This post is a feature of all the restaurants in Garden City Food Court and beyond in the mall updated for 2025
Yes, yes, I know—most of you proudly (or reluctantly) claim the title of Thika Road dwellers. Oops, did I say dwellers? I meant peasants—wait, no, that’s not right either. Let’s just go with “residents.”
And while there are a few malls sprinkled along the superhighway, Garden City is the biggest, the nicest, or at the very least, the one with the least sketchy parking lot.
In Nairobi, outside of Sarit, this might just be the second busiest mall—judging purely by the sheer number of people clogging up the walkways every Sunday.
Who decided Sundays are officially mall day? I don’t know, but the masses have spoken, and here we are.
Since so many of you find yourselves here anyway, I figured I’d do you a solid by listing the restaurants at Garden City and sharing my thoughts on the ones I’ve tried. No need to thank me—let’s get into it.
12. Planet Yogurt
Type: Frozen Yogurt Shop
Personal Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
Planet Yogurt might be a full-blown monopoly at this point—seriously, is there even another frozen yogurt shop in this city? Didn’t think so.
Froyo had its 15 minutes of fame in the early 2010s, somewhere between the rise of Tumblr aesthetics.
Back then, it was as trendy as boba and matcha are now. But, like all fleeting obsessions, people came to their senses and ran back to ice cream—because it’s creamier, richer, and doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not.
Personally, I’m not a froyo person. Ice cream is just superior.
The only real reason to pick froyo is if you’re counting calories—because, fun fact, it has up to 25% fewer calories than ice cream.
Back to Planet Yogurt. It’s the standard self-serve setup, with over 20 froyo flavors and an ungodly number of toppings and drizzles to throw on top.
The best part? It’s actually pretty affordable. A tiny tub filled with whatever chaotic monstrosity you dream up won’t set you back more than KSh 350.
That’s practically a bargain compared to good ice cream—assuming, of course, that you actually want froyo in the first place.
Also, if you’ve watched The Good Place on Netflix, you’ll know that frozen yogurt is, in fact, the official dessert of the afterlife.
Because nothing says “mildly disappointing eternity” quite like a dessert that wants to be ice cream but just isn’t.
So maybe Planet Yogurt is onto something. If the afterlife is filled with froyo shops, best to get used to it now.
11. Java House
Type: Café
Personal Rating: ★★★☆☆(3)
Java House. Again? How many times do I have to write about this place? At this point, I might as well rename this blog Java House Fan Club and start charging them for free publicity.
I swear I’ve written about it at least 5-7 times already, and I can recite their menu from the top of my head. But here we are. Again.
Look, if you somehow don’t know Java House, I genuinely don’t know what rock you’ve been living under. It’s only the most Nairobian thing to ever exist—right up there with kugongewa.
Anyway, let me scrape together some fresh thoughts. Java is… fine. Not the best, not the worst. The coffee is decent, the menu is extensive, and the food? Let’s call it respectably average.
Plus, depending on what you order, it can be pretty affordable. There’s always something for everyone, which is probably why it’s still everywhere.
The Garden City branch is mostly outdoors, so if you were planning to get productive with your overheating laptop, or want the privacy of a closed space, maybe reconsider. Artcaffe next door may be better for that
10. Artcaffe
Type: Cafe
Personal Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
Ah yes, that was a perfect segue to Artcaffe. The age-old Artcaffe vs. Java debate lives on, but let’s be real: Java wins on food, Artcaffe dominates in pastries, and coffee? Basically the same, but Java nudges ahead.
At the end of the day, it’s just about personal preference. Full comparison below.
Java House vs Artcaffe: Which Cafe is Better?
9. Boba Cafe
Type: Boba Shop
Ah yes, a boba shop named Boba Cafe—truly a masterclass in creativity.
I joked the other day that if you randomly threw a stone in any mall, chances are it would land on a boba shop. Turns out, that wasn’t a joke. These things are everywhere.
Unlike fast food chains, which are mostly franchises, boba shops seem to operate like independent pop-ups. Don’t quote me on that… but every time I spot one, it’s got a different name.
If you’re thinking of opening a boba shop, well, good luck—because who knows if this bubble (tea) will ever burst?
Anyway, I haven’t been to Boba Cafe yet, but I’ve got my eye on it—along with every other boba spot in the city. Planning to make a post comparing them all.
Anyway you probably ignored the subscribe to blog button up there so dont even bother…i’m mad at you.
8. Cinnamon Cafe
Type: I dont even care
Speaking of me being mad at you, I’m more mad at Cinnamon Cafe. Why are your waitstaff so annoying?
Like genuinely if i’m at a mall I know where I wanna go eat, so persuading me to try your food, while shoving your menus to my face as I walk to another restaurant is not something I appeciate. And I dont think i’m speaking for myself alone.
Like I dont care if you sell krabby patties and kelp-shakes from Spongebob, I just love utilizing my free will. And im enjoying that before I go to prison (for organ harvesting, obviously).
So maybe make better food and people will be lining up at your restaurant for it, marketing will do itself?
7. Chicken Inn, Pizza Inn, Creamy Inn
Type: General Fast Food(s)
Personal Rating: ★★★☆☆(3)
This isn’t exactly news but; anything with an “Inn”; Bakers Inn, Chicken Inn, Pizza Inn…..and Galito’s are usually under the same Umberella, operated by Simbisa Brands.
