236 Hurumzi Hotel

Stone Town, Zanzibar Island

An integral part of the skyline of Zanzibar, along with mosque minarets, Hindu temple towers, and church spires, is the Tower Top restaurant of 236 Hurumzi. The second tallest building in Stone Town Zanzibar, the Hurumzi hotel has been restored to its former glory when it was the residence of one of the richest men in the Swahili Empire. Atmosphere is of principal import as the furnishings are all original Zanzibari antiques of varied origins and styles that, together, create the impressions of Arabian Nights and sultan princesses escaping in the dead of the night for romance.

236 Hurumzi Accommodation

The sixteen guestrooms at 236 Hurumzi hotel are beautiful and romantic, each representing Zanzibari traditions in a distinct way. All guest rooms have large Zanzibari beds complete with netting.

All rooms at 236 Hurumzi except for the Kipembe room are equipped with large stone bathtubs providing unusual bathing pleasure where a bubble bath and a bottle of wine are a frequent request. Ceiling fans keep our guests cool along with the constant breeze on the upper floors.

Second and first floor rooms as well as the South room are equipped with air conditioning for added comfort. The sultan-sized rooms on the first and second floors have 20 foot ceilings, carved doors, original stucco décor and hand painted glass lamps and window panes.

History of the Hurumzi House

Folklore and local memory tell that the Hurumzi House was built and lived in by a man named Tharia Thopan, often called the Bismarck of the Swahili Empire. Due to his close ties to the Sultan of the time, Thopan was permitted to build his house as the second highest in Stone Town; second only to the Sultan's own ceremonial palace, The House of Wonders.Further stories say that in the 1880's this building was where British authorities paid Arab slave owners to free their slaves. It is said that the name Hurumzi comes from "Huru - MUUZE", meaning "let them free". Still not verified by the complex maze of Zanzibar archive records, these stories add to the mystery of this impressive building on Hurumzi Street. The building has survived yearly monsoons, numerous inhabitants and various governments. After the revolution in 1964, Zanzibar engaged in an experiment with socialism along with Tanganyika, what is now known as mainland Tanzania. Regretfully, this caused the grave neglect of Stone Town and its treasury of heritage buildings including the Hurumzi house.

In the 1980's Zanzibar was re-opened to international investors. Starting in 1991 investors Thomas Green and later Emerson Skeens were able to convince the local authorities to lease them the site in order to restore it to its former glory in the manner of a hotel. The main restoration began in 1994 and continues today in the way of minor revisions and maintenance. Sixteen splendid rooms are available for guests to enjoy along with the delicious dinners served in the well-known Tower Top Restaurant, while the Kidude Café Restaurant, located on the ground floor, offers excellent lunch and dinner menus in Arabian style and air-conditioned comfort.

Tower Top Restaurant
236 Hurumzi, Stone Town, Zanzibar

The Tower Top Restaurant, a common stop for newlyweds and marriage proposers alike, is undoubtedly one of the most romantic restaurants in the world. Featuring a panoramic view of Zanzibar Stone Town and a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean, it is the perfect to watch the sun set.

Eighty feet above the Stone Town and sitting on Persian carpets, more than one guest has said that dinner here feels like a ride on a magic carpet. The dining room is open on all sides and guests sit Arabian-style on pillows and carpets, their shoes having been left at the door, while their dinner is served in five or more courses and accompanied by the sites and sounds of exotic Zanzibar.

The Tower Top Restaurant lies high among the minarets, temple towers, and church spires of Zanibars Stone Town. It is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary eating venues in the world. Located on the roof of the building, it makes guests feel as if they're on top of the world as they sip exotic drinks and watch the sun disappear into the Indian Ocean.

The Muslim call to prayer accents the eastern setting of Arab-style pillows and small tables and the Hindu Temple chimes remind visitors that they are far away from the stress they left at home.

A typical menu for the Prix Fixe meal consists of appetizers of local vegetables, seafood and small canapés, a soup or salad, a main course of fish or chicken with vegetables and spice scented rice and, finally, dessert with tea or coffee and after dinner drinks. Vegetarians can easily be accommodated, with prior notice to the chef. As you leave the restaurant, be sure to look up at the stars, we think they're brighter here.

Reservations are necessary for the Tower Top Restaurant.

A Brief History of Zanzibar Cuisine from the Tower Top Restuarant

When people discover that I was a chef in Zanzibar, they usually ask, "What kind of food do they eat in Zanzibar?" This is a difficult question to answer since Zanzibari cuisine is a polygamous marriage of the different cultures which have inhabited the island over the past ten centuries. The question is much like asking "What is American food?" There is not one answer. It depends upon each person's background, upbringing, and personal tastes. Zanzibar has always been a trade port, and therefore has long attracted people from all over the world. Zanzibari cuisine owes its unique flavors to a variety of cultures including Africans from the mainland, Arabs, Portuguese, Indians, British, Chinese, and Americans. Eating in Zanzibar is therefore like sampling a piece of the island's history. To give you a better understanding of where the various cooking techniques, spices, and flavors originated, following is a brief view of the island's history as viewed through a culinary lens.

