Not to miss in Nairobi

In-house roastery with Eritrean-style dishes; breakfast is served until noon. Buy a bag of dark or medium roast to take home.

Come for breakfast before noon

Farm-to-cup Kenyan beans ground on site. Try a filter coffee with a croissant, or a blueberry waffle for something sweeter.

Weekday mornings are quieter

Leafy brunch spot known for ricotta griddle cakes and a spiced chicken burger. Fridays stay open late.

Weekend brunch gets busy; arrive early

Garden café with a salad bar and poached eggs on rye. Pair it with browsing the craft shops next door.

Go on a weekday morning

Nairobi's best-known nyama choma experience: meats carved at the table until you lower the flag. Pair with a Dawa cocktail.

Book ahead for weekends

Everyday local favourite for whole Lake Victoria tilapia fried or stewed, served with ugali and kachumbari.

Go for a late lunch

Rooftop-level Japanese-Peruvian cooking. Order the shrimp ramen chupe, then sushi or sashimi, with city views.

Reserve a sunset table

Hotel restaurant with Kenyan twists: duck mutura, plantain prawns and pork belly samosas, plus a red onion martini.

Book dinner a few days ahead

Rooftop view over the CBD towers, Uhuru Park and the Arboretum; the Ngong Hills show on clear days.

Weekdays 5-6pm for golden light

Wildlife such as giraffe and rhino framed against the city skyline, a shot almost nowhere else offers.

Early morning or late afternoon

Colonial farmhouse and manicured gardens from the Out of Africa story, with the Ngong Hills behind for portraits.

Visit in morning light

Large urban forest with tree-lined trails and a café at its edge; good for greenery shots away from traffic.

Weekday mornings are quiet