Best Restaurants in Arusha: 8 Places to Eat Before and After Safari

Most safari travellers see Arusha for a night, maybe two: a late arrival, a briefing, an early start towards Tarangire or the Serengeti. That is a shame, because the town at the foot of Mount Meru has a relaxed, green food scene that rewards a little time. Garden cafés under jacaranda trees, coffee grown a few kilometres away, smoky barbecue and big plates of nyama choma on a Sunday afternoon.

The best restaurants in Arusha include The Blue Heron for a garden lunch, Fifi's for coffee and breakfast, Khan's BBQ for a famous evening barbecue, Kitamu Coffee for local coffee, Mehboob's for Indian-style grills, Chinese Whispers for Chinese food, and local nyama choma spots for the classic Tanzanian weekend meal. Here are eight places, with what to order and how to fit them around a safari.

Opening hours can change, so check before you go.

1. The Blue Heron: best for a garden lunch

The Blue Heron is a favourite with visitors and residents for lunch in a leafy garden. The menu mixes sandwiches, salads, pizzas, smoothies and cakes, and the relaxed setting is perfect for the day before or after a safari. It is one of the most reviewed restaurants in Arusha, which tells you how many people return.

2. Fifi's: best for breakfast and coffee

Fifi's is a popular café in the centre of town, known for strong coffee, breakfasts and a varied menu that mixes African and international dishes. It is a good place for a slow morning or to work for a few hours with a laptop.

3. Khan's BBQ: best for a famous barbecue night

Khan's BBQ is one of Arusha's quirkiest food stops. By day it is a car spares shop; in the evening, tables and grills appear and the family serves barbecued chicken, mishkaki, naan and salads. The same family has run it for decades, according to Wanted in Africa. Come hungry and bring cash.

4. Kitamu Coffee: best for local coffee

Arusha sits in one of Tanzania's coffee regions, and Kitamu Coffee is a well-known stop for a cup made from local beans. It is a good place to try Tanzanian coffee before you buy beans to take home.

5. Mehboob's Barbeque: best for Indian-style grills

Arusha has a long-established Indian community, and Mehboob's is known for grills, kebabs and chapati with spicy sauces. It is casual and popular for dinner, especially with groups.

6. Chinese Whispers: best for Chinese food

Chinese food is popular in Arusha, and Chinese Whispers is often recommended for it. Good for a change after days of lodge buffets, and for groups who want to share many dishes.

7. Local nyama choma spots: best for a Sunday afternoon

To eat like an Arusha local, find a nyama choma bar on a weekend afternoon. You choose your goat or beef by weight, it is grilled slowly over charcoal and served on a wooden board with salt, pilipili, kachumbari and ugali or chips. Ask your driver or guide for their favourite; every neighbourhood has one.

8. Lodge and hotel restaurants: best for a quiet evening

Many lodges and hotels around Arusha, especially on the coffee estates on the edge of town, have restaurants open to non-guests. They are calm, green and good for a final dinner before your flight. Book ahead and check whether they take outside guests.

Which Arusha restaurant suits your plans?

What should you eat in Arusha?

• Nyama choma, grilled goat or beef, with kachumbari.
• Mtori, a smooth banana and meat soup from the Kilimanjaro region.
• Ndizi, cooking bananas stewed with meat or beans.
• Chipsi mayai, the chips omelette eaten all over Tanzania. Try our recipe.
• Local coffee from the slopes of Meru and Kilimanjaro.

What tips help when eating out in Arusha?

• Evenings get cool. Bring a jacket for garden restaurants after dark.
• Plan for early starts. Safaris often leave at dawn, so have dinner early the night before.
• Carry some cash. Smaller places may not take cards; mobile money is common.
• Ask your guide. Safari guides know the best local places and often eat there themselves.

Why are chips so popular in Arusha too?

From nyama choma bars to safari lodge lunches, chips are everywhere in northern Tanzania. They travel well in packed lunches and pair with almost any grilled meat. Many lodges and restaurants buy frozen fries so every portion is the same, even far from the city. The potatoes themselves often come from Tanzania's highlands; read why highland potatoes make great fries.

For lodges and restaurants Supa Fries Premium Frozen Fries, bulk supply

Supa Fries supply hotels, lodges and restaurants with consistent, crisp chips. Ask about bulk orders and delivery outside Dar es Salaam.

Ask for wholesale prices

For more of the country, see our best restaurants in Tanzania and best restaurants in Zanzibar.

What about restaurants in Moshi?

Many Kilimanjaro climbers stay in Moshi, about 80 km east of Arusha. The town has a relaxed café scene, with coffee from the slopes of the mountain, Indian restaurants and simple local spots serving ndizi, mtori and grilled meat. After a climb, a big plate of chips and grilled chicken is a popular reward. Ask your trekking company for their favourite places; they usually know where the good food is.

What do you eat on safari?

On game drives, most safari companies pack a lunch box: sandwiches, fried chicken, boiled eggs, fruit, juice and often a portion of chips or samosas. Lodges in the parks serve buffets or set menus with a mix of international and Tanzanian dishes. If you have dietary needs, tell your safari company before you leave Arusha, because remote lodges plan their food days in advance.

Where can you see local food in Arusha?

The central market in Arusha is busy and colourful, with stalls of fruit, vegetables, spices, dried fish and beans. It is a great place to see what Tanzanian families cook every day. Go in the morning, keep your bag close and ask before taking photos of people. Many guides and cooking tours include a market visit followed by a lesson in making dishes like pilau, chapati and kachumbari.

Arusha rewards a slower pace. If your safari schedule allows, add one free afternoon in town. A garden lunch, a cup of local coffee and a walk through the market will show you a side of northern Tanzania that most visitors drive straight past.

One last tip: many Arusha restaurants close earlier than those in Dar es Salaam, especially on weekdays. If you arrive late from the airport, call ahead or plan to eat at your hotel.

In short

The best restaurants in Arusha include The Blue Heron for garden lunches, Fifi's for breakfast and coffee, Khan's BBQ for a famous barbecue evening, Kitamu Coffee for local coffee, Mehboob's for Indian-style grills, Chinese Whispers for Chinese food, local nyama choma bars for a weekend afternoon, and lodge restaurants for a quiet last night. Bring a jacket for cool evenings, carry some cash and ask your safari guide for local favourites.

Frequently asked questions