Zanzibar Coffee House

The mango lassi was fresh, delicious, had no added sugar, and felt healthy. We also tried the lime and coconut lassi, which was tasty if you like sweet drinks, but it was sugary and more like a milkshake. The fresh passion fruit juice was excellent and refreshing. They take cards and USD. We mainly came for the rooftop at Zanzibar Coffee House, and the view over Stone Town’s rooftops was lovely. You pass the café on the way in, then keep climbing the stairs to get the 360° view from the heart of the city. The whole place has an authentic local design and a pleasant, chilled-out feel. Service is very pole pole, slow in a good way. It’s a nice spot for a couple of drinks or a relaxed meal with a view.

There’s a $2 admission fee, which is deducted from your rooftop bar tab. The view across Stone Town is really nice, and it’s often not crowded. We had good food and drinks, though they were a bit expensive. Worth a visit for dinner or a cooling drink.

The building has loads of character, and the vibe is amazing. The staff were kind, lovely, and genuinely fun, which made the visit better. The food was average and didn’t have much flavour, and I’d hoped the tea would be bolder. Worth going for the atmosphere, even though the food didn’t really impress me.

The only real hassle was that you can’t park right outside Coffee House, since it’s in the middle of the center, so you’ll have to carry your luggage a bit. But the rooms are clean and have airco, and they also offer laundry service. I’d fully recommend staying here. The staff are so helpful, patient, and friendly. They even offered to carry my luggage upstairs, and they can arrange great guides to take you into Stonetown. The Mocrochino coffee is also worth trying. We booked by phone when there was no internet, and the booking didn’t come through properly. Richard was very helpful, confirmed our room was available, and patiently helped with our questions. Since they knew we were going to the airport the next morning, they packed us breakfast to-go. The rest of the staff were super friendly and strong too. It’s a truly beautiful, authentic place, with a classic interior and a cosy rooftop lounge with a great view of the city.