In 1850, a wealthy merchant from Oman built a five-storey townhouse on Hurumzi Street in the heart of Stone Town. The house reflected the cosmopolitan ambition of its era: carved wooden doors from the Gujarat coast of India, high ceilings to catch the sea breeze, ornate plasterwork from Persian craftsmen, and a rooftop that commanded views over the entire medina. A century and a half later, that rooftop has become Zanzibar's most atmospheric dining destination. The building is now the Emerson on Hurumzi hotel, and its Tea House restaurant — the highest rooftop in Stone Town — offers an evening that makes history available as a dinner companion.
The format is a set three-course menu at $40 per person excluding drinks, served from 7pm with an arrival window from 6pm to catch the sunset. Diners sit on cushions and large Persian rugs laid across the rooftop, low tables spread with brass lamps and lanterns, the surrounding rooftops of Stone Town visible in every direction and the Indian Ocean visible beyond the minarets. As the light fades and the city shifts from gold to indigo, the musicians from the Dhow Countries Music Academy begin to play taarab — the traditional music of Zanzibar, which draws on Arabic, Indian and East African roots in equal measure — in the courtyard below.
The food follows the building's geography: spices drawn from the Arab, Persian and East African trade routes that made Stone Town's fortune. Coconut and tamarind, cardamom and cloves, cumin-scented lentils beside grilled ocean fish, slow-braised meats with pilau rice from a recipe that predates the colonial period. The kitchen executes with care and genuine knowledge, and the result is a menu that would be good anywhere and is transcendent in this context. This is the companion property to Emerson Spice, which operates a similar rooftop experience with its own distinct character. Both are essential; this one has the edge in raw atmosphere.
Booking is essential and must be made at least one day in advance. The restaurant does not take walk-ins during the evening dinner service. The experience runs approximately two and a half hours and is not shortened — this is not a table you leave early. The wine list is modest; the cocktails are better; the Zanzibar Spiced Old Fashioned is the only sensible choice to begin an evening here. Arrive at 6pm and stay until the music ends.