Baharia Restaurant

Serena Hotel, Shangani Rd; 024 2233587.
Not quite as flamboyant as the restaurants at Emerson & Green, but this is a goodquality place nonetheless. The food is a mix of Asian, African and European. Starters like salads or mini kebabs are US$5, while main courses include curries for around US$10, fish in garlic and ginger for US$12.50, chicken in coconut for US$15, and lobster for US$25. In the coffee shop and patisserie, snacks and light meals start from around US$5, and you can have coffee and cakes for US$4.

Fisherman Restaurant

Shangani Rd; 024
2233658/0777 414254.
Opposite the Tembo Hotel, a small old Zanzibari door leads into a dark building with thick white walls and blue tables, decorated in hybrid Zanzibari–Mediterranean style with fishing nets, crab boxes and other aquatic paraphernalia on the walls. Naturally, the menu is dominated by seafood. Starters such as fish kebabs are US$2.50, simple dishes around US$4–6, and larger dishes such as crab masala or grilled lobster around US$12, with specials around US$20, and a 3-course menu du jour (prawns or crab starter, lobster, prawns, crayfish and rice, plus dessert) for US$19. Open 11.00–midnight.

Kidude Restaurant

Emerson & Green Hotel, Hurumzi St; 024 2230171/0777 423266.
Attached to the Emerson & Green Hotel, this place was originally set up as a café, but it is now also a more elaborate, and very impressive, restaurant. The ambience is delightful; the room has massive high ceilings, wall-hangings of rich fabrics, oil paintings, brass urns, antique furniture and ornaments. During the day, you can enjoy great cakes and coffees, order from the à la carte menu (from around US$5) or take lunch (the US$12 fixed menu changes every day). In the evenings there's also a fixed menu (US$25), with a vast and impressive range of dishes similar to those offered in Emerson & Green's Tower Top Restaurant (see below). On Friday evenings, a buffet is served (US$15). Reservations are usually required at busy times.

Livingstone Beach Restaurant

0748 694803.
The newest restaurant in Stone Town (it opened in Aug 2005) consists of a large, uncluttered and attractively decorated dining room leading out to a private beach where you can dine with your toe trailing in the sand if you so choose. Situated opposite Sweet Eazy, the restaurant has a decidedly upmarket ambience and the (mostly seafood) menu is priced accordingly, with most main courses falling into the US$10–18 range.

Tower Top Restaurant

Emerson & Green Hotel, Hurumzi St; 024 2230171/0777 423266.
Up on the roof of the Emerson & Green Hotel, this restaurant has a superb view, which the management modestly claims to be the 'best on the island'. Most visitors seem to agree that it is. The hotel is in a house built in the 19th century by Tharia Topan, financial advisor to Sultan Barghash. As the second wealthiest man on Zanzibar at the time, he built his home as the second-highest in town, lower only than the sultan's House of Wonders palace. A century later, he would be impressed by the feast still enjoyed by guests every evening. Meals here are relaxed affairs, starting with sunset drinks and cocktails, listening to the sound of the muezzins calling from the minarets around town. Guests sit local style on cushions and carpets, working slowly through starters and several courses of a top-quality Arabic-Swahili meal and ending with Arabic coffee. Numbers are limited, so that guests can stay for the whole evening, and reservations are essential. The cost is US$25 on weekdays. At weekends it's US$30, and includes performances by local dancers and musicians.