Heaven Restaurant

Heaven Restaurant opened in 2008 as Kigali's first hospitality training restaurant, and that mission is still central to how it describes itself: more than 3,000 Rwandans have trained here in hospitality, service and cooking. It sits on an open-air terrace in Kiyovu with wide views over the city, alongside Heaven Boutique Hotel, and is now managed by Hemingways Hospitality.

The menu is modern African cooking built around Rwandan ingredients. The restaurant works with local farmers and keeps its own organic gardens, and the dishes change with what is available. Guests regularly mention the eggplant stack and the grilled avocado salad, and the bar is known for its cocktails and coffee, so it works as well for a drink at sunset as for a full dinner.

Beyond the meal there is a lot to do. Heaven runs cocktail-making classes, cooking classes using produce from its garden, and a workshop on making urwagwa, the traditional banana drink. There is a small art gallery, a Made in Rwanda boutique selling work by local designers and artisans, and a children's playground, which makes it an easy choice for families.

The restaurant also hosts private events, from intimate dinners to weddings and daytime conferences, so on busy evenings it is worth booking. The phone number and email are published on its website, and hotel guests eat breakfast here. Prices are mid to upper range by local standards. The terrace is open air, so bring a light layer for cooler evenings in the rainy seasons.

Because it was set up to train young Rwandans for careers in hospitality, eating here also supports that programme. Many of the people who learned their trade at Heaven have gone on to work across the city's hotels and restaurants, which helps explain its reputation among residents as well as visitors.

Kiyovu is a quiet residential area a few minutes from the city centre, with tree-lined streets that are pleasant to walk. Heaven's own guided neighbourhood walk passes the Hôtel des Mille Collines on its way into the city's pedestrian zone. Khana Khazana and Baso Pâtissier are within walking distance, and Choose Kigali is also in Kiyovu if you want to compare two very different takes on dining in the city.