Nairobi
One of Nairobi's best and coolest cafes, Connect brings coffee sourced directly from farmers in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda to your table, and the barista…
Must-see nightlife in East Africa
Nairobi
One of Westlands' best nights out, Alchemist is an all-encompassing take on the Nairobi night, with the city's best DJs, terrific food (including a food…
Nairobi
In the heart of the Westlands nightlife district, the small Havana Bar packs them in tightly over two floors and is an enduring Nairobi favourite, drawing…
Moshi
The Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union, representing tens of thousands of coffee smallholders, runs this stylish shop. Although it also serves good…
Nairobi
Craft beers have been slow to take off in Nairobi, but Brew is a lesson in how to do things. The rooftop bar is a beacon of the Nairobi night for its…
Nairobi
Building on the winning formula of its sister property in Karen, J's takes its DJs seriously enough to give them a permanent booth, and the food is so…
Nairobi
Once one of Africa's classic bars, the Lord Delamere Terrace was the starting point of many epic colonial safaris, and the scene of tall tales told by the…
Jinja
Right on the fast-flowing water, this open-air thatched bar with lounge divans and tables on a floating pontoon boat is the most ambient drinking…
Arusha
On the terrace of the large Cultural Heritage complex on Arusha's western outskirts, Fig & Olive has a Thursday cocktail night, and mellow live jazz and…
Mombasa
With lashings of sexy Mombasa style, this lounge cafe is the perfect spot to chill out in cushion-strewn, arty surrounds. Did we mention that it has great…
Burundi
This place, with its whitewashed weatherboards, palm-studded beach, blue-and-white nautical-inspired decor and a huge terrace-fronted villa, is where…
Kampala
With the most agreeable garden atmosphere thick with ferns and strewn with lights, this is a fine place to get a pint. There are also cocktails, pizza and…
Nairobi
This trendy place, with smooth lounge music, is great for a glass of wine or signature cocktail in the evening. Found within Village Market, it's also an…
Nairobi
At the western end of Westlands, Klub House is a long-time local favourite. The spacious bar has plenty of pool tables and excellent DJs spinning reggae,…
Nairobi
This sophisticated cocktail bar is smooth as silk, with vaguely retro curves in the decor and a fine list of cocktails to keep the well-to-do crowd happy…
Nairobi
This is one of the more popular bars in Westlands, pulling in a large, mixed crowd of Kenyans, expats and prostitutes, although the buzz has shifted…
Nairobi
Next door to Carnivore on the road to Karen, this large, open-air bar-club pulls in a huge crowd. There are video screens, several bars, a bonfire, and a…
Southern Rift Valley
Nakuru loves its coffee and Moca Loca is the new caffeinated kid in town. Located on the 2nd floor of a corner building, it's a stylish spot for people…
Nairobi
Kenyans have something of a love affair with sports bars and, if you must, this is one of the better such places in town. There are the usual big screens,…
Kilifi
Felix Unique Collection might not be what we would name our juice bar if we had one – especially if we wanted to make it into an acronym – but the blender…
Mwanza
While a dinner here (mains Tsh15,000 to Tsh20,000) is worth it for the waterside view and the leafy lakeside garden overlooking Bismarck Rock, the best…
Zanzibar Town
Named for Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury, this is a scruffy but popular waterside hang-out for daytime drinks, evening drinks or sundowners in-between. If…
Zanzibar Town
This worn but popular place in the old British consulate building has seating inside and outside on a deck under trees directly on the beach. Food is…
Rwanda
While we don’t know who came up with the name, we can vouch for the great beachfront location. This beach shack is a very popular spot for a beer and gets…
Nairobi
This is the second branch of one of Nairobi's coolest cafes to open, with just a few tables on the pavement outside the Gigiri complex. The cafe brings…
Nairobi
This slick champagne bar in the Seven Seafood & Grill restaurant has fish tanks in abundance and has been endorsed by none other than Veuve Clicquot…
Nairobi
This fantastic coffeehouse is rapidly turning itself into a major brand with cafes all over town, and you may see its logo on T-shirts as far afield as…
Mwanza
Part of the New Mwanza Hotel establishment, Flames is a fun spot to dance and enjoy meeting locals, but don't expect to carry on much of a conversation –…
Nairobi
The Dancing Spoon is a good place to start the night before making for Westlands. With an impressive cellar of international wines and an equally good…
Southern Highlands
A simple open-air bar serving curry and beer, Rock Garden enjoys a gorgeous rocky setting with a stream running by. On weekends it's packed and is a great…
Kampala
Whether you're looking for a lively beer garden, a swanky cocktail bar or a pumping club, Big Mike's has it covered – all under one roof. It's popular for…
South Coast
This sleek sports bar, part of the same complex as the Kahama Hotel, has more big screens than you can count, plus disco-ball lighting, burgers and beers…
Kigali
The general consensus is that K-Club is currently the best spot in town for a night out and come the weekends (the only time admission is charged), it's…
Nairobi
If you want to explore real Nairobi nightlife, Black Diamond is an obvious place to start. The crowd is as lively as the music, which is mainly Kenyan and…
Arusha
This cafe is a good spot for a drink, and one of the best places to find out about upcoming cultural events, many of which are held here. On Thursday…
Kampala
For espresso, aeropress or cold drip, caffeine aficionados will want to head here. There's a good range of single-origin beans from across East Africa –…
Nairobi
This trendy outdoor cafe is set in the scenic garden of Ikigai, a popular co-working office space. Roasted Truth serves specialty coffee and home-made…
Nanyuki
In the space where Lily Pond Arts Centre used to be, the Painted Dog is now a full-on expat bar, complete with happy-hour specials (5pm to 7pm), movie…
Rwanda
An industrial space turned coffee shop, this very atmospheric place, which uses only the finest of beans, is dominated by a massive coffee-bean roaster…
Lamu Island
Naturally, the bar at a Swiss-owned Kenyan hotel with an Italian name has to resemble an English pub. Pretty much everyone on Shela finds their way to the…
