Garden City and TRM: Where to Eat

Quick answer

For food at Garden City Mall on Thika Road, Cottlink lists Mambo Italia for pizza, pasta and gelato and Big Square for crispy chicken, burgers and ribs, both on the first floor. Nearby, Castle Gardens Hotel off Exit 7 serves nyama choma in a garden, and Cake City at Thika Road Mall sells cakes. Call to book.

The malls along the Thika Road superhighway are where many Kasarani, Roysambu, Zimmerman and Githurai families eat out at weekends. Our Kasarani food guide covers spots on Kasarani-Mwiki Road and around the stadium. This guide is about the mall side of Thika Road: Garden City Mall, Thika Road Mall (TRM) and the garden venue at Exit 7, with each listing's floor, menu highlights, published hours and phone number.

Which restaurants are at Garden City Mall?

Cottlink lists two first-floor restaurants at Garden City Mall on Thika Road: Mambo Italia Garden City, an Italian restaurant for pizza, fresh pasta and gelato, and Big Square Garden City, a casual-dining branch known for crispy fried chicken, burgers, ribs and pizza. Both suit family meals after shopping and list a booking number.

Mambo Italia Garden City, First Floor, Garden City Mall, Thika Road. Artisan pizza, fresh pasta and gelato in a casual setting, with lasagne, butternut ravioli, a vegan pizza option and a gelato burger among its published highlights. Eat in, take away or order delivery. Open Monday to Saturday 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM and Sunday 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM. Call 0709 670 000. See Mambo Italia Garden City on Cottlink.
Big Square Garden City, First Floor, Garden City Mall, Thika Road. Part of an 11-branch Nairobi chain built around crispy fried chicken, with beef burgers, BBQ pork ribs, grilled chicken, Pizza Mojo pizzas, salads, breakfasts, coffee, milkshakes and cocktails. Same-day delivery can be ordered online. Pays by M-Pesa, cash, Visa or Mastercard; call to confirm the day's hours. Call 0780 202 073. See Big Square Garden City on Cottlink.

Where can I eat nyama choma near Garden City?

For nyama choma near Garden City on Thika Road, Cottlink lists Castle Gardens Hotel on Garden Estate Road, off Exit 7. It serves grilled meat platters of chicken, lamb ribs and beef in a garden with gazebos and bars, plus African and continental dishes, and its listing shows it open 24 hours a day.

Castle Gardens Hotel, Garden Estate Road, off Thika Road at Exit 7. A hotel, restaurant and garden venue with nyama choma sharing platters, indoor and outdoor seating, quieter garden sections and hotel rooms. It hosts weddings, birthdays, graduations, baby showers and corporate meetings with in-house catering. Call 0794 883 272. See Castle Gardens Hotel on Cottlink.

Castle Gardens is easy to reach from the CBD or Kasarani by taking the superhighway and turning off at Exit 7 for Garden Estate Road. For a group, call ahead and ask for a quieter garden section if you want to talk, because music livens up the evenings. The listing also gives a second reservations line on the business page.

For a celebration cake to take along, Cake City TRM inside Thika Road Mall is also listed on Cottlink (call 0717 204 590).

More about eating at Garden City and Exit 7

Mambo Italia is one of three Mambo Italia restaurants in Nairobi, alongside the Westlands branch at Rivaan Centre and the Lavington branch. At Garden City the room is set up for many kinds of visit: a quick espresso while shopping, a business lunch, an early-evening aperitivo or a family dinner after the shops. Pizzas range from simple classics to topping-heavy favourites, with salads, coffee and drinks to round things out.

Big Square traces its story to a 13-year effort to perfect crispy fried chicken, and that is still its signature. The Garden City branch is convenient for people coming from Kasarani, Roysambu, Ruiru and Githurai, and its specialty coffee and breakfast dishes make it work for a morning meeting as well as an evening meal.

Castle Gardens Hotel serves food indoors in the restaurant and outside around the gardens, with bars and gazebos spread across the grounds. African and continental menus sit alongside the nyama choma, and the kitchen builds sharing platters for groups. Hotel rooms are available for guests who want to stay over after a late celebration.

Which Thika Road spot suits which occasion?

Match the Thika Road venue to the plan. On Cottlink, Mambo Italia at Garden City suits a relaxed Italian dinner or a business lunch; Big Square suits a quick family meal with burgers, chicken and milkshakes; Castle Gardens off Exit 7 suits groups, nyama choma, late meals and events.

Kids after shopping: Big Square or Mambo Italia, both inside Garden City Mall.
Office lunch: Mambo Italia, which opens at 11:30 AM daily.
Late-night meal: Castle Gardens, listed as open 24 hours.
A party or ceremony: Castle Gardens hosts events with in-house catering.

How do I book a table or order delivery on Thika Road?

Call the number on each Cottlink listing for Thika Road venues at Garden City, TRM or Exit 7. Mambo Italia takes table bookings through its central number and offers delivery; Big Square takes online orders for same-day delivery; Castle Gardens takes table, room and event bookings by phone.

Give your name, time, group size and any seating preference.
For events, ask what the package includes and get it in writing.
Pay only to the business's own till, paybill or card machine.

Frequently asked questions

Is there Italian food at Garden City Mall?

Yes. Mambo Italia Garden City serves pizza, pasta and gelato on the first floor.

Does Big Square deliver around Kasarani?

Big Square lists same-day delivery ordered online from the Garden City outlet.

Is Castle Gardens open at night?

Its Cottlink listing shows it open 24 hours a day, every day.

Is there parking at Garden City Mall?

Mambo Italia's listing notes the mall's large car park, which makes it easy to drive in from Thika Road.

Own this listing? Claim it. If you run one of the restaurants named here, or another restaurant in Kasarani and along Thika Road, claim your business on Cottlink to update your hours, services, photos and phone number so customers always reach the right person. Questions or corrections? Email listings@cottlink.com or call 0704625414.