Kigali Restaurants

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This is the best Ethiopian Restaurant in Kigali. It may actually be the only one, but you do not want to miss this restaurant if you love Ethiopian food. If you have never tried Ethiopian food then you have an amazing opportunity to sample Ethiopian cuisine at its finest. I had a chance to meet some of the staff earlier in the day before I came to eat here. They are a friendly group of folks and I had the pleasure to meet the main cook who produced all the mouth-watering food I enjoyed. I was made to feel very welcome, a cold beer was never far away and the décor has some cool Ethiopian themes.

So why do I say it’s a 10 out of 10 and a good place to try Ethiopian food? Because their Menu item number 10 is a combination of 10 different dishes! And its all tastes absolutely delicious! I ate every bite.

The restaurant is huge and could easily accommodate large groups. If you don’t see the staff, they are nearby, just call out and they are there instantly. The staff are local people who do speak some Amharic (the majority language of Ethiopia). It is owned by an Ethiopian gentleman named Mesfin Asfaw and he moved the restaurant here in 2007. Some guidebooks still have this located at ‘One Love Club’.

Their menu includes coffee (invented in Ethiopia!), Tibs (stir fried meat), Doro Wott (chicken & egg in a spicy but not overly hot red chilli dish), Kitfo (beef either raw or cooked) and goat (legs or ribs). As Ethiopia is famed for its vegetarian dishes, there is a selection for non-meat eaters.

So what’s did I get to eat in my 10 for 10? Please read below.

Favorite Dish:
The number 10 dish is called ‘Siga Beyeantu’ and contains such fantastic dishes as Tibs, Doro Wott, Kitfo, Key Wott, Fir Fir and several vegetable dishes. All this was served with Injera (the flat spongy bread the food is on) and some cold Primus beers.

Amazing.

By far the best restaurant in Kigali is Heaven. It serves creative and well-prepared American and Continental main dishes, and has an amazing dessert menu. There's a full bar and an unusually comprehensive wine list for this part of the world, with prices comparable to those at a Western restaurant of equivalent quality. Omnivores and vegetarians will both be happy here; there's a good selection of dishes for both, and, unlike most Rwandan restaurants, the servers actually listen to requests to remove meat from dishes that usually contain it. Furthermore, the menu states that the Heaven management makes an effort to hire people who've been orphaned by HIV or the genocide, and who are supporting their own families, so eating here supports a social good as well.

Favorite Dish: The vegetarian ratatouille crepe! Amazingly fresh and savory vegetables, which are difficult to come by in Rwanda.

We came down here one evening for a meal, Didnt know about it till our interpreter/ local contact- Charles, sujjested we drove down to the Gorilla's hotel for dinner.
The name was interesting enough and we made our way here.
Nice decor and ambience. Not too crowded, and the food was pretty good too.
Mixed fare on the menu choice. I`d term it `international'. There was a fair choice of good African/ local food as well.