Restaurant
The Roots Restaurant
Garden restaurant on Kafu Road in Nakasero dedicated to Ugandan cooking, from luwombo and matooke to smoked fish, roast goat and the Acholi dish boo.
Rock Garden Cafe, Speke Hotel
Open-air restaurant at the 1920s Speke Hotel on Nile Avenue, shaded by century-old trees and known for whole tilapia, Nile perch and grilled pork chops.
At a glance
- Type
- Open-air restaurant, grills and fish
- Area
- City centre, Kampala, Uganda
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- spekehotel.com
Good to know
- Open-air seating
- Wine by the glass
- Vegetarian options
- Historic hotel
Why we recommend it
The Rock Garden Cafe is the open-air restaurant of the Speke Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Uganda, built in the British colonial era of the 1920s on Nile Avenue in the city centre and named after John Hanning Speke, the first European to see Lake Victoria, in 1858. It is less a cafe than a relaxed garden restaurant: tables are set among plants and vines under trees that the hotel says are around 100 years old, and the atmosphere is calm and unhurried, a contrast with the traffic on the surrounding streets.
The kitchen leans on fish from Uganda's lakes and on grills. The signature dishes are whole tilapia, Nile perch and grilled pork chops, and the hotel says these are the plates its regulars come back for. Vegetarian dishes are available, the menu changes regularly, and the desserts are rich. Nile perch, a large freshwater fish introduced into Lake Victoria in the 1950s, has firm white flesh that suits the grill, while tilapia is usually served whole. There is a long wine list of local and international bottles, sold by the glass or the bottle. The hotel publishes its menu as a download on its website, so you can check what is on before you go.
Because the Speke Hotel sits right in the centre, the Rock Garden Cafe works well as a lunch stop during a day of sightseeing, or for an early dinner before an evening at the National Theatre a short walk away. The hotel has other options too, including the Khyber Pass restaurant and a pizzeria, if you want something different.
The garden setting suits couples and small groups, and the whole tilapia is a good choice to share. Staff are smartly dressed and the service has an old-hotel formality. As the restaurant is outdoors, it is at its best in dry weather; in the rains, ask whether covered tables are available.
Nile Avenue is in the heart of Kampala, close to the Independence Monument and the business district, so the restaurant is easy to reach on foot from central hotels or by a short taxi ride. For bookings or larger tables, call the hotel reception.
Rock Garden Cafe, Speke Hotel FAQs
Where is the Rock Garden Cafe?
In the Speke Hotel at Plot 7-9 Nile Avenue, central Kampala.
What should I order?
The signature dishes are whole tilapia, Nile perch and grilled pork chops.
Is it indoors or outdoors?
It is an open-air restaurant set among plants and old trees.
Are there vegetarian options?
Yes. Vegetarian dishes are on the menu.
Can I order wine by the glass?
Yes. Local and international wines are sold by the glass or the bottle.
How old is the Speke Hotel?
It dates from the 1920s and is one of Uganda's oldest hotels.
How do I book?
Call the Speke Hotel on +256 752 711710 or email [email protected].