Whereas lovely sunsets, enchanting wildlife, fascinating landscapes, and pleasant individuals are its main points of interest, the meals in Kenya can be worthy of a visit to this East African nation.
The nation contains over 44 ethnic teams, and nearly each group has its personal distinctive conventional dish. Whenever you mix that truth with worldwide cuisines and culinary variations, each traveler is bound to have an unforgettable expertise.
So, should you’re visiting Kenya quickly and questioning what to eat, learn on. On this article, I’ll introduce you to dishes from numerous areas in my dwelling nation. These embody ugali, the staple meals; biryani, a Swahili meal from the coast; and irio, a conventional meals from the Mount Kenya area.
Under, are a few of my favourite dishes to attempt throughout your journey to Kenya.
15 Meals To Strive in Kenya
As a Kenyan native, I’ve traveled to many elements of the nation, sampling completely different meals. To provide you an thought of what to anticipate, I’ve ready this information on 15 must-try dishes in Kenya. It consists of well-liked meals, primary dishes, snacks, pastries, and road meals.
1. Ugali (Cornmeal) – The Most Standard Meals in Kenya General
We start this listing with ugali, undeniably the most well-liked meals in Kenya and lots of elements of Sub-Saharan Africa. It’s additionally the staple meals of Kenya and is often a part of lunch and dinner in most households.
Ugali is made by including flour (maize, millet, or cassava) to boiling water and stirring to a dough-like consistency. The healthful meal is then loved with inexperienced greens, beef stew, or nyama choma (roasted meat – extra on that under!).
This well-liked meal is accessible in nearly each native restaurant. When you’re in Nairobi, Okay’Osewe Ranalo Meals is a good possibility and a spot I’ve loved brown ugali (fabricated from millet flour) many occasions. The restaurant additionally serves different conventional and must-try dishes in Kenya, like fried tilapia fish and beef stew.
Okay’Osewe Ranalo Meals Info
Tackle: Kimathi Road, Nairobi
Telephone: +254 721 323238
Working Hours: 10:30 am-3:00 am (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $7
Web site: N/A
2. Nyama Choma (Roasted Meat)
Translating to roasted or grilled meat in Swahili, nyama choma is essentially the most well-known dish in Kenya. This basic barbecue is made by slowly roasting meat (goat, beef, or hen) over sizzling coals till it’s tender.
As soon as grilled, nyama choma is positioned on a picket board and chopped into items, and served with ugali, greens, and kachumbari. In Kenya, we often benefit from the well-known dish with buddies. It additionally goes nicely with ice-cold beers or espresso.
Yow will discover nyama choma on many sit-down restaurant menus throughout the county. It’s additionally accessible from roadside eateries (“choma zones”) and native meat retailers.
When you’re in Nairobi, go to the Carnivore Restaurant. It has all kinds of nyama choma to select from, and you may eat all you need at a hard and fast worth. Char-Choma Restaurant is my favourite spot for the dish in Mombasa.
The Carnivore Restaurant Info
Tackle: Off Langata Street, Nairobi (close to Wilson Airport)
Telephone: +254 731 611606
Working Hours: 12:00 pm-11:00 pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $50 (for a buffet)
Web site: tamarind.co.ke/carnivore
3. Samaki Fry (Fried Fish)
Samaki fry, Swahili for fried fish, is without doubt one of the most scrumptious and well-liked meals in Kenya. The fish (often tilapia or Nile perch) is deep-fried and served with ugali alongside kachumbari (often contemporary tomato and onion salad). Aside from the dry fry (my favourite), it will also be wet-fried (with onions, tomatoes, and spices) which supplies it extra aroma.
Omena (silver cyprinid) is one other typical fish dish in Kenya, particularly amongst communities residing alongside the shores of Lake Victoria. The small fish are first dried within the solar earlier than being deep fried.
Probably the greatest locations to eat fish in Kenya is Mama Oliech Restaurant in Nairobi’s Kilimani space. When you’re visiting Nanyuki city, drop by the Trout Tree Restaurant. It’s my favourite fish restaurant in Kenya for its scrumptious farm-to-table trout and contemporary sukuma wiki (kale).
Trout Tree Restaurant Info
Tackle: Alongside Street A2 between Naro Moru and Nanyuki
Telephone: +254 726 281704
Working Hours: 10:00 am-5:00 pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $10
Web site: trout-tree.com
4. Karanga (Kenyan Beef Stew)
Karanga (a neighborhood stew) is a typical meal in Kenya and a favourite for many individuals. The dish is simple to arrange utilizing completely different meats and different components that give it an inviting aroma.
