps a massage is the thing to get you back on track. Deb (0721 165 712) is a masseuse who can come to the house and give you a massage without you ever having to go back into the Nairobi traffic!
Ring Road Parklands
Ring Road Parklands Massage (Ksh2,000/hour)
If the traffic and chaos of Nairobi has become too much to handle, perhaps a massage is the thing to get you back on track. Deb (0721 165 712) is a masseuse who can come to the house and give you a massage without you ever having to go back into the Nairobi traffic!
Shopping
No doubt you’ll have already heard of Westgate, for the devastating attack which took place here in 2013. The mall’s been rebuilt now though, and open for business. Security, you can also be reassured, has been upgraded and is now pretty tight. This caters to Nairobi’s wealthier community and has a variety of coffee shops, a food court, supermarket, and movie theatre you can check out.
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Westgate Shopping Mall
18 Mwanzi RdNo doubt you’ll have already heard of Westgate, for the devastating attack which took place here in 2013. The mall’s been rebuilt now though, and open for business. Security, you can also be reassured, has been upgraded and is now pretty tight. This caters to Nairobi’s wealthier community and has a variety of coffee shops, a food court, supermarket, and movie theatre you can check out.
This is a great place to buy souvenirs. Its set in a house on Kitisuru Rd, just ten minutes from the house, and contains multiple boutiques within it selling souvenirs, as well as a little coffeeshop where you can have a drink. The prices here are a little more expensive than somewhere like Maasai Market (which you can find on various days at many of the malls in Nairobi), but I’d say its well worth it for the extra quality you get and the fact you’re not going to get hassled by a dozen sellers trying to get you to buy their bracelet!
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Spinners Web Kenya
1.3A Kitisuru RdThis is a great place to buy souvenirs. Its set in a house on Kitisuru Rd, just ten minutes from the house, and contains multiple boutiques within it selling souvenirs, as well as a little coffeeshop where you can have a drink. The prices here are a little more expensive than somewhere like Maasai Market (which you can find on various days at many of the malls in Nairobi), but I’d say its well worth it for the extra quality you get and the fact you’re not going to get hassled by a dozen sellers trying to get you to buy their bracelet!
Diamond Plaza
A mall, which caters to the Indian community in Nairobi mostly, but which I like because it has a little more character than the others. Diamond Plaza has a supermarket, Chandarana, where you can buy all of your food items, as well as a good green grocers for fruit and vegetables in the parking lot.
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Diamond Plaza
Diamond Plaza
A mall, which caters to the Indian community in Nairobi mostly, but which I like because it has a little more character than the others. Diamond Plaza has a supermarket, Chandarana, where you can buy all of your food items, as well as a good green grocers for fruit and vegetables in the parking lot.