Dari Restaurant & Coffee Garden Review

There’s no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this~Anonymous.

 

Hello my friends! 😀 I have to admit, the more we explore the ‘Best of Nairobi’,  the more I fall in love with our city…

Each time I think-“we have arrived!”, we discover a new place like Dari that literally sweeps us off our feet. Such experiences keep us humble, and full of a beautiful hope. 🙂

Dari Restaurant and Coffee Garden is a pure haven that is well situated in Karen, off Ngong Road… Imagine a place where you can experience the rich tranquility of nature and its escape, plus good food, without ever having to leave Nairobi… Sounds nearly surreal right?

I read about Dari in what I now call my ‘travel companion’, DisCoucher, the Big Book of Discounts! I was intrigued by their description of Dari; the claim that impalas roam around their restaurant was a must-see! That, plus the idea of a free dessert and soft drinks was too good to pass up! 😀  Who doesn’t love Freebies?!  😀

 

Tip>>: Read More about DisCoucher Here.

 

A Love At First Sight Affair….

As we made our way in, through the well-forested path, a love affair with Dari had already started brewing in my heart… Here is the thing with travel- first impressions matter, and in this case the feeling developed to a ‘happy-kind-of-love-at-first-sight’. 😀

I liked the cool, serene atmosphere that the surrounding forest brings to the place.

 

 

A Kenyan, Hospitable Dari Reception

Enjoy being bold, and if that is scary at first, marvel at your ability to walk through fear ~Rivka Solomon.

 

On this visit, we decided to try something different, as we hadn’t called in advance for a reservation. (The true test of hospitality.)

Our plan was simple- we would walk in with our DisCoucher, and take it from there… After all, the worst they could do was to say no, right? 😀

The kind lady at the reception called the Manager who then went to consult with the higher-ups. Understandably-so,  after all this is Kenya today, where con-artists come in all shapes and forms… So we took no offense, and settled ourselves comfortably at the cozy reception area. 😀

A short while later, we were given the gate-pass to shoot. Success!! 😀

 

The Enchanted Dari Gardens

The garden is simply too breathtaking to ignore.  It is immaculately manicured, and provides an excellent escape.

 

I was thoroughly impressed and surprised by the vastness of the place. I felt a little like an explorer, wanting to experience everything all at once.

 

And true to their word, they do have Impalas roaming around…though these guys were a little camera-shy. They gave us but a moment’s airtime, and then pranced off into the forest. 🙂

 

Dari neighbors the African Wildlife Foundation Headquarters, and they have adopted these animals as their own.

Then you have the peacock who took his/her time to pose for a picture, before strutting off. Our pleas to reveal its beautiful feathers fell on deaf ears. 😀

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: WANJIKU THUO

 

 

You can also take a nature walk to their small forest, and see the ‘Big Tree’, that is apparently the oldest tree in Nairobi. The tree is said to be about 200 or so, years old.

 

An Airy Dining Experience

I simply loved the different options of places to dine at Dari. On a sunny day, you definitely want to have your meals in the gazebos or garden restaurant. You will enjoy the peaceful whispers of nature and its scenes.

 

On such rainy days as we’ve been having lately, the indoor restaurant, lounge and bar would be perfect.

 

Their signature decor is warm, creating an inviting ambience.

 

Remarkable Culinary Adventure at a Discount!

Our DisCoucher vouchers allowed us to get a free dessert and soft drink or glass of wine, with the purchase of a main meal. We requested to have two desserts and fresh juice instead of wine, to which they obliged. 🙂

I would definitely recommend the Mint and pineapple juice, which is refreshingly good. The lamb chops were succulent and tasty. 😀 I requested an extra serving of the potato wedges, which the chef graciously served up. The second meal of fish was a little less than savory, as it was soupy.

 

At the end of our meal, we were more full than we had anticipated. And it was clear to us, that we had received much more than we had paid for. 🙂

 

Tip>>

• Save up with DisCoucher! To get your own copy of DisCoucher click HERE
• Call in advance to make a reservation
• They do accept MPESA payments
• Look out for More on the ‘Best of Nairobi’ series

 

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Dari is like the gift that keeps on giving… exploring the restaurant and coffee garden was an exciting adventure in itself. Our faces probably formed smile lines from smiling the whole time.

It is a wonderful place to visit with family, friends and kids. They have ample space for a party, or wedding reception.

Dari is the kind of place you want to escape to on a Sunday afternoon, as you set your mind aright for Mondays’ madness. 🙂

Although we are constantly unearthing hidden gems in Nairobi, I will never forget how such places made me feel, like the authentic feeling I felt at Dari.

 

Thanks for reading lovely people! Did you enjoy this post? Don’t keep it to yourself-Caring is Sharing! 😉

I always love hearing back from you, leave a comment/ feedback in the Comments’ Section below.

 

P.s. Stay Inspired Always. 😀

P.S.s. Travel Local>> it really is worth it. 🙂

 

The doors will be opened to those who are bold enough to knock ~ Anonymous

 

 

Dari Restaurant