The Verdict
Victoria 22 is the restaurant Mark and Manuela opened at 22 Victoria Drive in 1996, after years cooking on the Mombasa coast of Kenya. He is German, she is Italian, and they run it as a family business: their sons Lucas and Matthias added the Wine Bar in 2020, and their daughter Michelle hosts the Boutique on 22 rooms next door.
It is widely rated among Harare’s best dining rooms, set in a colonial-era home with gardens and a pool. The kitchen plays a broad European and international menu, anchored by the tomahawk steak with pepper sauce; a rump steak runs about US$26. Some find the prices steep for Harare, which is the point of the room.
The Kitchen
Mark and Manuela have cooked Victoria 22 since 1996, and the menu reads as a broad European and international card rather than a single tradition: seafood curry, oxtail, pork medallions wrapped in bacon, duck spring rolls. The dish guests name first is the tomahawk steak with pepper sauce, carved for the table; a rump steak with fries runs about US$26, which sits at the higher end for the city. Sons Lucas and Matthias built the adjoining Wine Bar in 2020, broadening the list, and desserts such as the chocolate delight close most meals. The cooking is consistent and generous, the reason the room has held its standing for nearly thirty years.
The Room
Victoria 22 occupies a colonial-era home at 22 Victoria Drive, with dining spilling onto a garden terrace beside a pool. The setting is the draw: mature gardens, warm lighting and a sense of a private house rather than a commercial floor. The family added the Wine Bar in 2020 for a more relaxed corner, and the Boutique on 22 rooms next door make it a small compound. The mood is unhurried and hospitable, sized for couples, families and small parties marking something.
Best for a Special Occasion
Book Victoria 22 for a special occasion or an out-of-town guest you want to impress in Harare. The garden setting, the family welcome and the tomahawk steak make it the city’s default celebration table, and the Wine Bar gives a softer landing for drinks first. It suits couples, families and small business dinners that want the best room in town.
Not For
Not for a quick or cheap lunch. Victoria 22 runs at the top of Harare’s price range, the menu changes little, and the pace is leisurely in a garden setting built for lingering. Skip it if you want fast, casual or budget, or if a fixed, unchanging menu would put you off on a repeat visit.
Reservations
Victoria 22 takes bookings by phone and through its website at 22 Victoria Drive, and weekend evenings fill, so reserve ahead and ask for a garden table. Prices sit at the higher end for Harare; a rump steak runs about US$26 and the tomahawk more, before wine. The Wine Bar is the spot for drinks before dinner; dress is smart-casual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Victoria 22 worth it?
Victoria 22 is worth it for a special-occasion dinner in Harare, where it is widely rated the city’s best table. Mark and Manuela have run it since 1996, the garden setting in a colonial home is the draw, and the tomahawk steak with pepper sauce headlines. Prices sit at the top of the local range, so it is a celebration choice.
What should I order at Victoria 22?
Order the tomahawk steak with pepper sauce, the dish guests name first, carved for the table. The broad menu also runs to seafood curry, oxtail and duck spring rolls, and a rump steak with fries comes in around US$26. Finish with the chocolate dessert, and start with a drink in the Wine Bar the family added in 2020.
Where is Victoria 22 in Harare?
Victoria 22 is at 22 Victoria Drive, Harare, set in a colonial-era home with gardens and a pool. The same family compound holds the Wine Bar, opened in 2020, and the Boutique on 22 rooms next door. It is a short drive from the city centre; reservations are advised, especially on weekend evenings.
Who owns Victoria 22?
Victoria 22 is owned and run by the family of Mark and Manuela. Mark, from Germany, and Manuela, from Italy, opened it in 1996 after cooking on Kenya’s Mombasa coast. Their sons Lucas and Matthias created the adjoining Wine Bar in 2020, and their daughter Michelle hosts the Boutique on 22 guest rooms, making it a family-run business across three decades.
Also in Harare
Explore the full Harare dining guide, or compare it with Amanzi and La Fontaine. See our steakhouse and fine dining guides, and the best restaurants to impress clients.