Emerson Spice Rooftop
Emerson Spice is a restored 19th-century merchant house on Tharia Street that operates as a boutique hotel with one of Stone Town's finest rooftop dining experiences. The rooftop holds about 30-40 diners across low tables with cushioned floor seating, all arranged to face the ocean. Dinner is a fixed multi-course menu of Zanzibari cuisine, served nightly with advance reservation required. The setting is intimate by design. Lanterns provide the lighting, the ocean breeze replaces air conditioning, and the rooftop's low walls frame views across Stone Town's corrugated iron and coral stone skyline to the water beyond. Prices run TZS 60,000-80,000 ($24-32) per person for the dinner experience, which includes multiple courses. The bar serves cocktails and wine before and after dinner. The crowd is food-focused travelers, honeymoon couples, and visitors celebrating special occasions. This is Stone Town's most refined evening experience, closer to a private dinner party than a restaurant.
What to Expect
You climb narrow stairs through a beautifully restored merchant house, past antique furniture and Zanzibari art, to a rooftop that opens to the sky. Low tables are set with cushions and lanterns. The ocean is visible beyond the rooftops. You sit cross-legged or recline on cushions while courses arrive one at a time, each explained by the server. The pace is slow and intentional. The sounds of Stone Town drift up from below.
Intimate, candlelit, and quietly spectacular. The rooftop setting, the cushions, the lanterns, and the slow pace of service create an evening that feels separated from the tourist bustle below.
Traditional taarab (live or recorded) and ambient Zanzibari music. Volume is minimal. Conversation and the environment are the soundtrack.
Smart casual. Linen, flowing fabrics, and sandals work well. The floor-seating means tight clothing is impractical. The atmosphere is elegant but unfussy.
Couples, food-focused travelers, special occasions, anyone wanting Stone Town's most memorable dining experience
Cash (TZS) and cards accepted. USD accepted at the hotel. Reserve and confirm payment method when booking.
Price Range
Dinner TZS 60,000-80,000 per person (fixed menu), cocktails TZS 15,000-25,000, wine TZS 12,000-25,000 per glass
Dinner ~$24-32 / EUR 22-29.30, cocktails ~$6-10 / EUR 5.50-9.15
Hours
Rooftop dinner daily from 6:30 PM, last seating 8 PM. Bar from 5 PM. Reservations required for dinner.
Insider Tip
Book dinner at least 24 hours in advance during high season; same-day is possible in low season. Request a railing seat when booking. Arrive at 5:30 PM for a pre-dinner cocktail and sunset. The fixed menu changes based on market availability; dietary restrictions can be accommodated with advance notice. Bring cash for tips.
Full Review
Emerson Spice is Stone Town's signature dining experience, and it earns the reputation through careful attention to setting rather than culinary pyrotechnics. The food is good. The rooftop is extraordinary.
The physical space matters more here than at any other venue in Zanzibar. The merchant house has been restored with genuine care, and climbing the stairs to the rooftop builds anticipation. Each floor reveals more of the building's history: carved doorways, antique furniture, Zanzibari artwork. The rooftop itself is simple. Cushions, low tables, lanterns, and the sky. The Indian Ocean fills the western horizon. Stone Town's rooftops, studded with satellite dishes and drying laundry alongside coral stone ornaments, spread in every direction.
The dinner is a fixed menu that changes with market availability. Expect five to seven courses of Zanzibari cuisine: spiced soups, pilau rice, grilled seafood, curried vegetables, tropical fruit desserts. The cooking draws from the island's Omani, Indian, and Swahili traditions. Individual dishes range from very good to merely pleasant, but the progression of courses over two hours, each served with an explanation, creates a cumulative experience that transcends any single plate.
The limitation is capacity. Thirty to forty seats means the rooftop sells out during high season. Reservations are not optional. The intimate scale also means service is personal. Your server knows your name, remembers your drinks, and paces the courses to your conversation.
The price, TZS 60,000-80,000 ($24-32) per person, is Stone Town's highest for dinner but would be unremarkable in any European city. For the setting, the food, and the experience, it represents strong value.
Emerson Spice is not a bar. You don't come here to party. You come here for an evening that you'll describe to people for years, and on that metric, it delivers consistently.
The Neighborhood
Emerson Spice is on Tharia Street in the interior of Stone Town, a few blocks from the waterfront. The building is marked but easy to miss in the maze of alleys. Tatu nightclub operates nearby under the related Emerson on Hurumzi hotel. The Forodhani Gardens are a 5-minute walk. Mercury's and Africa House are both within 10 minutes on foot.
Getting There
On Tharia Street in Stone Town. Walkable from anywhere in the old town. The hotel sends directions and a contact number when you book. From the ferry terminal, walk south along Mizingani Road and turn inland; the hotel staff can guide you by phone if needed. No vehicle access to this part of Stone Town.
Address
Tharia Street, Stone Town, Zanzibar
Other Venues in Stone Town
Mercury's
Named after Freddie Mercury, who was born in Stone Town. Waterfront bar and restaurant facing the ocean. Live music some evenings, cold beer, and a reliable tourist atmosphere. Beer TZS 4,000-6,000.
Tatu
Stone Town's primary late-night venue. A small nightclub below the Emerson on Hurumzi hotel with DJs, dancing, and a mixed crowd of tourists and locals. Entry TZS 10,000-15,000.
Africa House Hotel
Colonial-era hotel with a famous sunset terrace overlooking the Indian Ocean. The rooftop bar is Stone Town's most popular sundowner spot. Cocktails TZS 15,000-25,000.
Livingstone Beach Restaurant
Waterfront bar and restaurant south of the Old Fort with beach seating, seafood, and live music on select nights. A relaxed alternative to the rooftop scene. Beer TZS 4,000-6,000.
Zanzibar Coffee House
Boutique hotel with a rooftop terrace serving coffee by day and cocktails by night. Intimate setting with no more than 20 seats. Cocktails TZS 12,000-20,000.