Kampala Restaurant Week 2025 Delivers Culinary Magic And Community Spirit

Over 10,000 diners explore Kampala’s food scene in 10 days of flavour, fun, and foodie discovery

For ten vibrant days, the heartbeat of Kampala pulsed through kitchens, dining tables, and laughter-filled conversations as over 10,000 food lovers turned out for the 2025 edition of Kampala Restaurant Week, a culinary celebration that transformed the city into a buffet of creativity, culture, and connection.

Now in its ninth year, the festival has grown into more than just a food event; it’s a lifestyle statement, encouraging Kampala’s residents to break out of routine, explore hidden gems, and indulge in memorable dining experiences without breaking the bank.

Whether it was a cosy hangout over grilled tilapia at The Local in Kyanja, an Instagram-worthy sushi platter at Yujo Izakaya, or a high-powered business lunch at La Patisserie, the offerings were as diverse as the city itself. From traditional Ugandan ingredients reimagined with modern flair to exotic international cuisine, the 30+ participating restaurants gave Kampala a taste of its own rising culinary identity.

“Kampala Restaurant Week is a journey — not just of food, but of discovery,” said Isaac Langoli, Project Manager at The Pearl Guide, the event’s main organiser. “Together with our partners, we created a dining experience that celebrated creativity, accessibility, and community.”

New to this year’s experience was the digital Foodie Passport, a gamified addition that allowed diners to collect stamps and rewards as they visited different venues. “It added a playful layer to the event while also giving us insight into diner behaviour,” Langoli noted. The passport logged more than 10,000 unique dining experiences, showing just how hungry Kampala was for this kind of food-focused fun.

Standout venues in this year’s lineup included Explorer Restaurant at Kampala Serena Hotel, Molecule, Aldea, Golden Hill, The Hickory, Tehila’s, The Aleph, and Latitude 0, among others — each showcasing signature dishes and specially curated menus that ranged from three-course indulgence to casual bites with flair.

To keep the good times flowing, event sponsors played a delicious supporting role: Tusker Cider offered crisp refreshment, Coca-Cola brought its timeless fizz, and Rwenzori ensured hydration amidst all the indulgence. Stanbic Bank Uganda, through its FlexiPay platform, added financial flavour by rewarding diners with instant cashback for every meal paid digitally.

Of course, no event is without its hiccups. Organisers acknowledged that a few participating restaurants fell short in service or consistency, but emphasised that guest feedback is being taken seriously to improve future editions. “Every year is a lesson,” said Langoli. “We’re building something bigger than just a festival — we’re helping shape Kampala’s identity as a food capital.”

And it shows. From the bustling energy in dining rooms to the stories shared over plates and the Instagram posts that captured it all, Kampala Restaurant Week 2025 was a flavorful reminder that food is more than sustenance — it’s celebration, expression, and community.

As Kampala’s food scene continues to mature, events like this are a delicious promise: that the best meals and moments are still to come.

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