Budget
Roast House in the city centre facing the matatu station on Tom Mboya Rd. Regular local prices with more selection, excellent food, friendly service. Very busy at lunchtime.
Habesha near Ya Ya center- great Ethipian food for around 5-6 USD
Midrange
Nairobi has a fantastic array of mid-range eateries.
Mesob is an authentic Ethiopian restaurant located at the China Centre on Ngong Road near the Chinese embassy. Meals cost around Ksh 500 and the food is excellent.
Java House, with quite a few locations, including The Junction, ABC Place, and close to the United Nations, features a western coffee house menu, from bagels to burritos, with excellent coffees and milkshakes, and a full breakfast menu. 500KSh-750 for a complete meal. Another popular coffeehouse is Dormans
Trattoria is an Italian restaurant. Do not expect anything decent when it comes to the mains all around 700KSh. However, there is a fabulous and extensive dessert menu, including crepes, tiramisu, souffle, and a coffee granita with fresh cream 250KSh-500.
Motherland, is an authentic Ethiopian restaurant with great and affordable food typical of Ethiopian restaurants in Nairobi!.
Havana Bar, Woodvale Grove, Westlands. Popular bar and restaurant with a laid-back Latin theme. Renowned for their sizzling Fajitas, steaks and seafood dishes. Reasonably priced. The kitchen is open daily from noon til late. (http://www.havana.co.ke) Tel: 020-4450653
Village Market Food Court, Has an array of different ethnic cuisines, including Thai, Italian, Chinese and German, as well as a Mongolian Barbeque. Good prices as well. Venture further into Village Market to find a good Japanese restaurant as well, though with slightly steeper prices. There are also food courts at other malls in the city.
Nairobi has a wide range of Indian restaurants that speaks to the significant South Asian community in Kenya. The city also offers other restaurants specializing in different European and Asian cuisine.
Common fast food restaurants include Steers, Debonairs, Wimpy, Galito's, local favourite, Kenchic among others.
In addition, there are several local restaurants that cater to local cuisine like sukuma wiki green spinach-like vegetable, 'Kale' in English, ugali corn bread, ground maize flour and made to a tasty white bread/porridge form, nyama choma lit: meat roast, chapati, and other specialties.
Top end
The Carnivore, located just outside the city, close to the Uhuru Gardens, is a luxury restaurant famous for its meats. In 2006, the restaurant was listed as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world. Once seated, different masai grilled meats will be carried around on sticks and carved to your plate at request. Very expensive by Kenyan standards, beware of additional taxes and catering levys. Reservations might be a good idea, ask at your hotel.
Furusato, located in Westlands, has fantastic Japanese food. For a price.
The Rusty Nail, in Karen, has been super in the past, but mediocre of late. No reason not to give it another chance.
The Lord Errol, past Village Market and into Runda, is said to have very good food, and is popular with the expat crowd.
"Moonflower," on State House hill at the Palacina hotel, is a very upscale bistro / fusion / grill restaurant in a lovely outdoor setting. Fantastic food.
"Pango Brasserie" at the Fairview Hotel features upscale french and continental dishes. Dinner begins in an underground stone wine cellar where the chef will send out complimentary tasters while you sip a bottle of wine of your choice.
"Alan Bobbe's Bistro" is a venerable, legendary restaurant now located on Rhapta Road near St. Marys School. Founded in 1962, the restaurant features French haute cuisine at about a third of what you would pay in Paris!