Last Updated on April 20, 2024 by snaphappytravel
How to successfully book at table at the famous Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar. We’ve also reviewed the menu, the views, and how to get there!
This past August, we were lucky enough to spend part of our honeymoon in Zanzibar, a gorgeous tropical island off the coast of Tanzania. This honeymoon trip through Africa was what bucket-list dreams are made of. Our trip included exploring the beaches of Zanzibar, Gorilla-trekking in Uganda, an unforgettable safari in Serengeti National Park as well as a safari in Amboseli in Kenya. To be honest, we will never forget this trip for as long as we live.
Anyway, enough bragging about how lucky we are to experience all of the above. And let’s get back to the main point of this piece how to book a table at The Rock Restaurant, Zanzibar and what the dining experience was really like.
How to Book a Table at The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar
We recommend booking your table at The Rock Restaurant, Zanzibar, at least two weeks in advance. Especially for the popular dinner seatings. If you are celebrating a special occasion, be sure to mention it in the comments when you make the booking.
Also, if you would like a table outside on their balcony or by the window, then be sure to mention this in the comment section of your booking, too. I believe they cannot guarantee specific tables, it is more of a first-come-first-served basis. But, it is certainly worth mentioning it as it will give you a better chance of securing the best table.
The closest hotels to the Rock Restaurant are located on Michamvi Beach. It may be worth booking a hotel here if you plan on dining at The Rock, like I know a lot of other tourists do.
Where is The Rock Restaurant Located?
It is located at Michamvi beach on the southeast corner of Zanzibar. (Here’s the exact google maps location) It is 1 hour & 20 minutes from Stonetown and just 20 minutes from Paje.
The best way to get to The Rock is to hire a private driver to pick you up from your hotel, as he/she will wait for you and return you to your hotel when you are finishes. Our private driver cost us $40 from Paje, it will cost a lot more from Stonetown.
How do you get to The Rock Restaurant?
There are local buses that pass through Michamvi but the timings can be unreliable and it is likely when the bus does pass you they will already be full. Depending on where you’re staying, your accommodation will be able to suggest the best bus to take if that is what you’d prefer.
As I said, the most popular way to get to The Rock Restaurant is to hire a private driver to pick you up from your hotel. If you really want to splurge (and make an entrance), you can book a private speedboat to the Rock Restaurant. This private boat departs from Zanzibar Extreme Water Sports in Pwani Mchangani.
Should I Visit The Rock Restaurant at High Tide or Low Tide?
This is completely a personal preference, we ended up going at low tide as we didn’t check in advance. And to be honest we would have preferred high tide as the ocean surrounds the restaurant and a staff member needs to come collect you from the shore in a little wooden boat. Worth remembering: low tide means you can walk to the restaurant across the sand and high tide means the ocean completely surrounds the restaurant. Here are the tide times for Michamvi Beach (where The Rock is located).
We personally think the best time to visit The Rock Restaurant is at high tide and for the dinner service, preferably in time for sunset.
What is the menu like at The Rock Restaurant?
The best summary of the menu is fresh seafood with an Italian twist. The seafood at the restaurant is so fresh (as in caught that day fresh). I’m not the biggest seafood fan, but I knew at The Rock Restaurant, in particular, I had to try their seafood dishes.
We ordered the homemade ravioli filled with aubergines, the grilled fish fillet with creamy coconut spinach, and to start we had the fish carpaccio served with coconut sauce. All were excellent choices and very filling dishes.
For drinks, we ordered their house bottle of white wine, which comes beautifully labeled with a photo of the restaurant. We actually peeled this off the bottle and took it home for our memory box.
What is the overall dining experience like at The Rock Restaurant?
We were greeted warmly upon arrival and the server checked we had a reservation and then ticked our name off a list. Just a note, it is highly unlikely you will be able to walk in without a reservation and get a table, you can do this for drinks only and sit on the balcony at the front. However, space is very limited so come early to ensure a seat.
We mentioned to the greeter that we were celebrating our honeymoon and he gave us a lovely table next to the window on the left side of the restaurant. Try to avoid the tables in the middle of the restaurant if possible, as there is a lot of foot traffic through that area with people coming in and out of the front balcony to order drinks.
The majority of the servers are from the local area and so, have an abundance of local knowledge. It was quite nice to see that such a well-known restaurant encourages employment from the local area. All of the staff we interacted with were very knowledgeable and friendly.
Is The Rock Restaurant Worth It?
Overall, we would highly recommend booking a table at The Rock Restaurant. It was a wonderfully unique experience in one of the most recognizable restaurants in the world. The food is of high quality, although a lot more expensive than other restaurants in Zanzibar. To ensure the best experience we recommend going at high tide, try to get a seat on the balcony or near a window to admire the spectacular view. Oh, and take lots of photos.
Have you visited The Rock Restaurant? We would love to hear about your experience in the comment section!
You may also enjoy reading my other Africa content, like –
Why you should go on a Safari in Amboseli National Park in Kenya
What you need to know before climbing Kilimanjaro – Africa’s tallest mountain
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It’s actually deceptively large inside, my best guess is it fits about 50 people inside and a further 20 outside. It was such a cool experience – I want to go back!
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I didn’t know you could go at high tide and be collected in a little boat! That’s so cute. We’re considering Zanzibar as part of our honeymoon too so this is definitely on the list! Glad to hear you had a great experience there. Does the restaurant fit many people? It looks really tiny!
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