When we talk about coffee houses the immediate place any modern Nairobian would think about is either Java or Cafe Deli, right? If not, you must have found your way to CJ’s and/or Charley’s.
Truth be told these are not places to have your quiet reflective time, the excitement I these places is quite disturbing. All is not lost though, there are coffee houses that you can even make your library, places like;
1.Connect Coffee Roasters
Located at The Riverfront, off Offside Drive, in Chiromo, Connect Coffee Roasters is definitely worth the visit.
The first thing that you’ll notice when you walk in is the incredible setup, the lighting and the extremely spacious layout of the shop, all of which add to the cool and relaxing ambience of the place.
Occasionally, there’ll be some cool soft music playing in the background, also adding to the incredible experience. Their coffee is also quite good and they serve it in their own customized crockery.
The shop is surrounded by glass walls and there are also numerous sockets inside the shop, so you could carry your laptop and get a little bit of work done while inside.
2.Jumuia Coffee House
Located inside the All Saints Cathedral Compound, along Kenyatta Avenue, Nairobi.
The setup is also quite unique, with some table seats with umbrella shades right outside the shop. It also has ample seating space not only on the ground floor but on the top floor as well which has some more seating space outside on the balcony.
Their coffee is also quite good with their prices also being quite affordable. However, the coffee shop is almost always full, especially in the evenings, so you might want to get there a bit earlier to reserve that perfect spot.
3.Pointzero Cafe
PointZero is located right at the entrance of The Nairobi Gallery, just next to Nyayo house.
Its setup is also quite unique, in the sense that, the shop itself is not housed under a building but rather, under a tent-like covering, with seats and tables neatly arranged underneath, with potted plants surrounding the tent-like structure.
Since it is not an actual building, there are not as many sockets within, making it the ideal place to carry and enjoy a book. The staff there are also friendly and their prices quite affordable but the serving portions may be a tad too small for some people’s liking.
4. Pasara Cafe and Bar
Located at Lonrho House, along Kaunda Street, within the city’s CBD, this is definitely another favourite.
Apart from the cool ambience, friendly staff and good coffee, the most striking attribute about Pasara is its vintage vibe. The walls are plastered with vintage posters, mostly of classic films such as Pulp Fiction, Casablanca and famous personalities such as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and James Dean.
There is also a bar inside, and a pretty affordable happy hour menu in case you like your drink a bit stronger.
5.The Mug
Also located along Kaunda Street, inside the Jubilee Exchange Building, the layout of the shop is pretty good, modern design with lampshade lighting hanging from the neatly furnished ceiling tops.
The furniture is also neatly arranged, with ample seating space all across the restaurant. The most attractive feature though is the calmness and the quiet within the restaurant.
You almost forget for a minute that you’re within the ever noisy and busy Nairobi CBD.
The service is generally good as well but the items on the menu are a bit pricey. You may need to part with a few more extra coins to enjoy the serene and cool ambience here than you would need to at other coffee shops.