7 Best Restaurants in Uganda

A lively choice for Entebbe nights out, and handy for diners en route to the airport for late-night flights, Faze 3 boasts a mind-boggling menu that encompasses a wide range of cuisines: from starters and snacks, light salads, pita pockets, and sandwiches to Continental classics, authentic curries, and meaty feasts served sizzlingly hot on cast-iron skillets. Well-trained staff provide snappy service. Sit on the vast terrace overlooking the lake to enjoy the cool breezes and views. If you're in a large group, it's best to book a table here in advance, especially on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, when live music dials up the party vibe.

A cold beer, crisp pizza, and curling your toes in the sand are a few of life's simple pleasures. Enjoy all three simultaneously at Goretti's Beachside Pizzeria, a popular haunt for tourists and locals alike. Diners sit in plastic chairs at tables placed among swaying palms on the tiny strip of beach. The shoreline location makes up for slow and sometimes unenthusiastic service. Because of the views (and the greater possibility of insects after dusk), lunchtime is the best time to appreciate this simple restaurant shack. Grilled meat or fish is available, but wood-fired pizza is what they do best. Just be sure to allow a couple of hours to gaze out over Lake Victoria while availing yourself of their uncomplicated drinks menu: local beers, soft drinks, the usual spirits, and boxed South African wine by the glass. 

Set on the main road in mature gardens, this clever café concept directly supports mountain gorilla conservation. The extensive international-style menu includes coffee, milkshakes, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and burgers. Ugandan NGO Conservation Through Public Health sells their premium coffee here; it's great a gift, This is the perfect spot for learning about gorillas and conservation.

Kampala's Mediterraneo serves up world-class Italian food to a fashionable crowd. Tiered hardwood decks encircle a leafy courtyard, creating intimate spaces decorated with vintage bric-a-brac. An expert kitchen team turns out exquisitely simple food using fresh local produce and specialist ingredients, flown in where necessary. The Breseola della Valtellina is the genuine article; veal Scallopine is served with real Fontana cheese; and Aragosta all Griglia uses rock lobster from the Kenyan coast. The pasta in their ravioli, agnolotti, or pappardelle dishes is made from scratch; and the wood-fired pizzas taste just like Naples. A Chef's Special menu is switched up regularly, keeping things fresh; and the well-curated wine list includes French, South African, and (of course) Italian labels.

This stylish, modern restaurant in the heart of buzzing Kisementi delivers accomplished fusion cuisine with considerable flair, transforming effortlessly from convivial café by day to happening eatery by night. Customers love the laid-back atmosphere of the Bistro's shaded terrace. Inside, statement decor and white-linen tablecloths create a more formal dining experience. First-class service has long been a hallmark, as has the eclectic menu: crowd-pleasers such as burgers, salads, and grills are presented alongside more exotic noodles, curries, sushi, and tapas. It doesn't stop there: a vegan menu (jackfruit curry, cassava fries); dedicated breakfast menu; gluten-free options; yummy desserts; freshly pressed juices; Arabica coffee and creamy shakes; quaffable wine; and expertly mixed cocktails complete the panoply of choice. Happy Hour (each day has a different theme) runs daily from 3 to 6; a three-piece band entertains diners on Friday night.

You can’t miss Bigodi’s only yellow and brown two-story building, perched overlooking Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. Stop for a coffee or a cold Nile Special beer on the upstairs verandah or for something more substantial, opt for the pepper steak, pumpkin and ginger soup, or Uganda’s famous “rolex” (think breakfast wrap). If you're timing is right, you may get a glimpse of snow on the distant Rwenzori Mountains. If you need a fix of modern life, play a game of pool or tune in to the satellite TV downstairs.

The only restaurant in Kampala with a license to serve game—the meat is sourced legally from registered South African game ranches—the Lawns unashamedly celebrates the wildest cuts of meat, with dishes like ostrich burgers, smoked kudu steak, or whole crocodile tail (preorder 2–3 hours). Manicured gardens and a beautiful wooden deck overlooking the perennially verdant golf course adds to the charm and ambience of this large eatery in central Kampala. More domesticated grilled meats are available for traditionalists; vegans and gluten-free diets also catered to. 

Tapas and classic cocktails are served from 4 pm to 2 am Monday to Saturday. Alfresco lunch and fine dining dinner are served 7 days a week.