There are literally hundreds of places to eat in and around Nairobi. Most are small restaurants that serve traditional Kenyan foods at quite inexpensive prices (KSh 50-100) - after all, most of their customers are locals. We recommend that you look for one that appears to be busy, and to go ahead and try some of the local cuisine. You may be pleasantly surprised by some of the tasty dishes on offer.
This Nairobi Restaurants Guide lists some of the dining options available to you during your visit. General information about the cuisine in Kenya can be found by going to our Kenya Restaurants Guide. As well, don't forget to check out some of the souvenirs and other items on sale in some of the Nairobi Shopping areas.
Nairobi Restaurant Guide
There is an excellent range of dining options available in Nairobi. Great restaurants can be found in both the city centre and the suburbs, and they offer a fantastic variety in terms of price, cuisine and general dining experience. The restaurant culture is well entrenched in Nairobi, and the competitiveness amongst restaurants that this has bred ensures some of the best dining in all of Africa.
Most of the traditional and common dishes of Kenya can be found in Nairobi. Some restaurants where you are able to try these dishes are listed below. If you get a bit overloaded on local cuisine and would like a bit more of a familiar taste from home, Nairobi also offers a lot of choice.
For those in a hurry, there are many options of fast food to tempt you. Two burger restaurant chains in Nairobi are Steers and Wimpy's, which have a number of locations around town. Other fast food restaurants around Nairobi include Chicken Licken, Creamy Inn, Nando's and Pizza Inn, all conveniently located next to each other on the corner of Moi Avenue and Mama Ngina Street. A standard meal at any of these places will generally cost around KSh 200-350. For a cheaper meal at a local favourite, try one of the abundant Kenchic Inns, which offer a quarter, half, or full chicken for KSh 85, 170, or 340.
For something a bit more upmarket, you can choice from the wide array of international cuisine that dining in Nairobi offers. French, Indian and Italian are all popular choices, and other African cuisines, such as Moroccan and Ethiopian, are also available. Plus there are game restaurants, where you are able to sample local meats such as ostrich, zebra and crocodile.