Livingstone’s Beach Restaurant

Livingstone's is a bar and restaurant on Shangani beach, on the Stone Town waterfront. Altezza Travel's 2026 guide notes that it occupies a historic building that once served as the British consulate, a reminder of the period when Zanzibar was a British protectorate. Its main draw is simple: tables on the sand and a terrace facing the sunset, with music most nights.

The venue's own website promises live music every day and lists live shows, weekly specials and events, including a salsa night. That makes it a reliable choice when you want music with your evening rather than a quiet dinner, and it is worth checking the events page to plan a night around a particular band or dance night.

Food runs from snacks to full meals, and the restaurant publishes separate food and drinks menus online. Altezza Travel describes gourmet lunch and dinner dishes, light bites and a wine list, served indoors, on the oceanfront terrace and at candlelit tables in the evening. Some reviewers quoted by Altezza Travel consider it a little expensive, so it is better value as a sunset drinks stop or a lively night than as a budget dinner.

Altezza Travel lists opening hours of roughly 08:00 to midnight daily, but check the website's events page for that week's programme before you go. The phone number on the website is +255 673 146 695, and there is also a WhatsApp booking line. Book ahead for groups and for tables on the sand at sunset. Bring insect repellent, as evenings on the beach can attract mosquitoes. Daytime visits are much quieter, and the terrace is a pleasant place for a late breakfast or a cold drink while watching boats come and go along the Shangani shore.

Livingstone's suits groups of friends, couples and anyone wanting music with their sundowner. It is less suited to those looking for a quiet dinner on event nights. It sits close to the Zanzibar Serena Hotel, Tembo House and 6 Degrees South in Shangani, and Forodhani Gardens is a short walk along the waterfront, so it combines easily with dinner at the night market or a cocktail on a nearby rooftop.