Where to Eat Near Naro Moru
If you’re looking for a resort restaurant near Naromoru and Nanyuki that delivers on fresh, vegetarian, and made-to-order dining — not just an afterthought salad bar at the buffet — we built Jaqanaz around exactly that idea. Our kitchen sources produce from our own farms and from local growers we know and trust, and prepares it to order, so vegetarian travelers and anyone who cares about what’s on their plate aren’t treated as an afterthought here. Add a guest-loved buffet, an à la carte menu built around our signature Stuffed Chicken, a full-service sports bar, and nightly music, and your Jaqanaz dining experience matches the rest of the resort — set between snow-capped Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Ranges, two hours from Nairobi.
Fresh From the Land, Made When You Order It
For guests who want more say over what’s on their plate — vegetarians especially — we offer a fresh, made-to-order option: tell us what you’d like from what’s available fresh from the land, and our kitchen prepares it when you order it, not before. If a guest has a dietary preference or an allergy, our kitchen works to accommodate it rather than treat it as an inconvenience. That commitment to freshness shows up across the menu, from our Mushroom and Sweet Corn Soup, made with Nanyuki-grown mushrooms, to our Tomato Basil Soup, made with oven-roasted Kenyan plum tomatoes.
It’s a real point of difference in this market. Vegetarian travelers researching resorts around Nanyuki will find plenty of reviews complaining about thin, repetitive vegetarian options. At Jaqanaz, the vegetarian menu runs deep — Vegetable Pizza, Palak Makhani, Tawa Paneer, Thai Lumpia Vegetable Rolls, a dedicated Vegetarian Sandwich, Ala-Carpesse and Classic Greek salads, pasta aglio e olio, and a full “Healthier Corner” of fresh vegetable juices and our Githeri Special — most of which can also be prepared fresh from the land, to order, on request.
Our Signature: Stuffed Chicken
If there’s one dish worth trying at Jaqanaz, it’s our Stuffed Chicken. What goes into it is a well-guarded secret between our kitchen and the guests who order it — it’s an experience meant to be discovered at the table, not described beforehand.
Our Kitchen and the Buffet
Our buffet is consistently one of the most popular parts of a stay here, led by our head chef and kitchen team. All guests on B&B, half-board, or full-board get complimentary access to breakfast, with a choice of our Continental, American, or Jaqanaz Healthier Breakfast — fresh fruit, baked goods, hot dishes, cereals, and a choice of coffee, tea, and juice. Beyond breakfast, the à la carte menu runs from char-grilled steaks and sizzling platters to fresh lake fish (red snapper, trout, tilapia), an Indian corner (Palak Makhani, Tawa Paneer, Chicken Makhan, Mutton Biryani), wood-fired pizza, pasta, and a dedicated children’s menu. It’s a rotating showcase of local and international dishes — the kind of meal guests come back from the pool to sample.
The Bar and Sports Bar
Our sports bar and restaurant share the same relaxed atmosphere, offering a more laid-back option after a day of ziplining, hiking, or the pool. Our mixologists, trained to a professional standard, mix classic drinks and signature cocktails to order — a Mojito, a Whiskey Sour, our own Jaqanaz Classic Lemonade — alongside a wide selection of whiskeys, spirits, beers, and wines. Evening entertainment is part of the experience too: a resident DJ plays nightly, with live bands on select evenings, including our bonfire nights.
Dining for Every Kind of Guest
- Families: a dedicated kids’ menu (fish fingers, chicken nuggets, kiddy pasta bolognaise), family-friendly options alongside the main buffet, and poolside service for guests who’d rather not leave the water.
- Couples: a quieter setting in the main restaurant in the evenings, with steak, prime cuts, and dessert options such as tiramisu and warm apple pie.
- Corporate & MICE groups: full-board catering and buffet packages for conferences across our three halls — Tai, Tausi, and Penguin — accommodating up to 200 delegates, with fresh and vegetarian options available on request. Packages are customized to group size and requirements — reach out for details.
How Jaqanaz Compares
Most resorts around Naromoru and Nanyuki offer a version of the same thing — a buffet, a restaurant, a bar — described in similar terms of “local and international cuisine.” Few offer a genuinely made-to-order vegetarian dining experience, and reviews for at least one nearby resort point to guests struggling to find enough vegetarian variety to suit their needs. Jaqanaz’s fresh-from-the-land, prepared-to-order approach, paired with a genuinely extensive vegetarian menu and a signature dish of its own, is built to close that gap — without giving up the buffet-and-bar experience guests expect from a full resort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Jaqanaz Resort offer vegetarian dining?
Yes, and it’s more than a token section. Choose from Vegetable Pizza, Palak Makhani, Tawa Paneer, Thai Lumpia Vegetable Rolls, a dedicated Vegetarian Sandwich, and a full “Healthier Corner” of fresh vegetable juices — or opt for our made-to-order option, where you select from what’s available fresh from the land and our kitchen prepares it for you.
What is Jaqanaz Resort’s signature dish?
Our Stuffed Chicken — a preparation unique to our kitchen. What’s inside is a well-guarded secret, best discovered at the table.
Is there entertainment during dinner at Jaqanaz?
Yes. A resident DJ performs nightly, and we host live bands on select evenings, including our bonfire nights.
Can Jaqanaz cater full-board meals for a corporate retreat or MICE group?
Yes. We offer full-board dining and buffet packages for delegates in our conference halls (Tai, Tausi, Penguin — up to 200 people), with fresh and vegetarian options available on request and packages customized to your group’s size.
Is there poolside food and drink service at Jaqanaz?
Yes, poolside service is available at our heated half-Olympic pool, so you can enjoy drinks and light snacks without leaving the water.
What meal plans are available at Jaqanaz?
We offer B&B, half-board, and full-board meal plans, with inclusions varying by package — reach out to our team for current offers and details.
