Ciel Nairobi is a rooftop restaurant on the 1st floor of Fortis Tower, Woodvale Grove, Westlands, serving Modern Contemporary Afro-Fusion cuisine from 11am until late. The kitchen builds on classic French technique with African flavours and Mediterranean, Pan-Asian and Nikkei influences, using Kenyan-sourced produce, coastal seafood and aged meats. Mains run roughly KES 1,500–3,400. It’s a calm sit-down restaurant by day; around 10pm it becomes a nightlife destination.
Most people meet Ciel at night. Arrive earlier and you find the part that comes first — a proper rooftop restaurant, calm and airy, with sweeping views across the Westlands skyline and the Nairobi Expressway. This is the daytime and dinner side of Ciel: what the kitchen is about, what to order, and why it works for a business lunch as easily as for the meal before the music starts.
The kitchen: Modern Afro-Fusion
Ciel’s cuisine is Modern Contemporary Afro-Fusion — built on classic French culinary technique while celebrating the richness of African flavours, with influences drawn from Mediterranean, Pan-Asian and Nikkei cooking. The result is refined but full of character: wood-fired dishes, fresh seafood, expertly aged meats and seasonal produce, plated with intent.
What holds it together is sourcing. Wherever possible the kitchen works with Kenyan farms and growers — Rift Valley asparagus, premium Kenyan beef, seafood from the Kenyan coast, seasonal herbs and fruit from local producers, and artisan cheeses from trusted suppliers. Supporting local farmers lets the kitchen showcase the best of Kenya while holding a world-class standard.
The chef’s proudest dish
Ask the kitchen what best represents Ciel and the answer is the Wood-Fired Rift Valley Asparagus — a humble local ingredient elevated through refined French technique, careful presentation and balanced flavour. It’s a small dish that explains the whole philosophy: Kenyan produce, world-class execution.
Lunch: built for a working day
Daytime at Ciel is calm and sit-down, with mellow background music — designed for business meetings, long lunches and catching up with friends over one of the city’s best views. Crucially for a work break, most lunches are served within 20–30 minutes.
- Popular at lunch: grilled salmon teriyaki, gourmet burgers, fresh seasonal salads, signature wood-fired steaks, handmade spicy bone broth with roasted Parmesan beef, and daily chef’s specials.
- Express business lunch is available for guests on a tighter schedule.
- Who’s there: professionals from Westlands and nearby meeting clients and colleagues, plus friends after a relaxed meal with a view.
Dinner: elevated dining
Dinner is where the kitchen stretches. Guests return for premium charcoal-grilled steaks, fresh seafood, signature lamb dishes, Pan-Asian-inspired seafood, seasonal creations and elegant desserts — with wine and cocktail pairings to match.
- Charcoal-Grilled Beef Tenderloin — prime Kenyan beef with silky potato purée, seasonal vegetables and a red wine and cranberry jus.
- Pan-Seared Teriyaki Salmon — with saffron sweet-potato chips, seasonal vegetables and lemon beurre blanc.
- Coal-Fired Rib-Eye Steak (KES 3,400) — with Hasselback potato, pepper butter cream, mushrooms and roasted garlic dressing.
- Grilled Jumbo Prawns (KES 3,500) — coal-fired with sauce vierge, chimichurri and sweet-potato chips.
- Moroccan Braised Lamb Shank (KES 1,800) — slow-braised tagine with dates, apricot and almonds over couscous.
- 12-Hour Roasted Bone Marrow (KES 600) — with aged cheese and toasted brioche.
