Best Cafés in Zanzibar City (2026)

Coffee in Stone Town comes in two very different styles. The traditional version is served at Jaws Corner, a small square where locals sit on stone benches over tiny cups of strong black coffee, often flavoured with ginger, with sweets such as kashata or mandazi. It costs very little and is at its liveliest in the morning and late afternoon.

For a modern café, the Zanzibar Coffee House roasts Tanzanian beans on site and serves cakes, smoothies and espresso drinks in a historic merchant's house, with guest rooms upstairs. Puzzle Coffee Shop in Shangani is run by a Brazilian couple and is known for specialty coffee and Brazilian cheese bread, while Stone Town Café on Kenyatta Road is an all-day option for breakfasts, local dishes and desserts. Most cafés open during the day only, and some close on Sundays or in the rainy season, so check hours locally. Carry small notes for street coffee, and pair a coffee stop with a walk through the lanes of Shangani and Baghani to see the carved doors.

4 places · Updated November 12, 2026

Café

1. Zanzibar Coffee House

Coffee house and roastery$$Stone Town

Coffee shop in a historic merchant's house, serving Tanzanian coffee roasted on site with cakes and smoothies, with a small guesthouse on the floors above.

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Café

2. Puzzle Coffee Shop

Brazilian-run speciality coffee shop$$Shangani, Stone Town

Shangani coffee shop run by a Brazilian couple, serving specialty coffee, homemade pastries and Brazilian cheese bread, with occasional coffee workshops.

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Café

3. Stone Town Café

All-day café and guesthouse$$Shangani, Stone Town

All-day café on Kenyatta Road serving breakfasts, local dishes and desserts, in a family-owned merchant's house with guest rooms upstairs.

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Café

4. Jaws Corner

Traditional street coffee spot$Baghani, Stone Town

Open-air coffee spot at a Stone Town crossroads where locals sit on stone benches over tiny cups of spiced black coffee, board games and conversation.

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