Must-see nightlife in East Africa

  • Connect Coffee

    Nairobi

    One of Nairobi's best and coolest cafes, Connect brings coffee sourced directly from farmers in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda to your table, and the barista…

  • Alchemist Bar

    Nairobi

    One of Westlands' best nights out, Alchemist is an all-encompassing take on the Nairobi night, with the city's best DJs, terrific food (including a food…

  • Havana Bar

    Nairobi

    In the heart of the Westlands nightlife district, the small Havana Bar packs them in tightly over two floors and is an enduring Nairobi favourite, drawing…

  • Brew Bistro & Lounge

    Nairobi

    Craft beers have been slow to take off in Nairobi, but Brew is a lesson in how to do things. The rooftop bar is a beacon of the Nairobi night for its…

  • J's Fresh Bar & Kitchen

    Nairobi

    Building on the winning formula of its sister property in Karen, J's takes its DJs seriously enough to give them a permanent booth, and the food is so…

  • Lord Delamere Terrace & Bar

    Nairobi

    Once one of Africa's classic bars, the Lord Delamere Terrace was the starting point of many epic colonial safaris, and the scene of tall tales told by the…

  • Bourbon

    Jinja

    Right on the fast-flowing water, this open-air thatched bar with lounge divans and tables on a floating pontoon boat is the most ambient drinking…

  • Fig & Olive

    Arusha

    On the terrace of the large Cultural Heritage complex on Arusha's western outskirts, Fig & Olive has a Thursday cocktail night, and mellow live jazz and…

  • Jahazi Coffee House

    Mombasa

    With lashings of sexy Mombasa style, this lounge cafe is the perfect spot to chill out in cushion-strewn, arty surrounds. Did we mention that it has great…

  • Bora Bora

    Burundi

    This place, with its whitewashed weatherboards, palm-studded beach, blue-and-white nautical-inspired decor and a huge terrace-fronted villa, is where…

  • Otters Bar

    Kampala

    With the most agreeable garden atmosphere thick with ferns and strewn with lights, this is a fine place to get a pint. There are also cocktails, pizza and…

  • Karel T-Lounge

    Nairobi

    This trendy place, with smooth lounge music, is great for a glass of wine or signature cocktail in the evening. Found within Village Market, it's also an…

  • K1 Klub House

    Nairobi

    At the western end of Westlands, Klub House is a long-time local favourite. The spacious bar has plenty of pool tables and excellent DJs spinning reggae,…

  • Mercury Lounge

    Nairobi

    This sophisticated cocktail bar is smooth as silk, with vaguely retro curves in the decor and a fine list of cocktails to keep the well-to-do crowd happy…

  • Gipsy’s Bar

    Nairobi

    This is one of the more popular bars in Westlands, pulling in a large, mixed crowd of Kenyans, expats and prostitutes, although the buzz has shifted…

  • Simba Saloon

    Nairobi

    Next door to Carnivore on the road to Karen, this large, open-air bar-club pulls in a huge crowd. There are video screens, several bars, a bonfire, and a…

  • Moca Loca

    Southern Rift Valley

    Nakuru loves its coffee and Moca Loca is the new caffeinated kid in town. Located on the 2nd floor of a corner building, it's a stylish spot for people…

  • Choices Pub

    Nairobi

    Kenyans have something of a love affair with sports bars and, if you must, this is one of the better such places in town. There are the usual big screens,…

  • Felix Unique Collections

    Kilifi

    Felix Unique Collection might not be what we would name our juice bar if we had one – especially if we wanted to make it into an acronym – but the blender…

  • Yun Long

    Mwanza

    While a dinner here (mains Tsh15,000 to Tsh20,000) is worth it for the waterside view and the leafy lakeside garden overlooking Bismarck Rock, the best…

  • Mercury’s

    Zanzibar Town

    Named for Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury, this is a scruffy but popular waterside hang-out for daytime drinks, evening drinks or sundowners in-between. If…

  • Livingstone Beach Restaurant

    Zanzibar Town

    This worn but popular place in the old British consulate building has seating inside and outside on a deck under trees directly on the beach. Food is…

  • New Tam-Tam Bikini

    Rwanda

    While we don’t know who came up with the name, we can vouch for the great beachfront location. This beach shack is a very popular spot for a beer and gets…

  • Connect Coffee Gigiri

    Nairobi

    This is the second branch of one of Nairobi's coolest cafes to open, with just a few tables on the pavement outside the Gigiri complex. The cafe brings…

  • Champagne & Fishbowls

    Nairobi

    This slick champagne bar in the Seven Seafood & Grill restaurant has fish tanks in abundance and has been endorsed by none other than Veuve Clicquot…

  • Java House

    Nairobi

    This fantastic coffeehouse is rapidly turning itself into a major brand with cafes all over town, and you may see its logo on T-shirts as far afield as…

  • Flames

    Mwanza

    Part of the New Mwanza Hotel establishment, Flames is a fun spot to dance and enjoy meeting locals, but don't expect to carry on much of a conversation –…

  • Dancing Spoon

    Nairobi

    The Dancing Spoon is a good place to start the night before making for Westlands. With an impressive cellar of international wines and an equally good…

  • Big Mike's

    Kampala

    Whether you're looking for a lively beer garden, a swanky cocktail bar or a pumping club, Big Mike's has it covered – all under one roof. It's popular for…

  • Kahama Sports Bar

    South Coast

    This sleek sports bar, part of the same complex as the Kahama Hotel, has more big screens than you can count, plus disco-ball lighting, burgers and beers…

  • K-Club

    Kigali

    The general consensus is that K-Club is currently the best spot in town for a night out and come the weekends (the only time admission is charged), it's…

  • Black Diamond

    Nairobi

    If you want to explore real Nairobi nightlife, Black Diamond is an obvious place to start. The crowd is as lively as the music, which is mainly Kenyan and…

  • Via Via

    Arusha

    This cafe is a good spot for a drink, and one of the best places to find out about upcoming cultural events, many of which are held here. On Thursday…

  • 1000 Cups Coffee House

    Kampala

    For espresso, aeropress or cold drip, caffeine aficionados will want to head here. There's a good range of single-origin beans from across East Africa –…

  • Roasted Truth

    Nairobi

    This trendy outdoor cafe is set in the scenic garden of Ikigai, a popular co-working office space. Roasted Truth serves specialty coffee and home-made…

  • C&C Café Connexion

    Rwanda

    An industrial space turned coffee shop, this very atmospheric place, which uses only the finest of beans, is dominated by a massive coffee-bean roaster…

  • Peponi’s Bar

    Lamu Island

    Naturally, the bar at a Swiss-owned Kenyan hotel with an Italian name has to resemble an English pub. Pretty much everyone on Shela finds their way to the…

  • Endiro

    Kampala

    Full of diners plugged into their laptops, this smart, earthy cafe has free wi-fi to go with its strong Ugandan coffee, fresh juices and excellent…

  • Njoro Country Club

    Southern Rift Valley

    It's worth stopping by to see who's propping up the bar at this old-fashioned country club. There's an ancient pool table, a piano, television, outdoor…

  • Sierra Premium

    Nairobi

    At Sierra Premium, which claims to be Kenya's first boutique brewery, beer is brewed according to the 1516 German Purity Law, using just hops, malt, yeast…