What to order on a first visit
For the complete Ciel experience, the kitchen recommends a clear run:
- Starter: Chicken Lollipop
- Main: Charcoal-Grilled Beef Tenderloin, or the Pan-Seared Salmon
- Dessert: Deconstructed Chocolate Fondant — rich chocolate textures with vanilla bean ice cream, salted caramel and cocoa crumble
- To drink: one of the signature handcrafted cocktails
Pairings for the rooftop
The rooftop suits sharing plates and handcrafted cocktails. A few pairings the kitchen and bar recommend together:
- Seasoned crusted calamari with a Passionfruit Martini
- Fresh salmon crudo with sparkling wine
- Charcoal-grilled prawns with a citrus gin cocktail
- Wagyu beef sliders with an Old Fashioned
- Deconstructed chocolate fondant with an Espresso Martini
Sharing plates and platters
The menu leans into the table. Starters and signature bites — crusted calamari (KES 900), peri-peri octopus skewers (KES 1,000), crusted prawns (KES 1,350), chicken lollipops (KES 950), cornflake-crusted wings (KES 1,200) — are made to be spread across a group. For bigger tables there’s a grilled meat platter for four (KES 3,750) with sirloin, pork ribs, goat ribs and sausages, or Kenyan-style nyama choma (KES 3,000), charcoal-grilled with kachumbari.
Dietary needs
The kitchen accommodates vegetarian, vegan, halal requests, gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-allergy considerations, and is happy to customise dishes where possible. The printed menu marks vegetarian, non-vegetarian, gluten-free and gluten-free-option dishes. Mention any requirement when you book.
Drinks, from cocktails to coffee
Ciel’s signature cocktails — the herbaceous Green Muse, the late-night Midnight Etch, the citrus-bright Strawberry Afterglow (KES 800–950) — sit alongside classics done properly and a deep spirits, wine and champagne list. By day there’s a full coffee menu: cappuccino, espresso, lattes, African tea and the honey-ginger Dawa — available from opening, so Ciel works for a coffee and the view as much as an evening out.
From lunch to late night
Food runs from 11am until closing, and closing depends on the night — Ciel stays open until the last guests leave. Around 10pm the room changes character: the calm sit-down restaurant becomes a high-energy nightlife destination with music and an electric atmosphere. Come at noon and it’s a business lunch; come at nine and you can have dinner and simply stay.
The practical details
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Where |
1st Floor, Fortis Tower, Woodvale Grove, Westlands, Nairobi |
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Cuisine |
Modern Contemporary Afro-Fusion — French technique, African flavours, Mediterranean / Pan-Asian / Nikkei influences |
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Food hours |
From 11am until closing (no separate breakfast menu; coffee and tea from opening) |
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Nightlife from |
Around 10pm |
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Prices |
Starters from KES 600 · mains KES 1,500–3,400 · platters KES 3,000–3,750 |
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Lunch speed |
Most lunches served in 20–30 minutes; express business lunch available |
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Dietary |
Vegetarian, vegan, halal requests, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut allergies |
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Book |
+254 710 477477 (call/WhatsApp) · @ciel_nairobi |
Frequently asked questions
Does Ciel Nairobi serve food during the day?
Yes. Ciel serves its full food menu from 11am until closing, alongside coffee and tea. Daytime is a calm, sit-down dining experience with skyline views — ideal for business lunches and relaxed meals.
Does Ciel serve breakfast?
Ciel does not currently have a dedicated breakfast menu. Coffee, tea and the full food menu are available from 11am when the venue opens.
What kind of food does Ciel serve?
Modern Contemporary Afro-Fusion — classic French technique with African flavours and Mediterranean, Pan-Asian and Nikkei influences, built on Kenyan-sourced produce, coastal seafood and aged meats.
How much does a meal at Ciel cost?
Starters begin around KES 600, mains run roughly KES 1,500–3,400, and sharing platters are KES 3,000–3,750.
Is Ciel good for a business lunch?
Yes. Daytime is calm and sit-down with mellow music, most lunches are served within 20–30 minutes, and an express business lunch is available.
What time does Ciel become a nightclub?
The venue shifts from restaurant and lounge into its nightlife atmosphere at around 10pm, and stays open until the last guests leave.
Does Ciel cater to dietary requirements?
Yes — vegetarian, vegan, halal requests, gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-allergy needs are accommodated, and the kitchen will customise dishes where possible.
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Book a table at Ciel Lunch, sunset or dinner on the rooftop — reserve ahead for weekends. Call or WhatsApp: +254 710 477477 |
