The Kibanda eatery by the Malindi beach
What you need to know:
Summary:
- Maasai Beach Restaurant sits right on the beach. It's a simple structure whose walls are made of handwoven palm fronds
- They have a seafood platter for about Sh3,000, and I've heard great things about it
Maasai Beach Restaurant, Off Casuarina Rd, Malindi
When our Airbnb said it was only five minutes away from the beach on the listing, I was surprised that this estimation was correct. We decided to walk there in the early evening when the heat had subsided. The beach here is public and not crowded. There were a couple of shops selling African crafts and clothing, and I got a key holder as a souvenir.
Maasai Beach Restaurant sits right on the beach. It's a simple structure whose walls are made of handwoven palm fronds...think of it like a kibanda by the beach, prices notwithstanding. They had indoor seating, as well as a couple of large chairs facing the sea; we of course sat outside. The average cost of a meal on the menu was Sh1,000, and since there were four of us and I would be taking care of the bill, I requested that everyone get something under Sh1,000.
One person got chicken and chips...they swore that seafood would never come anywhere close to their mouth. The other got octopus in coconut curry accompanied by rice and seemed content with their meal. The third was grilled octopus with chips and kachumbari, and mine was chips and grilled tuna. They are very generous with their chips portions. The food was served piping hot, but because it had gotten really windy, it cooled down in about five minutes because we didn't want to sit inside.
A few beach hawkers came by afterward when we had ordered drinks - one was selling madafu, which one of us jumped at the chance to buy, and the other was selling a boat cruise for the next day. We strolled along the length of the beach as far as we could go...big hotels like Diamonds Dream of Africa are only a few minutes away from this spot.
Our final bill was around Sh3,800 for the four of us, which I thought was decent. The service is fast and the waitress was friendly. They have a seafood platter for about Sh3,000, and I've heard great things about it. Next time you're in Malindi, consider swinging by Maasai Beach Restaurant.