The original inhabitants of Zanzibar were presumably African fishermen who lived in villages scattered throughout the island. They subsisted on a diet of mainly fresh seafood, including tuna, kingfish, lobster, octopus, squid, and oysters. This diet changed radically during the ninth and tenth centuries with the arrival of the Arab and Persian traders who came to trade in East Africa, built settlements, and intermarried with the local people. As they integrated themselves into the African societies, they introduced their religion, Islam, as well as cooking techniques and eating habits, bringing with them coconut palms, mango trees, citrus fruits, and rice. Spiced pilau rice, one of the island's most common and delicious dishes cooked with coconut, nuts, and spices, is of Arab origin. Zanzibari Recipies Break the Fast Date Nut Bread Sorpotel Mango Cobbler with Cashew Cinnamon Crunch Topping Spice Island Spice Cake Battered Pepper Shark Oysters Alla Matemwe Meat Pilau Boku-Boku Curried Fishcakes with Chutney Yogurt Sauce.

The fifteenth century brought the first Portuguese explorers to East Africa. Vasco Da Gama arrived in Zanzibar in 1499 as he was headed south to round the Cape of Good Hope. Although he only stayed one day, other ships soon followed and by early in the 16th century the Portuguese ruled the entire East African coast. They ruled in Zanzibar until 1651 when Omani Arabs destroyed the Portuguese settlements and gained control of the island. Although the Portuguese built a trading post, a factory, and a church on the site which is today the Stonetown of Zanzibar, overall their social influence was minimal. Their colonization did have great impact, however, on the island's cuisine as they were responsible for introducing what are now three major East African staple crops: cassava, maize and pineapples.

The Omanis ruled Zanzibar from their capital in Muscat until the early 1800's when the Sultan, Said Seyyid, visited the island while on a trip to mainland Africa. He was so taken with its beauty he decided to move to Zanzibar, taking with him not only his personal items, but relocating the entire capital of his dynasty to the island as well. Seyyd's decision to move the capital radically changed Zanzibar, as he was responsible for the genesis of the island's spice plantations and led the island into a century of great wealth. It was during this period that the majority of the Stonetown of Zanzibar was built, as well as many palaces, grand houses, and mosques.

Behind much of the great wealth were a number of prosperous Indian merchants. Trade between Zanzibar and India had been going on for centuries, and by the 1800's businessmen from India had a mercantile strong-hold on the island and were also the money-lenders for many of the Arab plantation owners. They came from many different regions of India and were from a variety of backgrounds, including Hindus, Muslims, and Catholics. They built their own temples, mosques, and churches, and added more layers to the cultural diversity on the island. The Indian men did not tend to intermarry with other cultures, but instead brought their families with them from India. Their wives brought with them a long legacy of Indian cooking techniques. Their traditional recipes combined with locally available ingredients has created a variety of spicy pickles, chutneys, biriyani, curry sauces, fish cakes, samboosas, and other common Indian snacks, but all with a unique Zanzibari flavor.

Cloves were not the only item traded on the islands, as Zanzibar was the site of one of the largest slave markets in Africa. The slaves, sold to Arab plantation owners for use on the islands and in the Middle East, as well as to Europeans, were captured from the mainland from as far west as what is now present day Zaire. The British abolitionist movement finally pressured the Omani government to outlaw slavery by the turn of the twentieth century, but due to the years of slavery, a large number of mainland Africans inhabit the island. Their diets still consist of items that they ate on the mainland, including fried cassava chips, stewed greens, sweet potatoes, yams, and roasted maize.

Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, other cultures have also played a role in Zanzibar's history. Americans were the first to set up a consulate in the early 1800's, and were soon followed by the British, French, and Germans. Many explorers, including Livingstone, Burton, Speke, and Krapf, began their journeys into the heart of Africa from the shores of Zanzibar. These explorers lead to the eventual German and British colonization of East Africa and paved the way for an influx of settlers. While the British did not necessarily make a contribution to Zanzibari cuisine (unless you consider leathery pepper-steak and greasy chips a contribution), they did import china from England, Holland, and Japan. Large, flat serving bowls, decorated with bright colored flowers and geometric designs from the 1920's are still commonly found throughout the Stonetown and used in many of the local homes to serve piles of steaming rice dishes.

After independence in the 1960's, the Chinese were brought to the island to serve as technicians, doctors, military advisers, and agricultural experts. While only a handful still remain, it is possible to buy soy sauce on the island and enjoy dinner at a local Chinese restaurant.

Kidude Cafe - Restaurant
236 Hurumzi Zanzibar Stonetown

Relax and enjoy the African rhythm of life at Kidude Cafe & Restaurant on the ground floor at 236 Hurumzi and is great for a Light Meal, Sandwiches, Desserts, Drinks, or just morning coffee or afternoon tea with delicious baked goods in a relaxing Zanzibar Atmosphere.

For Dinner enjoy the Kidude menu inspired by the cuisines of the old Slave Trading Countries from the Indian Ocean, Arabia, Africa, to the Caribbean and Cajun cuisine of the Americas.

Comfortably air-conditioned, KIDUDE offers a full bar in a beautiful setting showcasing art, handcrafts, and antiques of Zanzibar.

Open from 10:00 am to around 10:00 pm.