Complete guide

Rooftop Bars Zanzibar

2024 update

Country Tanzania

Currency Tanzanian shilling

Best time to visit Year round

Rooftop grade 6/10

Courtesy of Curry House at Golden Tulip

Zanzibar Rooftop Guide

By:Hans Ebenman

Updated:September 2, 2023

Zanzibar rooftop map

Found outside the coast of Tanzania, Zanzibar is a dream destination for many. And rightly so! While beaches, rich wildlife and incredible nature might be the things which attracts most, there are also some elevated venues for dining and drinking well worth checking out.

This complete guide will take you straight to the top destinations, packed with all info you need about every Zanzibar rooftop worth a visit: opening hours, dress codes, pics, maps and much more.

Most of the rooftops are found on top of hotels in the historical Stone Town, but there are gems all across the island. And the altitude make them perfect spots to catch the iconic Zanzibar sunset. Just scroll down and find the Zanzibar rooftop bar best suited for you.

The list

7 best rooftop bars in Zanzibar

Quick LinksZanzibar rooftop bars

1.Rooftops at Z Hotel
2.The 5th at Upendo House
3.Emerson on Hurumzi Rooftop Tea House
4.HI Zanzibar
5.Taarab Restaurant and Bar
6.Zanzibar Blues – Roof Top Experience at Jafferji House & Spa
7.Curry House at Golden Tulip

Rooftop bar Zanzibar Rooftops at Z Hotel in Zanzibar — 1

Rooftops at Z Hotel

$$$ | 2nd floor | Nungwi

Highlights

Sunset views

Multi-level

Global food

Situated along Nungwi Beach, Z Hotel offers a multi-level drinking and dining experience, called Cinnamon & Rooftops. With the lower level Cinnamon set up as a restaurant, the top floor and open-air Rooftops comes with both dining tables and plenty of comfy lounge sofas. Perfect to lean back and enjoy **amazing views over the ocean**. Extra amazing during the magical sunset. Enjoy a global food menu and a fully stocked bar, and visit for a sunny lunch or casual ocean-view dinner, or come enjoy daily happy hour cocktails and DJs several nights a week.

Everything you need to know

Rooftop bar Zanzibar The 5th at Upendo House in Zanzibar — 2

The 5th at Upendo House

$$$ | 5th floor | Stone Town

Highlights

Crafted cocktails

Infinity pool

Weekend brunch

Authentic, hip and chic, the boutique hotel Upendo House offers a modern and **crafted rooftop experience** hard to find anywhere else in Zanzibar. Called The 5th, this is both a rooftop cocktail bar and a rooftop restaurant, surrounded with amazing views over Stone Town and the ocean. Here you can settle down in some of the comfy lounge spots by the rooftop infinity pool and enjoy crafted signature cocktails, or head to the rooftop restaurant for dishes made by mixing Indian, Swahili and Mediterranean gastronomy.

Everything you need to know

Rooftop bar Zanzibar Emerson on Hurumzi Rooftop Tea House in Zanzibar — 3

Emerson on Hurumzi Rooftop Tea House

$$$ | 5th floor | Stone Town

Highlights

Initmate & charming

360° views

Lunch & dinner

Located ion top of a beautiful building, right in the heart of Stone Town, the initmate and charming Rooftop Tea House Restaurant comes equipped with seating on cushions by a low table or on regular height seats, all surrounded with **breathtaking 360° views** of Stone Town and the Indian Ocean. Open for both lunch and dinner, the very best time to visit the rooftop is probably towards night, with the evening dining experience including dinner, as well as cocktails to the sunset views and traditional Taarab performances. Reservations are mandatory.

