Kenyan Cuisine Travel Guide: What and Where to Eat

When some people picture Kenya, they might imagine the vast plains of Serengeti and its pride of lions, or even massive hippos bathing in Lake Naivasha, or even mass migrations of wildebeest, zebra, and antelope. However, wildlife is not the only beauty of Kenya. 

Kenya also has a vibrant culture, which can be represented by its food. This blog will look into some of those notable food dishes and the best locations to eat in Kenya. So, let’s start with the list:

Ugali

Known as the most popular dish in Kenya, it happens to be the Kenyan staple diet. It is made from cornmeal, which, when added to warm water and heated, turns dense. This dish looks like a thick and dense paste of cornmeal. And this dish also has the consistency of a heavy dough. Locals are also known to consume Ugali with cooked vegetables or a saucy stew. And this is something that you need to try out if you ever plan on visiting Kenya. 

This dish will tickle your taste buds with something unique that you may not have tasted before. And for most people, it is considered to be among the best Kenyan cuisines. 

Where to Eat:

You can find this meal at any street-side eateries or at local restaurants. 

Sukuma Wiki

If you are a vegetarian, then this amazing veggie dish might be perfect for you to try out in Kenya. This dish is extremely popular among the Kenyan locals and is often made with a lot of leafy vegetables. Other than that, it also often contains tomatoes and onions. Furthermore, for flavor, they also add a few sprinkles of mchuzi mix, which perfectly blends with all the items in the dish, making it extremely delicious to taste. 

Where to Eat:

You can find the best version of this dish at the “About Thyme Restaurant”, Eldama Ravine Road in Nairobi. 

Nyama Choma

Without the mention of Nyama Choma, the discussion of Kenyan cuisine is incomplete. Nyama Choma is the name given to Kenyan roasted meat. If you love to eat roasted chicken or other meat, this is something you definitely should try out. There are two different types of Nyama Choma that the Kenyans make, one being made with chicken, while the other is made with fish. The dish is usually made with some extra flavoring, and it helps enhance the taste. So, if there’s one Kenyan dish that you absolutely should try, it is this one. 

Where to Eat:

Want to try out the chicken or fish variant of Nyama Choma? The best place to try them out is at Yuls Restaurant in Mombasa. 

Kenyan Pilau

If you are looking for one of the most delicious dishes to try out in Kenya, the Kenyan Pilau is something you cannot miss out on. This is a combination of cooked rice with various spices like cardamom, cloves, cumin, and cinnamon, and is known to be extremely pleasing to your taste buds. 

The rice is usually fragranced and is generally great to eat. It is often consumed with a form of meat stew as well as a few slices of onions and tomatoes. The spices that are used in the rice can give it its unique taste. This is a dish that is important to the Kenyan culture, and it is something that you cannot miss when staying in the country. 

Where to Eat:

Two of the most notable places in Kenya where you can try out this dish are Haandi restaurant in Nairobi, and across different restaurants and street food stalls in Kisumu. 

Kenyan Stew

The famous stew from Kenya is something you cannot miss out on when you visit the country. This is a lovely dish that is made from a few different types of meat. They mainly use goat stew, beef stew, chicken stew, as well as many different meats. Kenyan stew may also contain a few chopped vegetables. These vegetables may include carrots, potatoes, peas, or peppers. It only increases the dish’s taste. The sauce that is used in the stew is made from a light tomato base and is accented with pepper, salt, and onion. 

So, if you are ever in Kenya to try out the country’s recipes, the Kenyan stew is probably the perfect dish that can define your culinary excursion of the country.

Where to Eat:

If you want to try out authentic Kenyan stew, the perfect place for you to try this out would be the Fogo Gaucho Stakehouse in Nairobi. 

Kenyan Bajias

How do you feel about a country’s own rendition of French fries? French fries are usually loved by all. In this dish, the potatoes are sliced like chips and are often seasoned with batter and then deep-fried. It is then served straight out of the frying pan, and with a tomato salsa dip, which is usually worth trying. So, if you are someone who has tried French fries and loved them, this is a variation of that dish that you wouldn’t want to miss out on.  

Where to Eat:

The best place in Kenya that serves the Bajias is Artcaffe in The Hub Shopping Mall in Dagoretti Road, Karen, Nairobi. 

Mandazi

Much like the Bajias, this is another dish that works best as a light snack. It is famous for being a dish that can be smelled from miles away. And this is also a dish that is widely popular among the locals. This dish’s amazing smell is usually quite enticing, enough to want to have it. 

This dish is a popular breakfast item and is also often treated as an evening snack. It is quite filling, and it is also better if you enjoy it with a cup of sweet tea. 

Where to Eat:

It is available at any local food stall all over Kenya. 

Chips Mayai

The Kenyan French fry omelet, also referred to as Chips Mayai, is a dish that is extremely tasty to try. It is made with Kenyan chips that are placed in a frying pan, before they are covered in a batter of beaten egg, which is then cooked thoroughly. Then, once the omelet is ready, it is served with chopped tomatoes. This dish is considered a kind of good, calorie-dense dish that can provide you with enough energy to explore your surroundings. So, you should try this dish in order to look into a unique way of tasting fries. 

Where to Eat:

It is available in the restaurant of Merica Hotel in Nauru. 

Mutura

When you are visiting Kenya for a food-based expedition, this is another great dish that you cannot afford to miss. This is a Kenyan sausage, which can be a protein-rich snack. This is best to have with beer. It is mainly made from goat meat. The smoky taste of this dish can often be hard to resist. This is also one of the most authentic dishes that you can try in the streets of Kenya. 

Where to Eat:

You can find this dish in the Talisman Restaurant, Karen, Nairobi.

Looking Back: What to Eat in Kenya and Where to Eat

To reiterate the list of a culinary tour of Kenya, as in what to eat and where to eat it, let’s look at this chart that breaks down the list in an effective manner:

Table 1: What to Eat in Kenya and Where to Eat

Planning a Culinary Tour of Kenya? Here’s What to Do

A culinary tour of Kenya can include the different foods and some restaurants all over Kenya. For the best choice, your itinerary should cover some of the locations as denoted in the above chart. However, you must apply for a Kenyan visa as soon as possible. How fast you apply for the visa will lead to your journey and experiences being smooth.