The best restaurants Stone Town

This is THE new restaurant in Stone Town. Hailing from South Africa, it has taken over the spectacular building on the water in Forodhani Gardens Park, so the view is breathtaking and the tables are numerous, as are the waiters. You'll want to try everything: the poké bowl, the tuna tataki, the grilled meats, the fish and shrimp "popcorns", and above all the sushi, creative and deliciously fresh, thanks to the tempting photo menu. When the plates arrive, they're as sophisticated as the image: everything is a success, right down to the insane cocktails.

An institution in Stone Town. At Lukmaan's, you can eat local, but in a tourist-friendly setting, and at a bargain price. All the dishes presented in a buffet can be ordered at the counter, including the grilled fish and seafood. Real Swahili family cooking, balanced with local spices, like this coconut curry octopus and its green bananas. You have to come back several times to taste these marvels. Also a juice bar with incredible smoothies (avocado-banana, beet-orange-carrot...). Avoid the end of the service when there is not much left.

A charming café-restaurant, with a pleasant, shaded outdoor terrace laid out with palm trees and wooden tables, complete with wifi. The perfect place to watch the passers-by go by with a little black coffee. Good breakfast, but also lunch and dinner. The house serves hearty, delicious dishes at more reasonable prices than the beachfront. On the menu: grilled octopus, avocado smoothie, spice coffee, Swahili specialties... Special mention for the homemade banana-coconut bread in the morning! There's also an inexpensive B&B, just renovated.

Behind the Emerson Spice Hotel lies a ruined building where nature has reclaimed its rights. A lush secret garden with a pretty decor of old advertising posters and tables and chairs in the shade of huge green garlands. A magical place! A sanctuary of calm and freshness. At lunchtime, the menu is simple and affordable; in the evening, the dishes are spectacular and delicious, such as tender goat's cheese in biriani rice, under a crust of bread, or tuna tartare. Fascinating taarab and ngoma concerts on Wednesday and Friday, excellent cocktails.

This beautiful beachfront house has been converted into a trendy bar. As soon as you arrive, cosy white sofas invite you to bask in the sun on the terrace, along with tables for lunch, dinner or sipping a cocktail as the sun sets. Well-chosen DJ background music at weekends and during Sunday brunch. We come here for a glass of South African wine or a good cocktail prepared by real bartenders. The dishes, on the other hand, are a little disappointing in terms of flavors, which you'd expect to be more sophisticated and fresh, especially at this price level.

Excellent restaurant on the roofs of the wonderful Emerson On Hurumzi hotel, overlooking the old town. One comes to sip a cocktail in front of the setting sun, before focusing one's palate on the unique tasting menu (with several options), a mix of Swahili flavours and spices in 3 or 5 gastronomic dishes, with Persian and Omani influences. The menu is created each evening from seafood and is designed by the chefs. The finesse of the preparations and the sophistication of the dishes are incredible and unique to Stone Town. The whole thing is hearty.

Upstairs in a very central house on the beach in old Stone Town, this upscale Indian restaurant is frequented by island regulars, often of Indian origin, and by tourists who want to indulge in a romantic dinner on the high terrace. The interior has been renovated and the cuisine is up-to-date, orchestrated by three different chefs according to their specialities. The dishes are of remarkable finesse and flavour, especially the curries, tandooris and other Indian specialities prepared with the most subtle spices of the island.

A central address offering fresh fruit juices and excellent smoothies, the house specialty. Also on the menu: all kinds of sandwiches, daily specials, salads... all quite good. We particularly liked the spicy avocado chicken burger. Ask to be served with the sauce on the side, as the seafood and fish are drowned in a cocktail sauce... The highlight here is the hyper-central outdoor terrace with wifi. Also ideal for breakfast if you're on a single rental.

Restaurant with rooftop terrace and sea view... Excellent seafood, meat and salad dishes, at low prices for the quality and quantity served. We recommend the grilled octopus marinated in white wine, balsamic vinegar and oregano, a samaki wa nazi, fish of the day in a coconut and tomato sauce with coriander rice or the vanilla chicken... The setting of this beautiful building lends itself to an aperitif, a shisha. On weekends, there is an acoustic concert on the terrace, followed by a DJ set. The atmosphere is festive and eclectic, mixing locals and tourists.