Everything you need to know

Play

7 Spectacular Rooftop Bars in Zanzibar

Rooftop bar Zanzibar HI Zanzibar in Zanzibar — 4

HI Zanzibar

$$$ | 3rd floor | Paje

Highlights

Boho-inspired

Chill days & vibrant nights

Rooftop pool

Found at the The Power Villa Hotel in Paje, the boho-inspired HI Zanzibar is set over two floors, starting with HI Restaurant, continuing up to the open-air HI Skybar. Blending with the beautiful surroundings, the rooftop comes with natural and chic bamboo lounge spots and bar stools, as well as a small but refreshing rooftop pool. Open daily from noon to midnight, HI Skybar offers a cool, beachside atmosphere, where you can **chill during the day and party at night**. In between, you can also enjoy the 5-7pm sundowner happy hour.

Everything you need to know

Rooftop bar Zanzibar Taarab Restaurant and Bar in Zanzibar — 5

Taarab Restaurant and Bar

$$$ | 6th floor | Stone Town

Highlights

All day

Stylish

International dishes

Perched on top of the DoubleTree By Hilton Zanzibar, Taarab Restaurant and Bar offers **a stylish setting** for dining and drinking all day long. Open from breakfast through á la carte lunch and dinner, the rooftop mixes indoor seating with an al fresco terrace, where you can look out over both Stone Town and the Indian Ocean. The rooftop menu includes International fusion and seafood dishes, from flavours of Zanzibar to pasta and catch of the day. There is also a full bar menu with cocktails, mocktails, spirits, wine and beer.

Everything you need to know

Rooftop bar Zanzibar Zanzibar Blues – Roof Top Experience at Jafferji House & Spa in Zanzibar — 6

Zanzibar Blues – Roof Top Experience at Jafferji House & Spa

$$$ | 3rd floor | Stone Town

Highlights

All day

Panoramic views

Swahili cuisine

The boutique hotel Jafferji House & Spa, set in the heart of the historical Stone Town, comes with a colorful top floor venue called the Terrace Rooftop Restaurant. The intimate terrace offers panoramic views over the ocean and Stone Town’s most historic sites, and here you can enjoy **'Swahili Style' fusion**, which means local Swahili cuisine infused with a continental twist. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, where Friday nights also include traditional Zanzibari music.

Everything you need to know

Rooftop bar Zanzibar Curry House at Golden Tulip in Zanzibar — 7

Curry House at Golden Tulip

$$$ | 3rd floor | Stone Town

Highlights

Friendly

Seasonal menu

Fantastic views

Curry House is warm and friendly **day-to-night rooftop restaurant**, offering classic dining tables both under cover and open-air, all surrounded with fantastic views over the ocean and the Stone Town rooftops. Up here you can enjoy a fresh and seasonally influenced menu, including everything from Indian and Chinese dishes, to more local creations. With an intimate and relaxed atmosphere, the rooftop is a great spot to gather friends and family for an al fresco meal with a view.

Everything you need to know

Hans Ebenman

Hans has visited over 500 rooftop bars, 200 rooftop pools and 300 rooftop restaurants since 2015. This vast experience has made Hans a true rooftop expert, and one of the most knowledgeable in the field. Today, numerous of travel magazines, bloggers and media websites contact Hans to get his expertise on rooftops.

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City info

Rooftop bar Zanzibar

Rooftop-grade: 6/10

Prime season: Year round

Residents: 1,5 millions

Climate: tropical monsoon

Found off the coast of mainland Tanzania, Zanzibar offers a climate that is warm year round, so the Zanzibar rooftop bars can stay open no matter the season.

The rooftops are mainly found in the historical Stone Town of Zanzibar City, but there are elevated venues all around Zanzibar. Most of them are perched on top of modern hotels, and many of the serve as fantastic vantage points to take in the famous Zanzibar sunset.

About Zanzibar

Zanzibar actually consist of several islands in the archipelago outside Tanzania, but the largest one (Unguja) is usually referred to informally as Zanzibar. Tourism is one of the main industries here, and it is easy to understand with all the fantastic beaches, the incredible nature and the rich wildlife. Zanzibar has an airport, but many also travle here by the ferry from Dar es Salaam.

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Zanzibar Rooftop Guide