Kigali, Rwanda, Is One of East Africa's Most Stylish Cities — Here's Where to Eat, Drink, and Shop, According to a Local
Pierra Ntayombya, the founder of Ruks House, a creative consultancy in Kigali; Haute Baso, one of Rwanda’s major fashion labels, also sells home décor. PHOTO: PHILIPPE NYIRIMIHIGO/COURTESY OF PIERRA NTAYOMBYA; CHRIS SCHWAGGA/COURTESY OF HAUTE BASO
By Leah Feiger
Kigali is often seen as a stopover for safari-goers embarking on a gorilla trek. But Rwanda’s capital is worth an extended stay to explore its thriving art scene, boutiques, and inventive bars and restaurants.
Just ask Pierra Ntayombya, the former CEO of Haute Baso, a fashion house and interiors studio in Kigali. Her work has taken her across the continent, as she’s shown the brand’s pieces at fashion weeks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Lagos, Nigeria. This spring, Ntayombya founded Ruks House, a creative consultancy, where she works with designers and brands to aesthetically enhance their spaces.
Read on for Ntayombya’s guide to the city she calls home. For a home base, Ntayombya’s preferred hotel is the upmarket Kigali Marriott Hotel.
Start the Day
“The design at the cafe Kivu Noir is phenomenal, and they have the best coffee in Kigali. For brunch, it’s Le Petit Chalet, where the desserts are amazing.”
Haute Baso.
PHOTO: CHRIS SCHWAGGA/COURTESY OF HAUTE BASO
Shopping
“I adore the ceramics shop Laini Studio, and always stop in at Wood Habitat, an upmarket furniture store. And, because I change my apartment constantly, it’s great to go to Haute Baso and get a piece or two to refresh my space. I also have everything created by Chris Schwagga, a designer and photographer who leads the interiors studio Mwinda.”
Food and Drink
“The best night out is at Meza Malonga, a chic spot led by chef Dieuveil Malonga that focuses entirely on ingredients found in the region. The result is inimitable: eggplant tartare with moringa leaves, perfectly prepared Rwandan beef, and spice-crusted shrimp from Kenya. For drinks, Poivre Noir makes the city’s best gin and tonics. I also like the distillery Imizi Rum, which makes fewer than a hundred bottles a month.”
Pottery at Laini Studio, a ceramics store in Kigali, Rwanda. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LAINI STUDIO
Sweet Treat
“At Kunda Gelato, I like the hibiscus and lemon flavors.”
Art and Culture
“My favorite gallery at the moment is Forty Second Space. It’s Pop art with a Rwandan twist. I’m also a fan of KomezArt, a virtual gallery that hosts many of the country’s top artists and will ship internationally.”
The Umwero Terroir Spirits distillery; a bottle of IMIZI Forest Rum in the Northern Province Hills. PHOTO: COURTESY OF UMWERO
Nature Escape
“I often take my son for a walk in the new Nyandungu Eco-Park, and the view from Mount Kigali is still my favorite in the city.”
Further Afield
If you are venturing outside of the capital, two of Ntayombya’s favorite hotels are Singita Kwitonda Lodge, situated just on the edge of Volcanoes National Park where tourists go gorilla trekking. “The design is so thoughtful, and it’s just beautiful," Ntayombya says. "They use so many local artisans and materials.”
On the other side of the country, near Nyungwe National Park, which has one of the oldest rainforests in Africa, is One&Only Gorilla's Nest. "There’s nothing that compares. It is the freshest air you’ll ever breathe. It’s so vast, it’s so lush. It’s pristine. I love it so much.”
Read the original article on Travel + Leisure.
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