It’s made by frying chunks of meat with onions, tomatoes, potatoes, greens, and spices. When water is added, the result’s a thick, hearty meal greatest loved with ugali, chapati, or rice.
My favourite restaurant in Kenya for karanga is Okay’Osewe Ranalo Meals. The eatery serves scrumptious beef stew, which I take pleasure in with ugali (millet flour) and managu (indigenous inexperienced greens).
The Talisman Restaurant could have a distinct title for the stew, nevertheless it’s positively well-known for making among the greatest.
The Talisman Restaurant Info
Tackle: Off Ngong Street, Karen, Nairobi
Telephone: +254 705 999997
Working Hours: 11:00 am-10:00 pm (Tue-Fri), 9:00 am-10:00 pm (Sat-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $13
Web site: thetalismanrestaurant.com
5. Sukuma Wiki (Collard Greens or Kale)
Other than nyama choma and Kenyan stew, ugali is commonly accompanied by sukuma wiki (just like kale). This vegetable dish, which interprets to “push the week,” is reasonably priced and customary in lots of Kenyan households.
Making ready sukuma wiki entails washing the inexperienced leaves, slicing them into small items after which frying them with onions. In some circumstances, tomatoes and spices are added to deepen the flavour.
Moreover sukuma wiki, there are different inexperienced greens generally utilized in Kenya. These embody spinach, mrenda (jute mallow), marenge (pumpkin leaves), and thabai (stinging nettle leaves).
Sukuma wiki is accessible in nearly all eating places throughout Kenya – together with the small eateries within the countryside. There are additionally some nice locations to do that dish in Nairobi, with my favourite being Cultiva Farm, an amazing farm-to-table restaurant in Karen.
Cultiva Farm Kenya Info
Tackle: Pofu Street, Karen, Nairobi
Telephone: +254 701 579902
Working Hours: 8:00 am-11:00 pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $5
Web site: cultivakenya.com
6. Kachumbari (Salsa or Salad)
Kachumbari, a contemporary vegetable salad, is Kenya’s hottest facet dish. The salad/salsa contains sliced contemporary tomatoes, onions, inexperienced/crimson pepper, coriander, and typically avocado.
The refreshing salsa/salad is synonymous with nyama choma. It additionally goes nicely with pilau, mutura (road meals), boiled eggs, and fried fish.
If you wish to attempt Kenya’s most scrumptious salad, go to a nyama choma restaurant or a road meals vendor. For first-time guests, I like to recommend Street Home Grill in Nairobi or Char-Choma Restaurant in Mombasa. They’ve among the greatest barbecue and kachumbari within the nation.
Char-Choma Restaurant Info
Tackle: Off Mombasa-Malindi Street, simply earlier than Whitesands Resort
Telephone: +254 794 673598
Working Hours: 6:00 am-12:00 am (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $15 (served with nyama choma)
Web site: fb.com
7. Hen Tikka Masala (Spiced Hen)
Kenya is a multicultural nation with a sizeable inhabitants of locals of Indian descent. This has led to the introduction of scrumptious Asian meals, together with hen tikka masala.
The dish is made by tossing items of hen (clay oven cooked) right into a spicy sauce. This sauce often contains contemporary tomatoes, onion gravy, and quite a lot of unimaginable Indian spices.
There are a number of locations the place you may attempt hen tikka masala in Kenya. My favourite is The Mayura Restaurant on the Nairobi SGR Terminus, which serves this tasty dish, amongst others. The restaurant additionally has branches in Karen and Westlands.
The Mayura Restaurant Info
Tackle: Nairobi SGR Terminus, Syokimau
Telephone: +254 737 224422
Working Hours: 11:00 am-11:00 pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $11
Web site: themayura.com
8. Biryani (Spiced Rice) – My Favourite Swahili Meals in Kenya
Biryani is a conventional meals in Kenya well-liked amongst communities alongside the coast. To make this dish, rice is often cooked with meat (hen or beef) and completely different spices. These spices embody cardamom, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.
One other spiced rice and a well-known dish in Kenya is pilau. It’s cooked with fragrant spices and both beef or hen and is served with greens and kachumbari.
The primary distinction between biryani and pilau is that with biryani, rice and different components (meat, sauce, and spices) are cooked collectively. However, pilau rice (and spices) are cooked in a separate pot from the sauce and meat.
