2 Best Restaurants in Mombasa, Kenya

Tamarind

$$$$ | Nyali Fodor's choice

A signature house cocktail—a dawa made of lime, vodka, honey, and crushed ice—will introduce you to a memorable meal and unforgettable experience at the best restaurant in town. Overlooking a creek flowing into the sea, the restaurant is designed like an old Moorish palace with high arches and tiled floors, and the sunsets from here are breathtaking. If you love seafood, you'll be in heaven; try the oysters and garlic prawns. You can also take a lunch- or dinner-dhow cruise ($75 for a four-course set menu) around Tudor Creek and soak up some sun and sea air by day, or watch the moon rise over the town by night, as a live band makes the food and endless drinks go down even better. The restaurant's Clifftop Terrace is a stylish sushi and cocktail bar, which is fantastic for pre-Tamarind dinner drinks, or a casual evening of sushi, ceviche, and cocktails.

Blue Room

$

Serving the best samosas in Mombasa, this family-owned Indian restaurant has been in business for almost 70 years. It seats 140 people, making it one of the largest restaurants in the city and it's a good stop after a hot walk around the Old Town thanks to the whirring ceiling fans and clean restrooms. The menu features more than 65 items of both Western and Indian origin, and its bright, clean interior with tiled floors and plenty of chairs and tables keeps people coming. The curries and Indian vegetarian dishes are especially good, as are the tasty snacks. Try the pizzas, kebabs, pastries, or even fish-and-chips, and the variety of house-made ice-creams are delicious. They have two other outlets at Likoni Mall and on Nkrumah Avenue.