The city guide · Kenya

Tea shops inNairobi.

Kenya grows tea for the world and Nairobi drinks it strong, milky and out of a 250 g bag, so the city's tea shelf starts in the supermarket: Ketepa Safari Pure at KSh190 for 250 g, Kericho Gold loose tea at KSh290 for 250 g. The specialty end is small and young. One loose-leaf atelier with a tea room on Baba Dogo Road sells a Mt. Kenya oolong at KSh500 for 100 g and silver needle at KSh1,100 for 50 g, and the gourmet grocers (Zucchini, Artcaffé Market, Purpink, Monty's) carry two small Kenyan brands, Erlu from Kericho at KSh550 for 100 g and Muthaiga Tea Company in 30 g tins. Purple tea, the Kenyan speciality, is on this page from KSh650 for 100 g.

Explore the guide Find your tea

Illustrative photograph of a teapot and cups on a tea table; not the shop pictured.

06Places worth knowing

Illustrative tea photograph

6 places we’d send a friend to.

Our Nairobi shortlist

Good tea is worth knowing where to look.

Places to explore, each with a different reason to stop by. See what to bring home before you go.

Showing 6 of 6 places

01Loose-leaf specialist
Stir Me Tea
Kenafric Business Park, Baba Dogo Road (atelier with a tea room; also stocked at Monty's, Sarit Centre)
10 prices listed
Stir Me Tea
Kenafric Business Park, No. B22, Baba Dogo Road, Nairobi
A 2017 Kenyan loose-leaf brand with a tea room inside its Baba Dogo Road atelier: Mt. Kenya oolong, silver needle and in-house blends in 100 g cylinders.
In storeShips onlineSince 2017
Mon–Sat 9:00–22:00; Sun 10:00–18:00
Read the full shop note
A Kenyan loose-leaf brand founded in 2017 by graphic designer Sheena Patel, whose atelier at unit B22 of Kenafric Business Park on Baba Dogo Road doubles as a small tea room where you can sit down for a cup and a cookie; the full range is in the webshop with Nairobi delivery. The leaf comes from the northern and southern foothills of Mt. Kenya and goes into 100 g cylinders: a green at KSh500, an oolong from the southern slopes at KSh500, a Flowery Orange Pekoe at KSh500, and 50 g of silver needle or golden tips white tea at KSh1,100 each. The blends are made in-house: Earl Grey and masala chai at KSh450 for 100 g, a Purple Exotic with lemongrass and hibiscus at KSh650 for 100 g, Kenyan chamomile at KSh550 for 50 g, and the everyday CTC black at KSh375 for 250 g. Monty's at Sarit Centre stocks the black, the Earl Grey and the masala chai.
Explore the shop Directions
What to bring home
Website: stirmetea.shop
The everyday option
7 prices listed
Zucchini Food Market
A family-run fresh-food market founded in 1991 with nine Nairobi stores (ABC Place, Rhapta Road, General Mathenge, Village Market, Lang'ata Link, Valley Arcade, Lavington Mall, Junction Mall and OLA Kilimani) and online delivery, free from KSh3,000. Its tea shelf puts two small Kenyan brands side by side: Erlu Specialty Tea, from the Kaptebeswet gardens of Kericho, in 100 g packs (an orthodox Antique Black at KSh550, Vintage Green at KSh550, First Season Purple at KSh670 and a Medallion yellow tea at KSh550), and Muthaiga Tea Company's 30 g tins (a Swahili Oolong with Zanzibar spices from KSh945, Rwanda Noir from KSh795 and Moonlight Needle white tea at KSh1,214).
In storeShips online
Directions
What to bring home
Website: zucchini.co.ke
- Kenyan BlackErlu Specialty Tea Antique Black, orthodox, Kericho, 100 gKSh 550 · 100 g
- Green teaErlu Specialty Tea Vintage Green, Kericho, 100 gKSh 550 · 100 g
