It being Njaanuary (Njaa=Hunger + January), the cliché spend all money in December and wonder how January is such a long month continue over and over again. Well I will share some of the placed you can get affordable lunch in Nairobi that I patronize and you get to have a decent lunch on a budget. I know these places because I once tried fasting and nearly fainted by the end of the day, never tried that again. So here we go, before that, this list is biased to the places I have visited, please feel free to add your ka joint, so here we go:
Located in the Nairobi CBD with a branch in Koinange street opposite Teleposta towers and another one on the junction of Haile Selassie Avenue and Parliament lane. I found this one five years ago and you can read more about it here.
- City Market
If you like Nyama choma Fridays, like I do, then City Market is worth a try. It is located in the middle of the CBD along Koinange street. It is very Smoky and if your appetite is affected by such, you might want to give it a pass. If you order your nyama insist to wait for it to be cut and go with it inside, you will get a bigger share this way haha. Or like they say, hawatanyonga nyama…
- KK Restaurant
This one is located on Bruce house in the CBD. It has the same setting as Citi Gava, it is a place you come eat and leave, because during lunch hour there will be dozens of people looking for sitting space.
- Tamu Tamu
Located on 1st floor Bandari Plaza in Westlands, is Tamu Tamu, these ones I discovered through my friend Chiry. They have buffet lunch for only 350 bob. So if you have someone you want to buy a decent affordable lunch, why not try Tamu Tamu when you are in Westlands…
- Kwa Mama
Well this one is a Kibanda along Tausi Road. The reason I love this one is because of the chapatis, they serve their chapatis straight from the pan when they are crispy hot. The first days I would struggle with the hot Chapatis as my friend and lunch buddy Tony laughed at me, but with time I learned to take a bite into that crispy hot chapati and escort it quickly with matumbo stew… Here the prices average at 100 shillings and hardly go beyond 200. Make sure you go early as the guys who work around usually flock and fill the place by 1.15 pm.
- Café Naivas
This one is right at the Westlands bus stop opposite Delta Towers. You can get to choose a variety of dishes from their deli and pay according to how much your appetite demands…
- Njeri’s
This is another kibanda, located right next to KFC Westlands. You can’t miss it because of the smoke, we loved it because of the nyama choma. As we waited for the meat to be cut, Njeri’s meat guy, Gitau would keep giving us pieces and also passers-by. I think they give away a kilo of meat marketing every day. Then Njeri also has a tremendous derriere, on a low unmotivated day, stealing glances would brighten up afternoons hahaha. You will find 90% of the patrons at Njeri’s are male!
- The Navigators
This one is hidden next to Top Plaza in Kilimani. They only serve lunch between 12.30pm and 2.00pm. They have predesigned meal plan for each day so you won’t get too much variety. The thing I love about navigators is the canopies, every time I go there I remember home and my grandfather and this calmness engulfs me. I always leave it happy. The average spend at Navigators is 150 shillings.
The view at navigators eating terrace
PS:
I have not mentioned Uchumi and Java despite their sandwiches priced below 200 shillings because, I still do not consider bread as food, but rather a snack haha. Okay I’m done.
Where do you get your affordable lunch in Nairobi? Please do share 🙂
Mackel9's Blog 