Spring Valley Artisan Coffee: Restaurant Review

It's a cold winter here - for Nairobians, at least. Stormy weather, cloudy skies, the occasional downpour - you get the picture. I took a few days off work, and thought that it'd be perfect weather to head to one of my favourite coffee & waffle joints for breakfast with my sister - and finally get a review in. The place is owned by two friends - but don't worry, I made sure to make this review as unbiased as possible!

Tucked away in a little corner at the Spring Valley Petrol Station on Lower Kabete Road in Nairobi, you may be forgiven for not realising that there's a cafe in there. In fact, the location may be one of the only complaints I have - not because of the way it looks, but because of the difficulty in finding parking. (Luckily for all of us, they'll be opening up another branch soon, so that should take care of vehicular woes!) Their coffee is already quite popular in Kenya, with the cafe almost being a 'side' to that.

The decor is chic and eclectic, perfectly suited to a rainy day - and with the opportunity to actually buy some of the pieces!

Their menu is heavily focused on coffee and waffles (as you can see below). Lots sounded tempting, but alas - we had to choose. Sitting down to breakfast, I noticed that the only savoury item on the menu is the cheese pie, so perhaps adding more savoury for those among us who don't eat as many sweet things may be a good idea.

My sister chose a cappuccino while I went for the latte - and to eat, she chose a cheese pie, while I went for a waffle (no surprises here) with strawberries and maple syrup.

My sister loved her coffee, and said that it had a perfect aroma! I felt similarly about mine, and honestly think that it's one of the best lattes I've had in (or around) Nairobi. Weirdly enough, while drinking that coffee, I got that 'comfort food' feeling - coupled with the cold weather and the jazz playing in the background, this meant that I went righhhht back to bed for a lovely nap after this breakfast!

Now for the food...

Their cheese pie is so good that it should be illegal. The pastry was just right, the flavour of cheese was perfect (but not overwhelming), and it didn't drip with fat which can be such a turn off. I tried a bite of my sister's - and immediately craved my own. Luckily, I had a chance to get one because she tried a bite of my waffle and decided she wanted half, so we got the best of both worlds :)

Now for their waffle. Oh. My. Goodness. Crispy but still fluffy enough, sweet but not sickeningly so, flavoured with the goodness of cinnamon - this waffle had it all. I'm salivating just writing about it! I honestly think that their waffles are the second best in Nairobi - and the best for vegans! Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that their waffles are vegan?

Overall verdict? If you haven't been here yet, you're definitely missing out! If you have, you probably have a smug smile on your face right now because you're in on the secret. Despite parking woes, the location is extremely convenient, the service is fast and friendly (if a little shy :) ), the food is great, the coffee is even better.... do I need to go on?

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