Nairobi is home to some of the most exquisite, luxurious, and iconic hotels in the country and the region. Spread across the capital are a host of establishments that offer an ideal location for family outings and date nights.
In this article, WoK profiles some of the best date night restaurants in Nairobi.
Hidden Gem
The restaurant has a French ambience but the cuisine is Italian. Their menu offers Italian dishes including pasta, pizza, cheese boards and cold cuts among others.
Hidden Gem’s two-floor space is decorated with plants, flowers and wall murals that give patrons the feel of Italian streets. The backyard looks like a courtyard restaurant where the two rows of what used to be small offices depict a boulangerie, a charcuterie, a café du pain and a maison du Chocolat.
The restaurant has stairs leading up to the wide balcony seating, with views across the rooftops and the Lavington area. During the evenings the dim lights on the rooftop while sipping on their extensive Australian wine selection or some fine cocktails gives one a feel of a holiday in the city.
The Social House
The restaurant is Peruvian-themed. It is famed for its handcrafted cocktails that truly capture the essence of Nairobi.
The rooms are lovely and offer indoor and outdoor seating arrangements allowing guests to enjoy their breakfast under shaded umbrellas, brunch by the pool or leisurely dinner while taking in the peace and quiet.
The Social House has 83 bedrooms, 7 event and meeting spaces (some indoors and some out), 4 restaurants, an outdoor pool, a back garden, and a gym.
It has a smouldering urban brasserie open-fire grill, café-bar and coffee roastery, an indoor-outdoor farm-to-table dining room and a rooftop Peruvian Melting Pot – each entirely authentic in character and cuisine.
The Social House blends local and overseas guests, art and music, fashion and comedy, socializing and ‘business-ing’, festivals and farmer’s markets.
Shamba Cafe
The Exquisite Shamba Cafe & Shop is among the very few barn-style restaurants in Nairobi and adds a whole new level of modern barn-inspired setting. Tucked away in Loresho, the establishment offers an ideal location for family, group and date night outings.
Shamba Cafe is located along Loresho Ridge, before VetLab Sports Club and the Upper Kabete Campus of the University of Nairobi.
The restaurant is cosy and airy with high ceilings and a rustic interior that transforms into a romantic dining space as the fairy lights come in the night.
Shamba serves globally inspired healthy cuisine with weekly specials and pizza from our wood-fired pizza oven. It is open from 9 am daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Saturday and Sunday brunch and early dinner Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
The wine list is extensive, catering to all tastes, the bar is fully stocked and we have a creative cocktail list. The shop promotes delicacies and products grown, made and produced in Kenya and a selection from the University. Some of the last coffee grown in Nairobi is specially roasted and sold in the shop. The garden centre setup is complete. The eatery currently has a limited selection of herb, plant and tree seedlings, succulents and pots.
Soi
The Soi (street) restaurant is located at the DusitD2 complex in Nairobi’s Westlands area. The restaurant has an Asian-inspired interior that offers a sense of privacy, serenity and calmness.
The restaurant’s cuisine is pan-Asian, featuring cooking techniques from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, China and Malaysia.
Honey & Dough
Honey & Dough is the perfect space for people seeking a modern cafe experience. The cafe-style restaurant offers a healthy-eating concept that blends in well with the Turkish-inspired interior decor.
Nabo Bistro
The Nabo-Bistro is a restaurant offering an indoor-outdoor dining experience. The restaurant’s food draws inspiration from Europe and the Americas. This creates a fusion of French-American bistro-style food that is unique and delicious. The interior comprises a rustic and industrial decor, creating a relaxing ambience.
Nairobi Street Kitchen
The interior design of this vibrant restaurant is very industrial and rustic. The designers focused on using as many reclaimed and recycled elements as they could. The idea was to take an old abandoned bullshit and transform it into a modern street food market.
Tucked away at the heart of Westlands, NSK is more than just an eatery. From the street-art murals to stunning upcycled and reclaimed interiors and open-air terraces, every detail of the space has been lovingly crafted to give guests a truly memorable experience.
Their staff have an uncompromising commitment to delivering exceptional customer service, irresistible food and drink menus, and a vibrant, contemporary atmosphere for our adventurous and free-spirited Nairobi folk.
Talisman
The restaurant is situated in the heart of Karen. It is an elegant upscale gastro lounge with an al fresco dining providing a leafy surround as an intimate dining destination for anything from an English breakfast to a three-course lunch/ evening meal with friends or simply a drink or two by the pub.
It is a 100 per cent plastic free zone, maintaining an organic garden that supplies some of their fresh produce. They vet all their vendors and conduct hygiene tests on supplier products. They use Bamboo straws and all water bottles at the establishment are recyclable.
