Best Date Spots for Gen Zs in Nairobi

Nairobi’s dating scene is complicated, to say the least. If you don’t believe me, I’ll let you know that we have an entire song about dating in this city with the Swahili refrain of ‘sote tunashare, ogopa sana’ (translation: ‘we are all sharing; be afraid’).

Thankfully, we have an abundance of date locations to match, hopefully sans said complications. Whether it's your first date or you’re a serial dater, Nairobi accommodates to all entanglements, ‘opaque situationships’, standard relationships, or whatever other format of relationships Nairobi Gen Zs come up with. 

When it comes to asking someone out in Nairobi, a laid-out plan is bound to be appreciated by the person being asked out .

A thought-out invite stating venue and time goes a long way in showing your partner that the date is actually important to you. It’s important to never forget that Nairobi Gen Zs don’t like stress. So if you’re asking your Gen Z bae (or bae-for-the-night) out on a date, remember they said ‘yes’ to the date not to event-planning the date. 

If you leave them mouth-agape asking “where are we going?” you’ve already started to lose them. So I’ve decided to do some of the homework for you by curating a list of some of the best dating spots to take that Nairobi Gen Z bae you’re looking to impress.

Here are some recommendations 🤗

Mama Rocks ($$)

Credit: Mama Rocks

First dates can be awkward, nerve-wracking and honestly unpredictable, especially if a sit-down setting is your first point of contact. A personal fave that’ll help calm your jitters  is Mama Rocks Kilimani, but I’ll go ahead and throw in their Alchemist branch for the same reasons. These locations provide casual settings in terms of the seating, so you don’t have to be directly opposite your date especially if eye contact isn’t your thing. There’s also a mix of privacy while maintaining a social aspect and most importantly, good food! 🤤

Now, if you’re a shy eater, please leave that at home. Mama Rocks has a wide range of burgers, which tend to get messy, if you eat anything like me. Now, pair that burger with one of their cocktails (recommendation: a Long Island for liquid courage) and the discomfort of your first date will disappear amidst good company in a good setting 

Cafe Kaya ($)

Credit: Cafe Kaya

If the pre-date jitters take away your appetite, a happy hour may be the way to go (your wallet will thank you too). Cafe Kaya is quickly becoming a Nairobi favourite and so a reservation is definitely recommended, especially during their Happy Hour between 4 and 7 PM.

If you need a little more convincing here, search ‘cafe kaya cocktails’ on Tiktok and watch Nairobians challenge themselves with their 3-for-1000 cocktails. If you’re 21 or over, Cafe Kaya is definitely a place to check out. While you’re there, you can also enjoy their card games and board games if you’d like some activity to help make the ‘small talk’ part of your date less awkward.

Fifteen Rooftop ($$$$)

Credit: Tripadvisor

Overlooking the Nairobi National Park, Fifteen Rooftop has a golden trinity—views, vibes and a great menu. At sunset, the restaurant illuminates a golden hour glow that stretches over the park, with Ngong Hills peaking out on the horizon- exactly what I imagine when I think of ‘sundowners’.  This place definitely requires some dressing up but it’s so worth it, especially if you’re keen on taking advantage of the aesthetics. You also have the opportunity to make a choice between three seating spaces so you can definitely make this a frequent date spot once the views have you and your bae in a chokehold. 😌

Sky Lounge - Emara at Ole Sereni ($$$)

Credit: Sky Lounge

Similar to Fifteen Rooftop, Emara has a beautiful view of the Nairobi National Park and the Central Business District (CBD), so whether you’re looking to have drinks at sunset or a dinner with a view of the lit up Nairobi skyline, this is the place. They boast a spacious, open roof balcony space which screams ‘luxe’. This will definitely help you score several points if you’re bae is bad and bougie.

Something for the sushi lovers 🍱

Three cheers for all my sushi enthusiasts!

The hunt for good sushi can be a hard one, particularly if you want to avoid the unfortunate mid-date gastric consequences of eating bad seafood. Now imagine if there’s a queue at the toilet. Yikes! I have to admit, I’m split on what to include here - Haru, Inti, Tokyo, Phonecian  and Furusato instantly come to mind. Special mention to Talisman and Zen Garden. 

Sushi lovers galore! I would easily choose one of these restaurants to go to, however my decision would be heavily influenced by the vibe of the date.  Are we dressing up? Is it lunch or dinner? What’s (y)our budget? Does my date enjoy sushi as much as me or do I need to factor in a more diverse menu for them?

INTI-Nikkei ($$$$)

Credit: INTI

Inti-Nikkei has beautiful panoramic views of Nairobi from the heights of the 20th floor of One Africa Place and is a fave for dinner dates. Their lighting at night brings about a sultry and intimate mood that will have you and your date feeding each other sushi across the table, among other things. 

La Salumeria ($$)

Credit: Nairobi Restaurants

While we’re on the topic of sultry and intimate vibes, La Salumeria is a small, traditional Italian restaurant with good wine and an expansive menu. For me, La Salumeria is reminiscent of my trips to Malindi, and stealing away into the small Italian restaurants that pepper the town. Make sure to  stop and buy your date a bouquet of flowers to add to the romance. 

Ankole Grill ($$$)

Credit: Tripadvisor

If you’re looking for an intimate conversation while enveloped in romantic lighting, or you simply want to get closer to your date by a fire, Ankole Grill Kitusuru is a great spot to check out. They boast a large indoor and outdoor seating area that allows for a curation of whatever kind of date you’re looking to have, and it is a visually rich space to take in, with your eyes or with your camera.

This list is far from over, but I can only recommend so many good things here before it starts to come off like a paid ad, which it isn’t. Unless one of these brands want to say hi 😉👋🏽 - But the list must go on! 

As honourable mentions, some of the other really good places in Nairobi worth considering for dates  are: PepperTree, The Wine Shop, Tin Roof Cafe, About Thyme, Chez Sonia, Ankole Grill Kitusuru (perfect if you want to get closer by a fire), Fogo Gaucho (if you’re not afraid to do all-you-can-eat on a date), The Social House, Cultiva Farm, Le Grenier a Pain for pastries, and Noir Gallery. If you’d like to romance to live music, La Tasca, a Spanish wine and tapas bar is the place to be on a Friday night.

Are there any other date spots you think should be on this list?