Arusha is a hotbed of tourist activity – it is a key location for climbing kilimonjara, several national parks like the Serengeti and Manyara, or just a couple of hours drive from the world renowned Ngorongoro Crater. Over the past 10 years the United Nations have been in the city administering the war tribunal so a lot of money has been invested in infrastructure and that has in turn brought in a huge growth to the city – including great places to eat out!! I have listed three of my favourite places below.

The first on my list is an Ethiopian restaurant called Spices and Herbs. It is located near the Impala Hotel not far from the town centre of Arusha. The atmosphere is very laid back – and that really adds to the feeling of a community style meal. The food is a kind of sour bread that you use to scoop up different types of meat in spicey sauces -it is a great evening out!

The second  restaurant that I would occassionally visit would be Stiggys bar and restaurant – located just around the corner from Spices and Herbs, it is own by an Australian ex-pat. They offer a wide variety in their a-la-carte menu including stone oven-baked pizza, steaks and a good selection of beverages. There is a very casual feel to the place – and with a bar area and pool table you can spend many an hour hanging out with friends or enjoying a good evening out with some quality food.

Fast food is not something that you would put together with Arusha – but one restaurant is changing that. MacMoodys offers a much wider range of food than a normal fast food chain – from pizza to chips and burgers to chinese food – there is always something to fill up on.  if you are in the centre of town and need to grab a bite to eat in between bartering for a non-mzungu (white) price, and finding the right dala-dala, Macmoodys could be the stop for you!