Here are a few places I recommend in Kinshasa. You will quickly figure out that there aren’t too many places to go too but some are nice but somewhat overpriced compared to other places in the world!

Avoid them when they are crowded! Try to go during office hours or really early. Most can deliver as long as it is 2 or 3 hours before the curfew i.e. 9pm. Order at around 6pm at the latest!

• Brunch
  • La Nouvelle Pâtisserie Nouvelle. Utexafrica location. Good food. Good service (usually). Nice bread and desserts. Ice cream is great. Good for kids too (a little play area). Outdoor section available. The other location “(Old) Pâtisserie Nouvelle” is also nice! The food and service is just as good but the decor is not as nice.
  • Eric Kayser bakery and brunch spot, 2 locations : Kin Plaza (bigger, outdoor) and Citymarket (smaller, indoor)
    • Kin Plaza : https://goo.gl/maps/gstr72NUJLJTpDQLA
    • Near Citymarket : https://goo.gl/maps/G5ikS8sGS1HNR1zW8
• Goat meat or “Ntaba” in Lingala terrace or outdoor bar
  • Planète J, for cheap beer and goat meat. They have 3 locations. Be careful though, it can take 2 hours to prepare the goat meat or chicken! Most times it takes 1 hour… So call in advance.
    • Planète J Socimat (recommended), Limete, Near Citymarket
    • Fun fact : The owner is Thérèse Kirongozi, a woman who designed and built the robot traffic lights in Kinshasa (Wikipedia link)
  • Cheetah 2 for some goat and beer, it is not in Gombe (Bonmarché after the Bralima brewery on Flambeau), so stay alert or go with a friend who knows the area!
• Italian
  • Casa Mia, for authentic Italian pizza that is thin and an airy raised crust! Try the truffle pizza
  • Limoncello, try the Osso Bucco.
• Sushi
  • Le Palais, for sushi and Lebanese food
• Lebanese
  • Al-Dar for a quick shawarma (service, price and quality are excellent)
  • Le Palais, for sushi and Lebanese food (upstairs with Shisha but stuffy)
  • Kiros. Their fresh juices are great!
  • Seray. Rooftop. Kind of fancy and expensive but very snazzy. Good shisha apparently (I don’t smoke much!)
• Greek
  • The Greek Church restaurant “Maison des Mezzes” for Greek food. The souvlaki pita is nice!
• Indian food
  • Café Muzik. Lots of people usually, big TV screens, formal
  • Firengi, Snazzy, formal. They have a huge Sunday lunch buffet.
  • Pili pili, Grimy, tasty, very reasonably priced and small but so worth it! A fun experience with friends! Vegetarian options available
• Vegan
  • Loving Hut
• Korean
  • Yewon, try the seafood pancake and the fried chicken! Owned and managed by a Korean!
• Chinese
  • Nicolas Perle, a simple but delicious restaurant on the boulevard. Good service and great food. Nice aubergines!
  • Mandarin, an old restaurant from Mobutu’s era, on top of a government building. Excellent decorations. Lovely view. A bit pricy if in a small group. Go with friends!
• Meat
  • La Bodeguita (Touche De Piment), ask to speak to Paul the Bolivian chef!
  • Meat the Cheese, they have fondue 🫕 too!
• Spanish
  • Rocas, a Spanish restaurant with excellent service and a great Tomahawk steak 🥩. Ask to speak to Christian or Franco, they are the owners and have made every effort to make you feel at home. They have great gin and tonics. Try their happy hour from 5 to 7pm 🙂
• Drinks
  • ChaCha bar for a drink on a rooftop and some food. It is on the top of the first sky scraper of central Africa overlooking the Congo River. Great for watching the sunset.
  • K-Lounge for a noisy drink on a rooftop with a lot of people. Is also a club.
  • The Kinshasa Golf Club outdoor bar, in the same complex as the “Cercle Gourmand” for a quiet drink with golfers and tennis players or with your family
  • Le Colibri, a local bar that is from the 1950s, they have a large selection of beers from all over the DRC (Lubumbashi, Goma). Try their draught Tembo, their Belgian beers and the ultra famous toast Cannibal, raw meat on a toast! Delicious but an acquired taste!
  • Any terrasse on Avenue Des Touristes, after Kintambo Magasin along the river road, in the Mimosa riverside area, they are informal bars by the river. Very nice on a Sunday. Very peaceful. Near the “Chez Tintin” restaurant/bar. Try some Liboke or steamed spicy fish, a local dish. Try out Bomongo Village, Maman Wiva or any other terrasse or “maquis” as they are called in French.

Sorry if I forgot some! Let me know what to add! I made this list on January 12th 2021! Things can change quickly!