In 2023, I had planned to return to Lebanon to open a new restaurant and stay close to my family. But with war looming and one of the worst assaults against Lebanon about to begin, I made the inevitable decision to go back to Africa… to Malindi. A year ago, I found the courage to invest in Malindi, on a street called Silversand Road. Many told me I wouldn’t succeed in a city so deeply rooted in its Italian identity. But challenges have never scared me. My restaurant in Nairobi was in an unfamiliar neighborhood, yet it became one of the most appreciated in the city.
I believed the same could happen here. Also, having an Italian landlord seemed like a good sign.
Today, a year later, I am deeply grateful. Not only have I survived, but I have grown, thanks especially to the Italian community, whose kindness, patience, and support have allowed me to prove what until then was just a dream. Without them, I wouldn’t have made it. Silversands Road has become much more than a place of work: it has become a community.
Zainoor who helped me get my artisanal products for the hotel….Maria with her beautiful shop, Simonetta with her elegant linen fabrics, the Fishing Club with its lively evenings. Restaurants like Malaika, Baobab, the new Cantinetta, and Baby Marrow have created a vibrant gastronomic scene of which I am proud to be a part. We are surrounded by history and soul: one of the oldest mosques in Africa, with its 523 years, Vasco da Gama’s church, and in the heart of the old Swahili city, where the call to prayer reminds us every day that we are never alone. My first year in Malindi has been a gift: a journey of friendships, discoveries, and resilience. Now, as I begin the second year, I look forward to strengthening even more the bonds with the community that has welcomed me with great generosity.

Many thanks/Grazie molto
Kelly

Hob House is located on the Malindi seafront, next to the Fishing Club. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving Lebanese specialities such as mezze, hummus and meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, as well as delightful adaptations for European tastes, such as Lebanese pizza and delicious desserts. Hob House also provides catering services and is suitable for birthday parties and weddings. The villa with sea views where Hob House is located also has three rooms where you can stay.