- Yellow teaErlu Specialty Tea Medallion Tea (Kenyan yellow tea), 100 gKSh 550 · 100 g
The everyday option
4 prices listed
Artcaffé Market
Rhapta Road, Westlands, Nairobi
The grocery arm of the Artcaffé café chain, with markets on Rhapta Road in Westlands, in the new wing of the Village Market, on Dennis Pritt Road, Olenguruone Avenue, James Gichuru Road and Ring Road, plus an online shop. Tea here is a short shelf of boxes rather than loose leaf: Kericho Gold's Conservation Range in 40 g tea-bag boxes (black at KSh180, green and decaf at KSh550) and Carmencita green tea at KSh280 for 10 bags; the house's own 50 g herbal blends were sold out at the time of writing.
In storeShips online
Directions
What to bring home
Website: artcaffemarket.co.ke
- Kenyan BlackKericho Gold Conservation Range Black Tea bags, 40 gKSh 180 · 40 g
- Green teaKericho Gold Conservation Range Green Tea bags, 40 gKSh 550 · 40 g
The everyday option
5 prices listed
Monty's Kenya
Sarit Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Westlands, Nairobi
A sweet shop and wine merchant on the lower ground floor of Sarit Centre in Westlands, next to Java, with an online shop and free delivery within 10 km of Westlands from KSh10,000. It is the easiest mall counter for Stir Me: the Premium Black loose leaf at KSh450 for 250 g, Earl Grey and masala chai at KSh550 for 100 g, next to Kericho Gold loose tea at KSh290 for 250 g and Pure Green at KSh435 for 20 bags.
In storeShips online
Directions
What to bring home
Website: montyskenya.com
- Kenyan BlackStir Me Premium Black Loose Leaf Tea, 250 gKSh 450 · 250 g
- Masala ChaiStir Me Masala Chai, 100 gKSh 550 · 100 g
- Green teaKericho Gold Pure Green Tea, 20 bagsKSh 435 · 20 bags
The everyday option
4 prices listed
Purpink
MyTown Shopping Mall, Langata Road, Karen (opposite Karen Hospital)
A gift shop with five Nairobi stores (MyTown Mall in Karen, Kilimani Road, Runda Mall, Mwanzi Market on Lenana Road and Westfield Mall in Lavington) and same-day delivery in the city. Among the hampers it sells a few Kenyan teas on their own: Java House's Gold Label loose leaf at KSh500 for 350 g, Kericho Gold Premium Green at KSh1,300 for 20 bags, and T&Co.'s Sipp Bold 50 g pouches, a Nairobi Chai with ginger and cardamom at KSh700 and a Meru chamomile at KSh900.
In storeShips online
Mon–Fri 9:00–19:00; Sat–Sun 9:00–18:00 (Westfield Mall: Sat–Sun 8:00–18:00)
Directions
What to bring home
Website: purpink.co.ke
The everyday option
6 prices listed
Chandarana Foodplus
Yaya Centre, Argwings Kodhek Road, Kilimani, Nairobi
The supermarket chain's online shop, backed by more than twenty Nairobi branches from Yaya Centre and ABC Place to Rosslyn Riviera and Diamond Plaza, is where the everyday Kenyan teas are priced: Ketepa Safari Pure loose at KSh190 for 250 g, Kericho Gold Conservation black loose at KSh475 for 500 g and Refreshing Green loose at KSh175 for 100 g, Baraka Chai masala at KSh75 for 100 g, Jani green tea at KSh115 for 25 bags and Erlu's Vintage Green at KSh550 for 100 g.
In storeShips online
Yaya Centre: daily 8:00–21:30; most other branches 8:00–21:00
Directions
What to bring home
Website: foodplus.co.ke
- Kenyan BlackKericho Gold Conservation Black Tea, loose, 500 gKSh 475 · 500 g
- Masala ChaiBaraka Chai Masala Loose Tea, 100 gKSh 75 · 100 g
- Green teaKericho Gold Refreshing Green Tea, loose, 100 gKSh 175 · 100 g