The allure of Nifty Café and Wine Bar

It was that flat time between Christmas and New Year when you don’t know what day or date it is – especially for those, like us, who had stayed at home.

It was a Saturday and I reminded Lut, ‘We said we would go back to the Nifty Café in Tigoni, because last week it wasn’t a fair trial’.

We had heard good things about the place, but there was no room on the balcony with its special view; inside, little children were enjoying a noisy run-around; and the competing music made any conversation very hard work.

I could tell that at one point, Do They Know It’s Christmas? was playing, but I doubt if anyone was listening to the insensitive lyric. The dough on my pizza was too thick, the cheese was too bland, and I wished I had chosen one of the appetisers.

So, Lut said OK, and I made a booking for 10 am, brunch time, for Sunday morning, and I reserved a seat on the balcony. The drive from Lavington is a pleasant one: taking the Waiyaki Way-Red Hill Link Road, turning left to Gachie and keeping on till reaching the Limuru Road, turning left and driving for about 10 kilometres; turning right onto the Kabuku-Tigoni road, turning right again onto the Banana Raini Road and the Nifty Café and Wine Bar is about three kilometres on the right and beside a Rubis petrol station. As the Google Maps lady said, it took 38 minutes.

The contrast with our first visit couldn’t have been greater. There was no need to make a reservation because we were there before anyone else and the balcony was empty. The view is really good, looking out over a rocky garden to the wild woods up a hillside – a typical lush Tigoni landscape. There was no sense that we had entered from the compound of a petrol station. The call of the cockerel that welcomed us seemed just right. 

Very reasonable prices

The waitress, welcomed us, too, with a bright and smiling greeting. She took our orders for drinks and handed us the menu. It is an interesting and rather unusual one. The two listed favourites are chicken wings of different flavours and five choices of pizzas. For appetisers, there are samosas, spring rolls and falafel. For breakfast, the choices are full English, crêpes, waffles or bagels.

Also on the menu are a range of chicken dishes, beef burgers, meatballs, coconut beans curry, various sandwiches with fries, and two kinds of salad. Children can choose between hot dogs or fish fingers with fries – both winners.

All the prices are very reasonable, ranging from Sh550 to Sh1,300. As you would expect at a place that is a wine bar as well as a cafe, there are wines on the list from several countries – France, Italy, Australia, Argentina, America and South Africa. A good number of the wines are offered by the glass, at prices ranging from Sh700 to Sh850.

I chose a BLT bagel – bacon, lettuce and tomato, but also with cream cheese. It had a refreshing side salad with slices of tomato again, crispy lettuce and slivers of onion. It was fine, but I also had a rather envious look at what Lut had – two fluffy waffles with berries and syrup. Next time!

And thinking of time, the café is open from 8:30 am to 9 pm – except on Mondays when it is closed. 

I like the word ‘nifty’. It could mean neatly skilful, like a slim rugby forward sidestepping two heavy opponents to score a try. Or it could mean eye-catching stylish, like you might say about someone’s cool safari clothes. Maybe stylish is not a word you would apply to the café.

Café’s entertainment programme

But it does fit the minimalist décor that is in keeping with the Tigoni greens outside. Skilful, the place certainly is – in making the best use of its location, in the menu choices and the prices. It is very popular, as we discovered on our first visit. Joan, one of the kitchen staff, told us that by 2 O’clock that Sunday of our second visit, the place would be full and lively again.

She also told us about the café’s entertainment programme. That afternoon, as on all Sundays, there would be live music. On Saturday evenings, there are performances by the stand-up comedian and DJ, Shane Gray. And on the last Friday of every month, there is karaoke.

We asked about places to walk in the area, and Joan pointed out that the café borders Brackenhurst Conference and Retreat Centre, which has its network of shaded forest trails. From the café, you can have cycle rides arranged for you. And, according to the Tigoni Life website, the area is ‘a hiker’s paradise offering trails that wind through serene landscapes, lush forests, and rolling tea plantations.’

It suggests that you should consider booking a private hike with an experienced local guide. How is it that hiking has become such a popular activity in Kenya? Is it that the Covid pandemic gave it a significant boost – because of all the indoor restrictions?

And what is it about Tigoni? I am old enough to remember that, along with Brackenhurst, the two main attractions were the Limuru Country Club, with its golf course, and the Kentmere Club, with its cosy accommodation, English-style restaurant and a log fire in the bar.

But, now, there are many other places to enjoy. In this last year alone, I have written about two excellent restaurants – Como and the Fig and Olive – the delightful Redhill Art Gallery, and two fascinating tea plantations – the Purple Tea Farm and the Gathoni Park Farm. In previous years, I have focused on the classic Kiambethu Tea Farm Tour, Rahab and Shine Tani’s Banana Hill Art Gallery and the engaging Brown’s Cheese Farm Tour. Yes, Tigoni is now much more than a hilly and rather chilly residential area.