Chicken Inn is mostly a love hate relationship. I love their chicken but dread their cakey breading; so for that and other reasons i tend to prefer KFC for a fried chicken fix sometimes, (and mostly)
My day one subscribers know i dont like Pizza Inn, and while that is a personal opinion i dont think its an unpopular opinion, a decent portion of people agree that pizza inn isnt that it; my unpopular opinion will be ” I dont like Oreos”
Also Read: Pizza Inn is not that Great, Yes I Said It
And by not liking Pizza Inn, we are not holding them to artisanal pizza standards, no, no ,no just to fast food pizza chain standard….of those I will say Papa John’s is my favorite of them all after trying; Dominos, Pizza Hut, Debonairs, and all major chains
Also Read: Papa John’s Review
You might be like..wait maybe you only tried the classics and not the deluxe from Pizza Inn? Wrong…infact I have always tried deluxes all the time
As for Creamy Inn? Never tried them, I just imagine they have standard ice cream nothing mind blowing, based on their going rates
6. Galito’s
Type: Fast Food (Grilled Chicken)
Personal Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
I have no idea who Galito is or why he decided to slap an ‘s onto his name and start a chicken joint, but I’ve gotta admit—he knows what he’s doing.
Out of all the Simbisa Brands, Galito’s is the only one I somewhat like. Not saying it’s flawless, but it’s definitely the better one.
Recommending Galito’s is easy because, shockingly, I’ve actually had consistently good experiences here. Not once, not twice—multiple times.
Read the full breakdown: Galito’s Grilled Chicken Menu + Review
5. Koreana Chicken
Type: Fast Food (Korean Fried Chicken)
Personal Rating: ★☆☆☆☆(1)
I disliked the food here so much that I wouldn’t even recommend Koreana Chicken to my worst enemy. Truly one of those money-down-the-drain moments at a restaurant.
So if you’ve been curious about this place, consider that curiosity officially ended. Those 4.2 stars on Google? No way. Never rated anywhere 1 star before, till here.
That juicy Korean chicken you’ve been dreaming about? Yeah, it’s not here. Could be everywhere else, but I personally investigated, and I can confirm—it is not here.
The food I got was so bad it felt heartbroken and cheated, so in true fashion, I wrote a mildly angry review about it on the blog.
Read the full rant: Koreana Chicken Garden City Review.
4. KFC
Type: Fast Food( Fried Chicken)
Personal Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
KFC has to be the most popular spot in Garden City—don’t ask for sources, I just pulled that statistic straight out of thin air. It’s either KFC or Pizza Inn, but I’m putting my money on KFC.
And for good reason. KFC is consistent and generally good enough. Plus, it’s relatively affordable, with budget-friendly options like Streetwise 2 (470 bob)—a price point most people are okay with.
Not to mention, KFC’s signature taste is just chef’s kiss.
That said, KFC isn’t perfect. I’ll give Chicken Inn this—its chicken is always juicier. KFC? Can be a bit dry.
But where KFC wins is the breading—thin, crispy, and just right—making Chicken Inn’s cakey coating look like a bad joke.
So, much like the eternal Java vs. Artcaffe debate, the “best fried chicken” option here just depends on what you’re willing to compromise on.
Read Full Article: Chicken Inn vs. KFC—Which is Better?
3. The Graceful Chinese Restaurant
Type: Chinese Takeout
Why do they have an uneccesary long name?Are they making up for something? Food not good enough or what?😂
Despite the big name, this place is small, almost like a stall; you either order and eat at the open food court or you take home
Well and if hollywood has brainwashed us enough, we know Chinese takeout is always bomb, in literally every sitcom ever
I havent tried The Graceful yet, but its on my radar
2. Big Square + Pizza Mojo
Type: General Fast Food
Personal Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
I’ve never quite understood Big Square. It’s like an average sit-down restaurant and a crusty fast food joint at the same time.
They’re mostly known for their ribs (which are overpriced) and their burgers, which are as mid as mid can get.
That said, for Garden City standards, Big Square is actually… okay-ish compared to the other options.
Then there’s Pizza Mojo—their pizza division,it’s the same restaurant, same menu booklet.
The pizza is maybe slightly better than Pizza Inn, but still not what I’d call good fast-food pizza. The dense, chewy crusts? Yeah, those ruin it for me.
Read the full breakdown: Pizza Mojo Menu, Restaurant Review and Locations
1. Mambo Italia
Type: Authentic Italian Restaurant
Personal Rating: ★★★★★(5)
I love Italian food. It’s simple, classy, and honestly so good that it makes me question whether I even deserve it. Am I worthy? Probably not—but I’m still going to eat it. That’s right, this is hands down my favorite cuisine.
But does that mean Mambo Italia is the best Italian restaurant in my book? Nope. That title goes to La Villa in Kitisuru. However, Mambo Italia does make my top five.
La Villa Italian Kitisuru Menu, Pricing & Restaurant Review
Now, if you’re looking for a solid restaurant recommendation at Garden City, I’ll save you the trouble—just go to Mambo Italia. It’s the only place that actually feels like a real restaurant.
The rest? More on the fast-food side. And regardless of labels, Mambo Italia is simply the best spot here.
Not just in Garden City, either. Mambo Italia is so good that its pizzas consistently rank in the top three according to Nairobi’s pizza connoisseurs (not that I’m one, but I trust them).
So, if you’re going, definitely try the pizza—and obviously, your favorite pasta. Oh, and they have really good beer for cheap, plus a happy hour situation you might want to capitalize on.
Read Full Review: Mambo Italia Garden City.
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