Nairobi is Kenya's vibrant capital city and a major hub for East Africa, blending modern skyscrapers with abundant wildlife right at the city's edge. It is the only city in the world with a national park within its boundaries, where lions and giraffes roam against a backdrop of the urban skyline. Known as the 'Green City in the Sun,' Nairobi offers world-class dining, diverse culture, and serves as the gateway to Kenya's legendary safari destinations.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Nairobi through its food.
Nairobi CBD Street Food Walk
A guided walk through Nairobi's CBD stopping at mutura sausage vendors, mandazi stands, samosa stalls and local cafés serving chai. Learn about the food heritage of Kenya's diverse communities.
Includes: Mutura sausage grilling · Mandazi making demo · Kenyan chai tasting · City Market visit
City Market & Local Kitchen Tour
A morning tour of Nairobi's City Market in the CBD, including fresh produce sourcing, a stop at a local butcher, and a home-cooking session producing a traditional Kenyan lunch.
Includes: City Market shopping · Kenyan home cooking · Nyama choma preparation · Ugali and sukuma wiki
Nairobi Neighbourhood Food Trail
A curated tour of Nairobi's culinary neighbourhoods stopping at a Luo fish restaurant, an Indian snack shop in Parklands, a modern Kenyan brunch spot and a specialty coffee roastery.
Includes: Tilapia at Mama Oliech · Indian street snacks in Parklands · Modern Kenyan cuisine · Single-origin coffee tasting
Kenyan Coffee Origin Tour
A specialist coffee tour exploring Nairobi's specialty coffee scene including a visit to a coffee roastery, a cupping session with a professional barista and a café crawl through Westlands' best coffee spots.
Includes: Coffee roastery tour · Professional cupping · Single-origin Kenyan AA tasting · Latte art demonstration
Karen & Surrounds Artisan Food Tour
A leisurely food tour through the Karen neighbourhood visiting an organic farm, an artisan baker, a cheese producer and ending with farm-to-table brunch at Cultiva Farm Kitchen.
Includes: Organic farm tour · Artisan cheese tasting · Fresh bread tasting · Farm-to-table brunch
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Nairobi's food scene.
Street food tours
CBD street food walks through mutura sausage, mandazi, samosa and roasted maize stalls
Market tours
City Market tours combining fresh produce sourcing with cooking demonstrations
Restaurant tours
Multi-stop neighbourhood food trails covering Kenyan, Indian, Ethiopian and modern cuisine
Specialty tours
Coffee origin tours, craft beer tours and single-cuisine deep dives
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Nairobi home with you.
Kenyan Home Cooking Class
Learn to prepare a traditional Kenyan meal including nyama choma marinade, ugali, sukuma wiki and chai with a local Kenyan home cook in a residential kitchen setting.
Swahili Coast Cuisine Class
Master the spiced Swahili coast cooking traditions of Kenya's coastal communities, including biryani, pilau rice, coconut fish curry and mandazi, with a chef from the Kenyan coast.
Modern Kenyan Cuisine Workshop
A contemporary cooking workshop at a Nairobi restaurant kitchen reimagining Kenyan staples with modern techniques. Learn elevated versions of githeri, irio and nyama choma.
DIY self-guided food tour
Create your own Nairobi food tour following this half-day route through the city's best eating neighbourhoods.
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Stop 1 (7:30 AM): Westlands Artisan Market for fresh mandazi, fruit and coffee from a specialty vendor
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Stop 2 (9:00 AM): Java House or Dormans for proper Kenyan AA coffee and breakfast
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Stop 3 (10:30 AM): City Market CBD — browse the fresh produce stalls and observe the vendors
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Stop 4 (12:00 PM): K'Osewe Ranalo Foods for authentic Luo tilapia and ugali
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Stop 5 (2:00 PM): Maasai Market (check day/location) for street snacks and fresh sugarcane juice
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Stop 6 (5:00 PM): Mama Oliech's for the legendary fried tilapia sunset feast
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
The best nyama choma in Nairobi is often found at local nyama choma joints rather than tourist restaurants — ask your hotel for a local recommendation
Kenyan chai is brewed very strong with milk from the start — not like English tea; embrace it
Ugali is eaten with the right hand by tradition; form a small ball, create a dent with your thumb and use it to scoop stew
Friday evenings at Westgate Mall have excellent street food vendors in addition to restaurant options
For the freshest Kenyan coffee, look for bags labelled 'AA', 'AB' or 'PB' (Peaberry) — these are the top grades from the Central Highlands