I’ve had biryani hen and pilau in lots of locations, however my favourite eatery is Jahazi Espresso Home. The small restaurant is positioned in Mombasa Outdated City and serves essentially the most scrumptious Swahili dishes within the metropolis.
With its previous furnishings, flooring mats, and Arabic-style doorways, Jahazi is a real image of the traditional city.
Jahazi Espresso Home Info
Tackle: Thika Road, Off Ndia Kuu Rd, Mombasa
Telephone: +254 742 917263
Working Hours: 9:00 am-6:00 pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $8
Web site: N/A
9. Wali wa Nazi (Coconut Rice)
One in all my favourite dishes in Kenya is Wali. This dish can be well-liked among the many communities residing alongside the Kenyan coast. It’s usually fabricated from white rice and numerous components and is often loved with hen, beef, or fish curry.
The most well-liked wali dishes are wali wa kukaanga and wali wa nazi. The latter contains rice boiled in coconut milk, whereas the previous encompass boiled rice that’s fried with components like onions, carrots, peas, turmeric, and greens.
The perfect locations I take pleasure in wali wa nazi are in Swahili eating places, and also you’ll discover them in nearly each city alongside the Kenyan coast. Whereas in Mombasa, check out Mombasa Dishes or Barka Restaurant in Mombasa Outdated City. Kilimanjaro Jamia in Nairobi can be among the best locations to attempt wali.
Barka Restaurant Info
Tackle: Mji wa Kale, Makadara Street, Mvita
Telephone: +254 722 881009
Working Hours: 7:30 am-10:30 pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $4
Web site: N/A
10. Matoke (Plantain Banana Stew)
Matoke, a staple meals among the many Kisii individuals of the western area, ought to positively be in your listing of must-try dishes in Kenya. The meal is ready by frying plantains and is greatest loved with rice, chapati, or beef stew.
It’s frequent to search out completely different variations of matoke in numerous elements of the nation. In central Kenya, for instance, the dish consists of plantains, potatoes, arrowroots, pumpkins, and typically candy potatoes.
Matoke is accessible in native eating places countrywide. Whether or not in Kisii, Mombasa, Nairobi, Nanyuki, or Nakuru, you’re certain to discover a place serving this superb dish. Whereas in Nairobi, take a look at Bridges Natural Restaurant.
Bridges Natural Restaurant Info
Tackle: Alongside Tubman Street, Nairobi
Telephone: +254 711 575756
Working Hours: 6:00 am-6:00pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $4
Web site: bridges-organics-shop.net.app
11. Irio (Mashed Peas)
Additionally indigenous to communities residing within the central area just like the Kikuyu, irio (which means meals) is my favourite conventional meals in Kenya. This wholesome dish is fabricated from mashed potatoes, beans, peas, and conventional greens (like pumpkin leaves) and served with beef stew or nyama choma.
It’s value noting that, in contrast to mukimo, irio doesn’t include githeri (corn and kidney beans).
Probably the greatest locations to style irio is at a nyama choma restaurant (though they primarily promote mukimo). When you’re visiting the central area (the realm round Mount Kenya), drop by any native restaurant and also you’ll discover essentially the most genuine irio, githeri, and mukimo round.
My favourite place to eat the native dish is Betty’s Place in Nyeri; a country restaurant that serves tasty nyama choma accompanied by scrumptious irio or mukimo.
Betty’s Place Restaurant Info
Tackle: Kimathi Manner, Nyeri
Telephone: +254 711 666792
Working Hours: 7:30 am-12:00 am (Mon-Sat), 9:00 am-12:00 am (Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $5
Web site: N/A
12. Githeri (Corn/Maize and Beans)
Githeri is without doubt one of the greatest conventional dishes in Kenya. Initially, the dish was unique to communities residing round central Kenya, however now it’s widespread throughout the nation. This straightforward meal is made by mixing maize (corn) with beans and boiling them in a clay pot or sufuria.
As soon as it’s cooked, githeri is served alone or fried with onions, tomatoes, inexperienced greens, and potatoes. Typically, the dish is mashed with potatoes, and pumpkin leaves to make mukimo – one other typical meals in Kenya.
Githeri is accessible in most eating places in Kenya. When you’d prefer to take pleasure in this meal in Nairobi, I reccomend you go to the Scorching Dishes Restaurant.
Scorching Dishes Restaurant Info
Tackle: Outdated Mutual Constructing alongside Kimathi Road, Nairobi
Telephone: +254 782 333444
Working Hours: 6:00 am-9:00 pm (Mon-Fri), 6:00 am-8:00 pm (Sat-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $3
Web site: hotdishes.co.ke
13. Samosas (Triangular Pastry)
No journey to Kenya can be full with out making an attempt a minimum of one samosa, a yummy triangular-shaped snack.
