Just A Band's Guide to Nairobi

Just A Band Nairobi City Guide. Mbithi and Blinky Bill discuss the best spots in Nairobi, Kenya.

Just A Band's Guide to Nairobi

Photo: BoomBoomChik

Our City Guide series features favorite artists of ours sharing the best spots to hit up in their hometowns. For this latest edition we figured who better to drop knowledge on Nairobi than Kenya's Just A Band— whose future-disco-house noisemaking has been known to tear off many a roof. Below, Mbithi and Blinky Bill, run down the best places to hang out in Nairobi.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Best Record Store:

Mbithi and Bill from Just a Band: We don't know his name but there's a guy in Kenyatta Market who sells records from everywhere — as a bonus, his stall is right next to the Nyama Choma!

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Best Concert Venue:

JAB: Carnivore — One of our oldest concert venues and it's still rock solid.

*Carnivore Gardens' Blankets & Wine monthly series.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Best Night Spot/Club:

JAB: Frankie's, which is in The Greenhouse at Adams Arcade.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Best Restaurant:

JAB:G&R serves up the best stews in Nairobi.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Best Date Spot:

JAB:Uhuru and Central Parks. Pedal boats and fountains yo!

*Catch views of Uhuru Park in the video for Just A Band's "Dunia Ina Mambo."

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Best Drink to have while in town:

JAB: Sierra Blonde. Microbrewery beer that's just the best!

*Photo by Kenya Buzz.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

For more from Just A Band check out their Africa In Your Earbuds mixtape and the Just A Band x Go DreamerPlayer Xchange. Catch up on City Guides from Alec Lomami [Kinshasa], Christian Tiger School [Cape Town], Bombino [U.S. Touring], and Blitz the Ambassador [NYC].

Thandiwe Newton in a grey sleeveless dress, wearing red lipstick and crystal earrings, poses against a pink background
Arts + Culture

What's in A Name: How African Names Get Lost in Translation

From NBA stars to Grammy nominees, prominent Africans have often had their names misspelled or mispronounced. While some have pushed back and reclaimed it, others embrace it.

Person in white shirt arranging hair, standing by shelves of colorful dinnerware.
News

Kiano Moju on ‘Africali’ and Redefining African Cuisine Globally

The chef and food media star shares how her debut cookbook celebrates her Kenyan and Nigerian roots–as well as her California upbringing–through accessible, globally inspired recipes.