Sole Luna Restaurant

For a city of only 1,000,000 people, Kigali has an impressive array of restaurants, accommodating to almost all tastes and budgets. Recently I and a group of friends met at one of these fine eating establishments, a Ristorante Italiano called Sole Luna, located on the main road between the Chez Lando intersection in Remera and the Parliament buildings (on your left if coming from Remera).

We arrived as an unreserved group of 11 and were quickly and graciously accommodated. The open-air, bistro-like atmosphere at the restaurant is very pleasing; with the centerpiece being the beautiful view of the rolling, lightly covered hills of Kigali. Sole Luna truly is a small piece of Italy in Rwanda, with the menu covering an extensive and affordable selection of pizzas, pastas, calzones and even boasts a selection of wine.

Although choosing a dish wasn’t an easy task we eventually placed our order and enjoyed drinks, the view, and the company while waiting for our meal. Despite the fact that the restaurant was very busy, with a group of nearly 20 there to celebrate a birthday, our food arrived in a reasonable amount of time, all at once, and piping hot. My group sampled many different meals, and all expressed their satisfaction with their choice.

I personally had one of Sole Luna’s pizzas, which to my delight was served on a thin crust with ample helping of brie cheese! Truly, a rare delight in Kigali. Although all the meals were enjoyed the conclusion of the group was that Sole Luna’s specialty is pizza, and with over 55 kinds to choose from even the most discriminatory eater should be able to make a selection. Be warned though, these pizzas are over 12 inches in size, so if you’re not ravenous you might be advised to share. On the other hand, it is possible to take the leftovers home and enjoy it the next day.

Of course, every rose has its torn and at Sole Luna, it would be its bathrooms, although clean the lack of toilet seat (in the girls, I can’t speak for the boys) leaves an unfortunate impression of an otherwise delightful restaurant. Despite the minor downside, I would still give Sole Luna two enthusiastic thumbs-up, and with its multi-level design, it is accommodating for both larger groups and a small intimate supper.