ZIMBABWE’S capital, Harare, generally offers fine dining experiences, which give travellers and residents the much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of busy life.
Bridget Mananavire
After the Covid-19 literally shut down everything, including lives in some circumstances, shops and restaurants are reopening; some carrying from where they had left, others on the slump and yet some with a fresh start.
Restaurants have the potential to always reinvent themselves year-round and cater for ever-changing needs and interests – new taste buds – through dynamic menus and marketing strategies
The secret to attracting and keeping valuable customers in this business is serving quality meals, comfortable environment and a side of good times.
One of such places in Harare is Queen of Hearts in Highlands suburb, which is always abuzz with activity, including last weekend as places continue to open up to public dining and events post-Covid-19.
The coffee bar and café, which shares 1 Hurworth Road complex with Little Eataly and OHSO Sushi as well as Cottage Bites, was fully booked for lunch on Saturday, while it also hosted a well-attended market event on Sunday.
On Saturday, a live band was serenading people, while they enjoyed their food and drinks. Those who had not booked and failed to get a free table had to queue and wait for some tables to clear up for them to have lunch.
This was now a rare sight, especially during the Covid-19 period. Queen of Hearts has turned out to be a favourite hangout venue for many as it offers great outdoor dining in a serene environment.
It also has a variety of dishes on offer from burgers, pasta, sushi, pizza, steak and chicken to a good choice of drinks from milkshakes , smoothies, cocktails and a wide range of alcohol.
The restaurant, which has a four-star rating on Trip Advisor, is surrounded by beautiful gardens and lovely décor, which give good outdoor ambience.
It has a playground for children, making even family outings manageable ad more enjoyable. On busy days, such as
Saturdays, some stations are self-service to make it faster to get orders through, while the waiters go on to serve the food that you would have ordered.
The restaurant has implemented Covid-19 protocols where patrons go through a security gate as they have their hands sanitised and temperature checked before entry. Social distancing measures are observed at the ordering stations and in the sitting areas, making Queen of Hearts one of the best outing places you can find in Harare.
