I had never been to Artcaffe Gastro Bar in Westlands and had imagined that the space would be like any other Artcafe across the city. I was wrong. Located in Westlands Square just around where Gipsy bar used to be, it’s hard to miss. The space just begs to be photographed, with high ceilings, wide open spaces, bold art and potted plants. Walking in through the entrance, the centrepiece is the thick green grass ceiling from which hangs rustic woven rattan light fixtures that remind me of traditional fishing baskets.
Every Wednesday evening, the bar hosts WOW nights, an evening of wine, food and music, dedicated to women who love or simply want to discover wines, and hosted by women. The crowd is generally more mature too, over 28, which I liked. I reserved a table for three and once we were settled in, a sommelier came pushing a cart with an ice bucket and two bottles of wine on it. She took us through a tasting of two different wine selections, and these typically change each week. We settled on a Pighin Pinot Grigio D.O.C. Collio. It’s a dry wine with great body and balance, naturally low in acidity and easy drinking. The aroma is fruity and floral with notes of banana and pineapple. The perfect bottle to toast to as we caught up and bobbed along to the music, which is also by women.
We ordered three platters from the small plates section. The menu has similarities with other Artcaffes but features pub fare you won’t find in their other outlets. First, we got grilled chicken tikka skewers which came marinated in Indian spices with a mini chutney, for Sh890. The Artcaffe home fries have always been a favourite of mine- potatoes tossed in a chilli and butter sauce with fried onions, for Sh790. We also got Jalapeno croquettes; crispy, spicy and cheesy deep-fried balls of goodness, at Sh590. If you want to get just one small platter off the menu, I’d recommend these- they’re so good!
Sommelier showcasing a bottle of pinot grigio at Artcafe Gastro Bar
They also have a seasonal cocktail menu, craft beers and an extensive drinks list, if wine is not your thing. The bar doesn’t just exclusively host women on Wednesday nights, so you still have regular customers streaming in. So for the ladies looking to mingle and wondering if there are men there, the answer is yes.
