TribEarth, the Vegan cafe inside a jewellery store in Diani
I was visiting Diani, and a friend from my university days invited me to go check out TribEarth, a vegan cafe he was doing a project for. He’s one of those friends who traded the city life for the beach, and as someone who thinks about taking that leap at least once a week, I was curious to see how the beach life was treating him, plus see what this spot had to offer. I knew that TribEarth started off as an ethical jewellery social enterprise in Nairobi, before moving to the coast. It’s hard to miss as it sits right off Diani Beach Road, so I hopped on a tuk-tuk and vowed to stay open-minded about a fully plant-based menu.
Walking into the shaded refuge of this boutique spot from the scorching heat and humidity of Diani, I wanted something cold and refreshing to drink. The signature drink here is jaba juice, which is exactly what you think it is. It’s a light easy-drinking juice made from miraa and naturally sweetened with pineapple, apple and ginger. It was delicious, and in retrospect, it didn’t make me stay awake for the next 24 hours, or whatever khat is meant to do to your body. This is probably because only a small quantity is used in the juice.
The space is very vibrant and bohemian. The walls are filled with art- pencil drawings, Egyptian pharaohs, portraits and landscape photos by local photographers. The furniture is rustic, either wooden or woven, and the throw pillows look Pakistani. Plants, crystals, dream catchers and other knick-knacks are used in the decor, and one section has their jewellery on display so you can shop and dine. If you walk to the back, you could actually find the workshop where the artisans create each beautiful piece. Handmade soap using locally-available materials like sea moss, and superfoods are also sold. You can also use the cafe as a work space.
I ordered the Ethiopian vegan platter which serves two at Sh950, and was served on a low table so we could sit cross-legged on a mat. It had Injera topped with Shiro, red and yellow lentil stews, beetroot and potato, sukuma wiki and kachumbari. It was some of the best Ethiopian food I’ve ever had. A few things here are above Sh500, from fruit salad with coconut yoghurt, chocolate fudge cake, dates with walnut, bliss balls, Ethiopian coffee, sangria and local beers, and more. If you’re in Diani on a Friday, there’s a soul music session from 4 pm to 8 pm. BY DAILY NATION
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