Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Restaurant

Distant Relatives is more than a restaurant. It is the beating heart of Kilifi's creative and traveler community. Set in a community forest about 1.9 miles outside of Kilifi Town, right on the banks of Kilifi Creek, this eco lodge and backpackers has become a landmark for anyone passing through the area. The restaurant is open to everyone, not just guests, and the food is consistently good, affordable, and made with genuine care.

The menu covers a wide range of international and African dishes, with a particularly strong vegetarian selection that puts most coastal restaurants to shame. Everything is fresh and made from scratch. But the real magic happens on Friday nights. The weekly pizza night at Distant Relatives has become legendary in Kilifi. The whole community shows up. Travelers, locals, artists, musicians, and surfers all gather in the forest setting to eat wood fired pizza, share stories, and enjoy what feels like a very natural and organic kind of social event. If you are in Kilifi on a Friday, there is really no other option.