There’s something about Karen that slows time. On this particular afternoon, as my friend Prof Rebecca Wambua and I walk through the wrought-iron gates of the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden, I cannot help feeling that I am stepping into a living memory.
The estate feels like a story retold in whispers – cobblestone paths, red-tiled roofs, the gentle chatter of guests under acacia shade. Birds trill somewhere near the hedges as we make my way to Hattons Lounge, one of three dining spaces here. Inside, mahogany tones and warm lighting embrace you like an old friend.
What started in 2022 as Hattons Lounge, the heart of the property, has now blossomed into Babette’s Restaurant and The Atrium, each space a different note in the same melody. Hattons whispers nostalgia, Babette’s sings artistry, while the Atrium hums with easy laughter and jazz.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
Then there is the Atrium, where I wander later. Sunlight filters through glass and vines, landing softly on tables where families laugh over brunch. Jazz hums in the background. It is the Nairobi of today, a vibrant, self-assured, yet rooted.
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden foundation rests on the legacy of ‘Out of Africa’, with its location on Karen Blixen’s former coffee estate, where history, storytelling, and hospitality intertwine.
This estate was once part of that story – Karen Blixen’s story. However, today, it carries a new one: a story of rebirth, resilience, and reinvention. It is remarkable how a place can evolve without losing its soul. How it can turn its history into hospitality, and make both feel timeless.
Tucked along Karen Road, a stone’s throw from the Karen Blixen Museum, the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages blends heritage charm with modern hospitality through three distinctive dining spaces.
The facility has unveiled a new culinary chapter with refreshed menu in celebration of Kenya’s heritage, global inspiration, and fine-dinning artistry.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
There’s something about Karen that slows time. On this particular afternoon, as my friend Prof Rebecca Wambua and I walk through the wrought-iron gates of the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden, I cannot help feeling that I am stepping into a living memory.
The estate feels like a story retold in whispers – cobblestone paths, red-tiled roofs, the gentle chatter of guests under acacia shade. Birds trill somewhere near the hedges as we make my way to Hattons Lounge, one of three dining spaces here. Inside, mahogany tones and warm lighting embrace you like an old friend.
What started in 2022 as Hattons Lounge, the heart of the property, has now blossomed into Babette’s Restaurant and The Atrium, each space a different note in the same melody. Hattons whispers nostalgia, Babette’s sings artistry, while the Atrium hums with easy laughter and jazz.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
Then there is the Atrium, where I wander later. Sunlight filters through glass and vines, landing softly on tables where families laugh over brunch. Jazz hums in the background. It is the Nairobi of today, a vibrant, self-assured, yet rooted.
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden foundation rests on the legacy of ‘Out of Africa’, with its location on Karen Blixen’s former coffee estate, where history, storytelling, and hospitality intertwine.
This estate was once part of that story – Karen Blixen’s story. However, today, it carries a new one: a story of rebirth, resilience, and reinvention. It is remarkable how a place can evolve without losing its soul. How it can turn its history into hospitality, and make both feel timeless.
Tucked along Karen Road, a stone’s throw from the Karen Blixen Museum, the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages blends heritage charm with modern hospitality through three distinctive dining spaces.
The facility has unveiled a new culinary chapter with refreshed menu in celebration of Kenya’s heritage, global inspiration, and fine-dinning artistry.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
By Jayne Rose Gacheri