This well-liked snack will be loved any time of the day, particularly with a cup of chai. It’s made by filling cooked minced meat or peas in small triangular dough pockets which are deep fried. Components like onions, garlic, pepper, and coriander are typically added to present them additional taste.
I wasn’t an enormous fan of samosas till a good friend steered I attempt T Tot Restaurant in Machakos city. The restaurant is well-liked with locals, and their sizzling samosas will go away you craving extra.
When you’re in Nairobi, take a look at Cafe Deli Restaurant alongside Moi Avenue. It serves beef and hen samosas which go nicely with Kenyan chai.
Café Deli Restaurant Info
Tackle: Moi Avenue, Nairobi
Telephone: +254 707 712287
Working Hours: 6:30 am-10:00 pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $3 (with tea)
Web site: cafedeli.co.ke
14. Mutura (Kenyan Sausage) – Greatest Road Meals in Kenya
Along with the normal dishes in Kenya, road meals is frequent, particularly in markets, neighborhoods, and alongside alleys. Among the well-liked choices embody mahindi choma (roasted maize), mayai pasua (boiled eggs), and mutura (Kenyan sausage).
Mutura is essentially the most well-known of all Kenyan road meals. The sausage-like snack is scrumptious and wealthy in protein. It contains a mixture of various items of cow or goat meat and cooled blood encased in a wrapper (often goat intestines).
To organize mutura, items of meat are initially cooked with completely different components (like onions and spices) after which stuffed in small intestines. The sausage is then roasted on a charcoal grill to present it a smoky taste. As soon as cooked, mutura is minimize into small ring-like items and loved alone or accompanied by kachumbari.
When you’re on the lookout for a spot to style this wonderful and distinctive Kenyan road meals, take a night stroll in any small city or massive metropolis within the nation, and maintain a eager eye out for it. You may also go to a restaurant akin to Betty’s Place in Nyeri or Ankole Grill in Nairobi.
Ankole Grill, Kilimani Info
Tackle: Senteu Plaza, Galana Street, Nairobi
Telephone: +254 710 202020
Working Hours: 7:30 am-11:00 pm (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $7 (for a small plate)
Web site: ankole.co.ke
15. Tusker (Kenyan Beer)
Though this text is about meals in Kenya, it will be incomplete with no drink to scrub down the meal. A chilly Tusker (the most well-liked native beer) goes completely nicely with nyama choma or fried fish. You may also take pleasure in sizzling drinks like chai (Kenyan tea) and kahawa (espresso).
Tusker (for round $4) is accessible in nearly any bar and restaurant within the nation. When you’re in Mombasa, go to Maasai Seaside Bar and Restaurant. It overlooks the magnificent Mombasa Seaside and serves scrumptious roasted meat and numerous drinks.
Downtown is my favourite place to hang around in Nanyuki, whereas K1 Klub Home is without doubt one of the greatest nightlife spots in Nairobi.
Probably the greatest locations for espresso and tea in Kenya is Java Home. I frequent the Kimathi Road department for a full breakfast, which incorporates Kenyan chai, omelets, and bread.
Maasai Seaside Bar and Restaurant
Tackle: Mount Kenya Street, Mombasa
Telephone: +254 717 310902
Working Hours: 6:00 am-2:00 am (Mon-Solar)
Common Value of the dish: $4 (for native beers)
Web site: N/A
Bonus (Different Should-Strive Dishes in Kenya)
Under are different dishes in Kenya that it’s best to attempt.
Ingoho: A stewed hen frequent among the many Luhya group of Kenya. It’s often served with ugali (constituted of millet, cassava, or whole-milled maize flour).
Chapati: This can be a delicate flatbread that’s usually served with different meals like sukuma wiki, beef stew, and matoke.
Chips Mwitu: Translating to “wild French fries”, chips mwitu is one other well-known and must-try road meals in Kenya. It’s merely fried potato chips bought by the roadside. Comparable meals embody viazi karai (potato wedges – boiled after which deep-fried) and bhajias (potato fritters).
Smokie Pasua: That is often a smoked sausage. Identical to mayai pasua (boiled eggs), smokie pasua is a road meals that goes completely nicely with kachumbari.
Mahindi Choma: Often known as makai, mahindi choma (grilled maize) is certainly one of my favourite road meals in Kenya. It has a crunchy texture and a candy style (bitter should you spice it with lemon or chili).