This chic little address is nestled in the courtyard of the new Sharazad Wonders Boutique, a luxury hotel with an equally refined table. A beautifully furnished patio courtyard keeps things fresh for lunch and dinner. A la carte dishes are created with local and seasonal ingredients, all at a low price. A daily menu offers variations according to the chef's mood. A very green menu, light and urban cuisine, a change from Swahili specialties.

The restaurant at the new Neela Boutique Hotel is a culinary discovery of choice. Local ingredients are blended with exotic influences to create al fresco fusion dishes with a vegetal twist. Like the pweza please, octopus with braised chickpeas, white beans, lemon aioli and Chinese cabbage. Also on the menu: gourmet tapas to share and fine salads. Restaurant in the shady courtyard and rooftop lounge bar with city views.

For a change from Zanzibar specialties, this Ethiopian restaurant is a real change of scenery! Exotic decor with waiters dressed in traditional garb, and typical dishes - a little expensive but very hearty. Good original smoothies, and vegetarian dishes served in large traditional trays with Ethiopian injera crepes for finger food. Service a little slow, but take your time, especially on the terrace, where the atmosphere is pleasant in the evening.

This pretty white and blue interior is the perfect place for a gourmet, fruity break. Come and sip excellent fresh fruit juices and vitamin-packed smoothies at low prices: mango, pineapple, passion fruit, banana, lemon, ginger, depending on what's in season. You'll also appreciate the beautiful salads (like the one with chickpeas, mango, avocado and pineapple), sandwiches, burgers and curry chapatis (chicken or vegetarian) with fruit and vegetables, for lunch on the go, on the spot or to take away. Fresh and light.

The Hilton Double Tree hotel has opened a sophisticated, ultra-modern restaurant on the crenellated rooftop terrace of a building slightly set back from the seafront. The service is impeccable and the dishes up to the highest standards, especially the Swahili specialties (the octopus curry was delicious) or the finer gourmet dishes such as the coconut crab soup, or the seafood (lobster, cicada...). Extreme freshness and subtle preparation, basket of artisan breads... You'd expect a savory note (warning: the glass of wine is very expensive).

Located upstairs in a building just off Stone Town's central beach (above the One Ocean Dive Club), Ocean Grill offers great seafood and fresh fish dishes at reasonable prices. The king fish with green bananas and the Swahili dishes are good. The terrace is nice. The service is however very slow (perfect for the contemplative who watch the boats coming and going) and the menu is not always available in full (proof of freshness but disappointing when you want a specific dish).

This is the gourmet restaurant of the prestigious Park Hyatt hotel. While the rooms are reserved for wealthy happy fews , its chic restaurant is a fine address for dining out and watching the dhows in the setting sun. The setting is fantastic, on the terrace facing the sea, with white tablecloths and pretty crockery. The à la carte fusion cuisine is top-notch, with lobster king and deliciously prepared octopus: the dishes are spectacular. The restaurant's interior is equally magnificent.

It's not to be missed: every day is a repeat of the unchanging Forodhani night market. The inhabitants of Stone Town love to gather with their families around the stalls and in the garden to eat a popular dish on the run. There are stalls selling shawarmas (fatty meat), samossas and Swahili dishes, as well as "crêpes" (bricks made by the minute). But we strongly advise against seafood kebabs, as they're guaranteed to give you food poisoning. Follow the locals to find the right stalls.

This little café, which used to exist near the fishing port on the central beach, is now housed in a pretty house on the seafront. Attractive outdoor terrace facing the beach, with concrete mosaic tiling and simple furnishings. On the menu, the same specialties as before at reasonable prices. We like the avocado salad, king prawns served generously, tasty Swahili dishes, kingfish with mango sauce... A great address from breakfast to dinner.

Quality Indian cuisine, but exclusively vegetarian dishes. The quality of the plate is superior to the setting in which you eat. The place is popular with the locals, mainly of Indian origin, and with tourists who have been introduced to this little joint. The specialty of the house: the Gujarati Thali, a set of subtle and spicy dishes served on a tray from the Gujarat region, which was delicious. Excellent homemade yoghurt and exotic fruit lassis. Also takeaway, for those who prefer to eat on the beach.