150 Years of Italian Coffee Culture Lands in Nairobi
Café Barbera has opened its first Kenyan café at Altura Building in Upper Hill, bringing more than 150 years of Italian coffee-making heritage to Nairobi.
The opening marks Kenya as the brand’s 23rd international market and introduces an Italian-style coffeehouse experience that goes beyond the usual cup of coffee.
From Southern Italy to Upper Hill
Founded in Southern Italy in 1870 by Domenico Barbera, Café Barbera started as a single coffee house and has grown into a family-owned brand operating across 23 countries.
The company has remained in the Barbera family for five generations, with its coffee still following the roasting philosophy established more than a century ago.
The signature blend combines seven varieties of coffee beans sourced from some of the world’s major growing regions. The beans are slow-roasted separately by master roasters before being blended into the brand’s original recipe.
For Nairobi customers, the new café offers a chance to experience that tradition from the heart of Upper Hill.
More Than Just an Espresso
Coffee may be at the centre of the Café Barbera experience, but there is plenty more on the menu.
Guests can choose from freshly prepared pastries, pizzas, pastas and other Italian-inspired dishes. Local comfort food also makes up around a quarter of the menu, adding a Kenyan touch to the experience.
Whether it is a quick espresso before work, lunch with colleagues, a business meeting or an afternoon catch-up, the café is designed to fit into different parts of the day.
A New Hangout in Upper Hill
The choice of Upper Hill is no accident.
The neighbourhood has become one of Nairobi’s major business and lifestyle hubs, with multinational companies, embassies and professional firms bringing thousands of people into the area every day.
Café Barbera’s location on the first floor of Altura Building puts it right in the middle of that activity.
It is now open daily from 7am to 11pm, giving Altura tenants, professionals and visitors a new place to grab coffee, eat, work or meet.
Speaking about the opening, Café Barbera Managing Director Elio Barbera said the Nairobi launch is an opportunity to introduce Italian coffee culture while creating a space for people to connect.
With 150 years of coffee history behind it, Café Barbera is now adding a Nairobi chapter to its long-running story.
