Wining and Dining by the Kenyan Coast

There’s nothing better than sitting by the Kenyan coast, soaking in the twilight breeze and enjoying the plates of steaming food brought on crisp, clean linen. We don't serve alcohol at The Zubeida, but as there is no corkage fee- you are more than welcome to bring your own! Here are some of our recommendations on the best wines to pair well with your fresh seafood.

How do you pick a wine when you know that you’ve got freshly sourced seafood available?

Here’s our quick guide to picking out the best white, red or rosé for every dish, leaving your taste buds exploding with flavour and joy.

Sparkling wine like Champagne, Cava and Prosecco works incredibly well with most types of fried foods. Their light, bubbly texture cuts through the indulgent batter perfectly. Pair with our Classic Fish & Chips for an incredible experience that excites your tastebuds.

Wondering what to drink with your white, lean fish like halibut, tilapia, salmon and snapper? The same as what you'd enjoy with clams and oysters! Dry and crisp Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are perfect pairings to simple dishes. They also work well with mussels and lobster. Pair with our Mombasa Prawn Skewers and Swahili Style Red Snapper.

Full-bodied wines like Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or Fumé Blanc are great to pair with full-bodied meals that are submerged in flavour or broth. They work well with crab, lobster, oysters and any other oilier fish such as mackerel. These work well with our Tangy Crab & Mango Salad together with the Lobster Thermidor.

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Sparkling Wine are also lovely accompaniments to crab, shrimp, prawns and lobster, whose characteristic sweetness lends a delicate flavour—big, bold wines will not work here. Pairs deliciously with our Seafood Pizza.

Riesling, Marsanne, and Gewürztraminer are slightly sweeter but fuller white wines that pair incredibly with our piquant Asian and Coastal seafood platters. We recommend that you choose not to combine red wines with spicy dishes as they can sometimes produce a metallic taste you may not enjoy. Perfect with our Seafood Platter that boasts a wide range of freshly sourced calamari, red snapper, prawns and baby lobster!

When you aren't ready for a crisp wine, or a deep red, find yourself a blush wine or rosé. They have most of the fun with their sweeter texture anyway! Rosés are fabulous substitutes for full-bodied whites such as Chardonnay and Fumé Blanc, and even work incredibly with tomato-based seafood dishes! Excellent for the Zubeida Surf & Turf Platter.

There is such a fantastic array of wines that you can bring with you while you enjoy your stay with us. After all... there is no such thing as leftover wine!