5 hang out spots to check out in 2016

By Sheila Kimani

Forget the January blues that come after the festivities and look at the brighter side of life. As it stands, Nairobi hangout spots have changed over the past one year with new entrants changing the showbiz and luxury scene with unique concepts. The loud and boisterous club scene is fast being overshadowed as finely dressed young men and women in their 20s and 30s switch to 5 star chill spots DusitD2 and Kempinsky.

Here is a list of places you should check out in 2016 and be sure to let us know what you think.

DusitD2

DusitD2 is the latest hotel brand in Nairobi. The boutique hotel with its striking red pool makes for an excellent evening of cocktails – which is slowly becoming a thing – in the Nairobi nightlife.

The spot has fast become a favorite for celebrities, entrepreneurs and personalities like the stylish Diana Opoti, fashion designer Silvia Njoki, Model Vera Sidika and student leaders like Babu Owino who occasionally treats his executive comrades to the finer things in life here.

The boutique hotel stands out thanks to its careful combination of contemporary design with Asian influence. Its Deverana and Soi restaurant also provides the best of Thai massage and Thai street food with a twist.

Raddison Blu

Raddison Blu is the latest boutique hotel in town. In true Nairobi fashion, the hotel is set to cause excitement as more and more people get to learn about it and show other people ‘they are in the know’ of its existence.

The hotel’s features include poolside dining options, with the outdoor pool overlooking the vibrant Nairobi skyline. 

Mediterraneo Ristorante

Italians and fine dining in the same sentence is all too familiar. Combine the two key words with an exclusive restaurant in the serene Nairobi atmosphere and what you have is a money-making machine.

Mediterraneo’s fame shot up mid last year when the restaurant, with brances in Gigiri, The Junction Mall and Westlands beat out Trattoria, located in the CBD, as the best Italian Restaurant in Nairobi at the 2015 Taste Awards.

The restaurant’s exclusive wine list is also one to die for.

Chowpatty

More and more people are getting concerned about what they consume; dinner date or not. With their all Vegan menu, Chowpaty Restaurants are contributing to the health conscious movement that is slowly spreading across the country.

The outlet also faces stiff competition from leading restaurant brand, Artcaffe, whose vegetarian dishes have made way with some clients.

Urban Eatery

Urban Eatery caused a stir at the end of the year when a social media post with a photo showing their minute salad and countable fries served alongside their fried chicken, caused unease among KOT.

Away from the politics, Urban Eatery consists of four different kitchens (The Daily, Bar Asia, Fireplace and Haandi) a frozen yogurt counter (Yog) and a signature bar (Mercury). Making it an all day place for a foodie.

Honorable Mentions – Kempinsky, Ocean Basket and Trattoria

2015 saw Villa Rosa Kempinsky take the shine in boutique hotels with their exquisite Valentine’s Day package and hosting President Obama and his Kenya extended family later on in the year. It will be awesome to see if it will continue its winning streak this year too.Ocean Basket’s seafood menu is a new foodie trend that will sure turn heads this year while Trattoria’s easy CBD access will definitely continue to attract Italian cuisine lovers.