Restaurant
Mediterraneo Restaurant
An open-air Mediterranean restaurant by the ocean in Kawe, north of the centre, serving wood-oven pizzas, homemade pasta and seafood, with a lounge bar for sunsets.
Akemi Revolving Restaurant
A revolving restaurant and bar high above Ohio Street in the city centre, known for its views, weekday lunch buffet, Sunday brunch and Friday live music.
At a glance
- Type
- Revolving rooftop restaurant
- Area
- City Centre, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Official site
- akemidining.com
Good to know
- Revolving dining room
- City views
- Bar
- Sunday brunch
- Live music
Why we recommend it
Akemi describes itself as Tanzania's only revolving restaurant, and the rotating dining room high in a tower on Ohio Street is the main reason to come. As the floor turns, the view moves from the city centre and its new high-rises to the harbour and the Indian Ocean, so a single meal gives you a slow panorama of Dar es Salaam that is hard to get anywhere else.
The menu has been described by Fodor's as continental with Indian and Asian influences, with fish platters and beef fillet among the dishes it singles out. The restaurant runs a lunch buffet from 12:00 to 15:00, Monday to Saturday, with soup, salads, mains and desserts, alongside a shorter lunch menu. On Sundays a brunch runs from 12:00 to 16:00, with a large buffet, live music and free-flowing sparkling wine, mimosas and Bloody Marys included in the price, which makes it an obvious choice for a long weekend lunch with friends.
The bar opens daily from 10:00 and is a good alternative if you only want the view. It serves cocktails, a long wine list and bar snacks, with a happy hour from 17:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday, and a live band on Fridays. A sundowner here is one of the easiest ways to watch the sun go down over the city.
Akemi suits couples, business lunches and visitors who want a special-occasion meal in the centre. Book ahead for Sunday brunch and for dinner, and ask for a table at the window edge of the revolving section. If the view is your priority, arrive before sunset and stay for the lights coming on across the harbour. Smart casual dress is the safe choice.
The restaurant is in the city centre, a short taxi or bajaj ride from the main downtown hotels and within reach of the Kivukoni waterfront, the National Museum and the Botanical Gardens. Opening times for dinner are not published on the official site, so call before you go, particularly on public holidays and during Ramadan, when the restaurant has advertised iftar specials. Prices are higher than in local restaurants but in line with the city's hotel dining rooms.
Akemi Revolving Restaurant FAQs
Does the restaurant really revolve?
Yes. Akemi describes itself as Tanzania's only revolving restaurant, with changing views over the city and harbour.
Where is Akemi?
On Ohio Street in the city centre.
When is the lunch buffet?
From 12:00 to 15:00, Monday to Saturday.
Is there a Sunday brunch?
Yes, from 12:00 to 16:00, with a buffet, live music and sparkling wine and cocktails included.
When is happy hour?
From 17:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday.
Is there live music?
Yes. A live band plays on Fridays, and brunch on Sundays has live music.
Do I need to book?
Booking is advisable for Sunday brunch, dinner and sunset tables.
What is the best time to go?
Just before sunset, to see the city in daylight and after dark.