Tucked in an innocuous corner of Muyenga is a pizza joint that is competing with much more established restaurants for a corner on the pizza market in Kampala. Palm Cafe is quickly becoming Kampala’s new favourite pizza joint.
Palm Cafe is little more than a hole in the wall kiosk normally occupied by second-hand clothing stories and mobile phone shops. It consists of a kiosk and a covered, outdoor cooking area with a pizza oven. There isn’t much in the way of seating with just 4-5 wooden tables covered by umbrellas so definitely not the place to go when it’s raining or if you’ve got a big group. But, where it struggles in the ambiance department it more than makes up for in the pizza.
There are a few salads, pastas and appetizers on the menu which consist of your standard Italian fare – bruschetta, carbonara, Greek salad, and spaghetti – as well as some mixed grills and other meat dishes. However unless you’re starving you’re not missing anything by skipping those and going directly to the prize: pizza.
There are about 20 different pizzas and all are served on a practically perfect thin crust that would be the envy of your street fare in Rome. Those are some big shoes to fill anywhere in East Africa but it’s true. It’s that good.
Pizza ‘Vegeterian Capricciosa’ is arguably the best on the menu topped with cheese, onions, green pepper, eggplant and spinach. The Pizza Hawaii – topped with cheese, ham and pineapple – comes in a close second. The Pizza Pollo with cheese, chicken and green pepper is also good and if you’re wanting a taste sensation on the adventurous side try ‘Curl’s Pizza’ which is cheese, bacon and gorgonzola. Be sure to ask your server if they have all the ingredients listed on the pizza as toppings as if they don’t you might find your pizza arriving without a key topping without being told.
All the pizzas are cost between a very affordable 12,000 – 20,000 UGX and are good sized meaning that if you’re ravenously hungry you might finish one but otherwise you’ll probably end up taking some home. Light eaters can definitely split one. They do have take away and seem to do a booming business. Given the high turnover of pizzas they make every night your takeaway pizza can generally be ready in about 20 minutes time from your call if you have placed the order after 5pm. Before that, the oven’s generally being heated up and prepared so a pizza order might take more time.
Drinks are also standard fare with juices (5,000 UGX), sodas (2,000 UGX) and beer (4,000) being on the menu along with your standard liquors (rum, whisky, amarula, gin, etc.) but this is primarily a pizza joint so don’t expect anything fancy.
Their menu has a deal listed that with the order of any 10 pizzas you can get one for free but you’ll want to confirm that when calling. The take away number is: +256 (0) 779 674 727.