This cozy outdoor restaurant set in the heart of Riverside is a place I’ve been meaning to visit for years!! Literal years and I finally got to go this year and was very excited about it Amani ya juu is actually the name of the gift shop in the same compound and Amani Garden cafe is the cafe’s actual name. But most people know it as Amani ya juu meaning peace from above.

Tokyo Drift is a Japanese izakaya restaurant meaning a kind of tavern/casual bar that serves hand-crafted drinks and small plates much like the Spanish tapas style of dining. It focuses more on the social aspect of dining and the meals here are inspired by the night life and street food in Japan. It is part of the Sierra restaurants and is located on the 1st level of the Sierra restaurant in Yaya centre.

The Liquor Library is located in the lush Tigoni neighbourhood, just about a 45min from Nairobi. First thing to note - they need better signage. It really took us forever to find the right turn to get here because there’s no signage on the main road right up until you drive into the compound… not very useful even for a ‘hidden gem’. That aside - the place is set in a beautiful landscape overlooking a stunning tea farm.

The Summer Lounge is a fairly new establishment in Nairobi’s food scene. It’s the sister restaurant to The Spring Noshery and is located at Sarit Centre, Westlands. It’s quite a stunning restaurant, they really said we’ll give you ALL the summer vibes. Love the airiness and freshness you can feel throughout the place as you walk in and take in the vibrant decor. You have your mint green theme on the inside and a yummy pastel pink theme out on the terrace section.

Zen garden is a scenic restaurant located in the lush Spring Valley neighbourhood. I hadn’t been back here in very many years so my visit a few weeks ago was a nice refresher. Zen Garden is exactly as the name suggests - a zen garden. There’s a great tranquility that covers the place so you already feel zen just upon entry. They have a most beautiful garden with stunning florals, gigantic succulents that line up the pathways and vibrant pockets of hydrangeas that add pops of colour amongst the greenery.

We finally have an authentic Vietnamese restaurant in Nairobi! Măm Măm is located at the Mwanzi Market in Westlands and is the first Vietnamese restaurant to open shop in Nairobi. I was very excited to try it out because they focus on Vietnamese street food and one thing about Asian cuisine, it’s gonna slap😋 The restaurant itself is such vibes already from the thematic red flowing through the place to the colourful seats and decor, it transports you to a place of fun, food and vibes.