Meals Excursions in Kenya
With quite a few eating places in Kenya to select from, it takes plenty of work to know the place to eat native meals. Nevertheless, by becoming a member of a guided tour, your native host will take you to well-known locations in addition to some considerably secret spots the place you may eat and drink like a neighborhood.
Take a look at the next meals excursions in Kenya for an genuine native culinary expertise.
Nairobi Metropolis Meals Tour
When you’re able to style the most effective meals in Kenya, be part of this thrilling tour. Your native information will take you to the most effective spots to take pleasure in conventional dishes alongside different Kenyans.
You’ll get to pattern well-known Kenyan delicacies, together with ugali, chapati, mukimo, nyama choma, kachumbari, fish, indigenous greens, and Swahili dishes.
The Carnivore Eating Expertise
To style various kinds of nyama choma, be part of this native eating expertise. It takes you to Carnivore Restaurant – one of the crucial well-known locations for roasted meat.
The eating expertise features a mouth-watering starter (soup), a tasty dessert, and an all-you-can-eat meat choice. After dinner, you’ll wash down the nyama choma with espresso or a chilly Tusker beer.
Mombasa Road Meals Expertise
The Kenyan Swahili delicacies is a lovely mixture of components from completely different communities that dwell alongside the Indian Ocean shoreline. It combines native, European, Arabic, and Indian influences to provide among the most scrumptious dishes within the nation.
When visiting Mombasa, ensure you be part of this road meals tour to pattern completely different native delicacies. These embody hen biryani (my favourite), pilau (spiced rice), wali wa nazi (coconut rice), and mabuyu (baobab seeds coated with sugar and coloured flavors).
Make Kenyan Cuisines With a Native
Probably the greatest methods to understand the native meals scene is by studying how one can put together and cook dinner conventional meals. On this tour, you’ll go to a neighborhood farmers’ market to purchase components after which learn to cook dinner them with a neighborhood information.
The journey to and from the market consists of using in a matatu (a neighborhood minibus), the place you may work together with native Kenyans alongside the journey.
Study Every little thing About Espresso and Tea
Kenya will not be solely well-known for its dishes but in addition for its nice tea and occasional. Be a part of this tour to study the whole lot about espresso (from farm to cup).
When you’re extra curious about tea, this expertise is ideal for you. It features a scrumptious native meal constituted of contemporary farm produce.
Kenyan Meals: FAQs
Under are some solutions to generally requested questions on meals in Kenya.
Ugali is the staple meals of Kenya.
Nyama choma is essentially the most well-known dish in Kenya. The roasted meat is often served with ugali, sukuma wiki, and kachumbari.
The most typical meals in Kenya are nyama choma, ugali, fish, kachumbari (salad), matoke, mukimo, and mutura.
There are many conventional meals in Kenya, together with ingoho (Luhya group), irio (Kikuyu group), and matoke (Kisii group).
Among the greatest locations to eat in Kenya are The Carnivore for nyama choma, Okay’Osewe Ranalo Meals for beef stew, and Jahazi Espresso Home for reasonably priced Swahili dishes.
The standard supper time in Kenya is between 8 pm and 10 pm.
Lunch in Kenya is often from 12 pm to 2 pm, based mostly on work schedules and the day of the week. Lunch hours throughout weekends and holidays are usually versatile.
A typical breakfast in Kenya consists of chai (tea) and bread. It’s additionally frequent to have espresso, candy potatoes, and arrowroots. In massive eating places, it may possibly encompass omelets, bacon, contemporary juice, fruit servings, and cornflakes.
In Kenya, breakfast is often served between 6 am and 9 am.
Though tipping will not be obligatory in Kenya, it’s frequent so as to add 10% of the invoice as a tip based mostly on the standard of meals and the service.
To Summarize
Massive restaurant chains, native eateries, and road distributors depend on countryside farms for contemporary produce, greens, and components. In addition they supply the most effective fish, meat, and hen as a way to put together scrumptious dishes.
So, if you go to this lovely and hospitable nation, don’t confine your self solely to nationwide parks, seashores, and mountains. Head over to a restaurant and indulge your digestive juices with Kenyan delicacies.
Moreover the favored meals like ugali, nyama choma, and kachumbari, ensure you additionally attempt road meals like mutura and smokie pasua. I’m certain you’ll go away the nation with a lovely meals expertise and lots of joyful reminiscences.
☞ SEE ALSO: 15 Greatest Eating places in Nairobi, Kenya
