Vegan Food in Kigali: Where to Eat and How to Shop
Finding vegan food in Kigali is surprisingly easy once you know where to look, whether you are hunting for vegan groceries or looking for a great night out.
When I was walking through a new art gallery in Kigali recently, I got to chatting with a woman who had returned to Rwanda after several years abroad. She mentioned she was vegan and hadn’t found many restaurants she loved yet. As I started rattling off my favorite vegan spots, she was frantically taking notes!
It made me realize that even though I’ve hosted vegan friends who loved the culinary scene here, I’d never published a dedicated guide to vegan food in Kigali. So here it is.
Where to Go Grocery Shopping for Vegan Food in Kigali
If you are cooking at home, tracking down specialty plant-based staples can feel like a treasure hunt, but these spots have you covered for vegan food in Kigali ingredients.
Steffi Metz
Steffi Mets allows you to order over WhatsApp (+250 785 211 051) for homemade oat milk, almond milk, plant-based spreads, lentil sausages, and fresh tofu delivered directly to you.
Petit Marché
Petit Marché is great for imported vegan cheeses from the Kenyan brand, Brown’s. I like their herbed cashew-based cheese. They also have coconut yoghurt.
Dmall Chinese Grocery Store
Dmall is the most reliable spot for tofu. Beyond standard tofu blocks, they also have a section with vacuum sealed tofu and dried tofu skin and also occasionally have pressed/super firm tofu in the fridge boxes.
Patel Supermarket
Patel Supermarket carries local tofu. Be sure to double-check or smell the tofu at Patel Supermarket before purchasing, as I’ve occasionally bought blocks right on the edge of turning sour. They also have dehydrated soy chunks that we use often at home.
Supermarkets: Sawa City, Simba, etc…
Standard Supermarkets around town carry basic plant milks like soy, almond, and oat.
Top Vegan Restaurants in Kigali
While many restaurants may not have stand alone vegan dishes, kitchen’s are usually happy to accommodate requests, especially since all the food is basically made from scratch each meal (how else would we explain that it’s normal that it takes 50 minutes to get your food here). You can check out my Kigali dining guide for other food inspo.
Tips for Navigating Menus & Ordering
While finding vegan dishes isn’t difficult, menu labeling can still be a bit limited across the city. More places are beginning to mark gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options, but you may still need to clarify your order, especially if you’re outside Kigali.
Be specific when confirming a dish is vegan. You may need to repeatedly confirm “no eggs, no dairy, no meat, no butter” to ensures your order arrives as intended. When my vegan friend was visiting, around Lake Kivu and Musanze, restaurants kept serving her dishes with eggs even though she very politely told servers that that was not vegan.
If you’re in the countryside, then you may come across the occasional roasted corn seller and the famous roasted potatoes at Sina Gerard Nyirangarama if you’re on the way to Musanze.
For your lattes, vegan milk is common across most cafes in Kigali but not so much so when you’re out of town. Be prepared to have black coffee or carry some vegan creamers.
Repub Lounge
A lot of traditional Rwandan cooking is naturally vegan-friendly and Repub Lounge serves authentic Rwandan dishes. Repub Lounge’s eggplant specialty is amazing, You can get all the classics here (Isombe, plantains, beans, and peas).
Hi Pima
Hi Pima features Chef Olivier serving a phenomenal five-course (or à la carte) vegan dining experience for lunch and dinner. Chef Oliviers’ dishes are creative and highlight fresh local ingredients and leave you perfectly satisfied.
I like to let them know in advance I’m coming by texting +250 793 899 835.
Poivre Noir
This French-inspired dining option also has excellent wines. I’ve had the Zataar charred beetroot dish (with tahini) and it was incredible! It’s the only vegan option on the menu but they it’s worth going to for this dish. The cover picture for this blog is also taken at Poivre Noir.
Inzora Rooftop Café
Inzora Rooftop Café is the place to go for a vegan carrot lox bagel with homemade vegan cream cheese. It also serves a rotating selection of baked vegan treats.
YoKigali
YoKigali is a fully vegetarian spot with a lovely all-day dining menu. This bnb/yoga studio/cafe can easily accommodate vegan diets across their dishes and have rotating sandwich of the week.
Indabo Café
Indabo Café offers a fantastic grilled tofu dish, which you can pair crispy fries or a hearty bowl of local sorghum grains and salad.
Açaí Oasis
Açaí Oasis lets you skip dairy yogurt and cool down with a rich açaí bowl with fresh local fruit toppings.
Fire and Stone
Fire and Stone is located in the same compound as Açaí Oasis in Kimihurura. You can switch out their cheese option for a vegan mozzarella when you go to place your order online.
Damasquino
Damasquino highlights how famously vegan Middle Eastern cuisine is. Get the fresh tabbouleh, falafel, grilled vegetables, creamy dip platters, stuffed grape leaves, and cabbage rolls.
SZY
Szy brings American, vegan comfort food to Kigali. I liked the mushroom jerk burger and the cool vibe, though I still think they are finding their footing with service (at least from my experiences). Check out the menu (and go for drinks too).
Vegan-Friendly Cuisines in Kigali
Indian Restaurants
Indian Curry House, Khana Khazana, and Kurry Kingdom are fantastic for classic vegetarian curries. For a quick downtown lunch, the vegetarian Thali lunch at Preet is unbeatable.
Ethiopian Restaurants
Habesha and Gebeta are my go-to Ethiopian spots in the city. Order the vegetarian combo platter (Beyaynetu), which is traditionally 100% vegan!
Asian Restaurants
My favorite places for veg and tofu (plus the occasional seitan) are Soy Asian and Borneo. They have veg and tofu noodle bowls, stir-fries, and fried rice options.
What am I missing from vegan food in Kigali? Let me and everyone else know about it in the comments!