Nomad Beach Bar & Restaurant, Diani Beach | Authentic Swahili Cuisine On Kenya’s Best Beach

Diani Beach is one of my favourite places in Kenya – it’s beautiful, borderline tropical, and there’s also some great options for food and drink along the beach’s eleven mile stretch. For why you should visit Diani Beach check out this post, otherwise read on to find out why Nomad Beach Bar & Restaurant should be your first stop for food.

I’ve visited Nomad Beach Bar & Restaurant twice over two separate visits to Kenya, and it’s definitely a restaurant I’ll be going back to (and taking my whole family with me). Situated on the front of the beach, accessible from Diani Beach Road and close to many nearby resorts, Nomad is right at the heart of the experience with loads of other great things going on nearby.

The Vibe

I fell in love with the decor before we’d even been inside the place – gorgeous colourful patterns adorn the outside seating, which are so comfy to sit on that’s easy to lose yourself there for a good few hours. Inside there’s quite a romantic ambience, with wooden furniture and warm lighting. The main building is nice to sit in when it gets dark and it’s got tables well equipped for large group numbers, but I’d always recommend sitting outside at any time so you can take in those wonderful beach views as you watch the watersports fanatics directly in front of you, and the hoards of small red crabs scuttling across the surface of the beach when it gets closer to the evening. There’s also a fun outside area for kids (or adults!) where you can play giant Connect Four and other games.

The Food

The first time I visited was with quite a large group during the evening – we sat outside to watch the sun set and then moved indoors for our main feast. It was my first time visiting Kenya and I really wanted to experience the great range of food the country has to offer so I went for a grilled vegetable platter served with different sauces for the starter, and the much recommended herby red snapper fillet for my main, which was served with fresh vegetables and Hollandaise sauce. I’m not lying when I say it was out of this world – one of the most beautiful fish dishes I’ve eaten and you could tell that it was freshly caught. The vegetables were so full of flavour and it far outdid anything I’d be able to find back in England. I didn’t have room for dessert but of course had a couple of bottles of Tusker, Kenya’s famous lager, and the meal came to around £20 for food which isn’t bad considering the quality. Service was quick even with around twenty of us ordering and the staff were very friendly.

The second time I visited we decided to try out their takeaway pizza options. Nomad offers thirteen different pizza types from small all the way up to a metre in diameter! We went for a large Pizza Nomad, the restaurant’s speciality, between three of us which included mozzarella, tomato sauce, prosciutto, parmesan, and fresh rucola leaves – it was more than enough for a lunch meal. Whilst we were waiting for the pizza we hung around outside so we could watch it being made and cooked at the back, which really didn’t take long at all. Again, it far exceeded many others pizzas I’ve eaten previously, with strong flavours despite its simplicity and perfectly cooked dough.

As well as these options Nomad offers many other dishes such as salads, soups, steak, and curries. Much of the food is based around Swahili cuisine so you’ll see a lot of coconut, fish, and local produce. They even have a Japanese section on their menu which includes sashimi and other delicacies – I didn’t try anything from there but the selection sounds great.

The Extras

Even if you don’t feel hungry Nomad is still a lovely place to visit, offering a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and occasionally hosting wine-tasting events in their wine cellar. There’s often musical entertainment from local bands and they also host private events if you’ve got something to celebrate. Once you’re sufficiently watered you can visit their beachside boutique where you can buy clothes, jewellery, decor, and more, or check out their watersports centre next door.

Final Thoughts

There are lots of options for food and drink when visiting Diani Beach in Kenya but Nomad Beach Bar & Restaurant is by far the most diverse. If you’re looking for an authentic Kenyan food experience that won’t take you off the beach then it’s certainly worth a visit.

What would you order if you visited Nomad Beach Bar & Restaurant? If you enjoyed this review then please don’t forget to like, pin, and leave a comment! You can read my other Kenya-based travel reviews here:

Mount Kenya | Diani Beach

***All photos used from Nomad’s website due to lack of photography on my end – didn’t take a camera with me both times, oops! I tried to choose photos that most replicated my experiences with Nomad.***