Monos Restaurant

Fine dining in Harare’s city centre

African Sun Limited is the leading hotel operations company providing upmarket accommodation, dining and recreational facilities for both locals and tourists from the region and abroad.

African Sun currently operates 10 hotels across Zimbabwe including the awardwinning Victoria Falls Hotel, Elephant

Hills Resort and Conference Centre, Caribbea Bay Resort, Hwange Safari Lodge, Great Zimbabwe Hotel, Monomotapa Hotel, Troutbeck Resort, and Holiday Inns in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare.

Their iconic Monomotapa Hotel is situated in a prime location in the capital city, adjacent to Harare Gardens and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. Monomotapa, with its unique crescent shaped façade, was built in 1974. The 20-storey hotel has 243 rooms as well as two trendy bars and two of the best upmarket restaurants in the City.

The Parkview Brasserie offers buffet service for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a relaxed setting with huge windows overlooking the Harare Gardens.

For a more formal dining experience, the Monos Restaurant provides the best in fine dining with an a la carte menu and table service.

It’s more than just a restaurant - it’s a dining experience where you can enjoy live cooking and the drama and theatre of their signature flambé dishes prepared at your own table. Monomotapa Restaurant was formerly very well known as La Francais Restaurant and, despite the name change, their reputation and popularity has grown over the years establishing Monos as one of the premium dining destinations.

It has always been particularly renowned for the best steaks in the City.

The restaurant was briefly closed during the Covid-19 pandemic and the hotel management took the opportunity to refresh the décor and the menu, while still maintaining the charm and personality of the unique and much-loved venue. There was a soft launch in August last year which officially opened the revamped eatery, the event was well attended by most of Harare’s affluent community.

The walls have all been given a coat of paint to freshen up the venue and patrons will be happy to know that the signature historic photos of the City have been saved. The exposed brick work by the fireplace has been preserved as well as the other textured, painted brick work beside the fireplace and on the upper deck.

They also saved the brass ornaments above the fireplace to keep a bit of the history alive as well as the upright piano so patrons can enjoy gentle and soothing live music during their meals.

The ceiling received a new coat of the goldenbrown paint which gave the restaurant its unmistakable identity. New carpets and curtains have been installed throughout to refresh the look and breathe new life into the restaurant.

The comfortable formal chairs have been re-upholstered in a textured, rich and warm, amethyst colour. The tables all have new padded tops to reduce the noise level of crockery and glassware in the restaurant.

There’s new, fresh linen and table runners, as well as new cutlery, crockery and table numbers. Even the cruet sets have been replaced so every detail has been attended to. While the venue has been given a new lease on life, the rich history and character which patrons always appreciated in the past, have been preserved.

The restaurant can seat up to 60 diners inside and there’s a veranda terrace where guest can be seated outdoors during good weather.

The kitchen is overseen by the Group Executive Chef Leonard Moyo who oversees the restaurants at all of African Sun’s hotels and resorts. He has had an illustrious career having been the Vice President of the Zimbabwe Chefs Association for 10 years – and is now the President of the Association. He started out studying at the Bulawayo Hotel School and then at the International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (IHTTI), Switzerland. He has worked at the Sheraton Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Sheraton Doha in Qatar and the Sheraton Park Lane in London, as well as Softel Abijan in Ivory Coast.

His credentials are impeccable and he has brought his wealth of experience and skill to treat guests at Monos to a world class dining experience.

Chef Moyo has designed the new menu for Monos restaurant focusing on Zimbabwe’s superb steak and beef – probably the best in the world. The beef is sourced from the finest local butcheries in Harare and Bulawayo while vegetables and produce are sourced from the top local suppliers, all carefully selected by Chef Moyo himself. This means that each meal is prepared from scratch using the freshest hand-picked ingredients.

Chef Moyo has created a menu that appeals to discerning diners from Zimbabwe and to tempt international tastes as well. Hot starters include their luxurious mushroom soup as well as a butternut soup flavoured with peanut butter and biltong shavings. The peanut butter and biltong references indigenous Zimbabwean cooking. Cold starters include sushi for sophisticated palates and there’s a selection of salads to whet your appetite before the main course.

Entrees focus on prime beef cuts – the restaurant is, after all, renowned as a steak house. You can select from T-bones, fillets, rump or porterhouse steaks, rib eye cuts or a mixed grill. All the steaks are served with a selection of in-house freshly made sauces like mushroom or lemon and herb – amongst a choice of many others. For other meaty dishes you can select lamb curry, pork chops or ribs and even game steaks.

Their most famous dishes are the variety of flambés prepared in your presence. The drama and the excitement make the experience something special for Valentine’s Day – or for any other day when you’re wanting to treat your significant other to an unforgettable experience.

The food is prepared at your table and the steak or chicken sauce is set alight with a great flourish that’s bound to impress. Their Steak Diana with brandy, cream, mushrooms and black pepper is deservedly famous –probably the best steak you’ll taste in Zimbabwe – and certainly the best presentation.

The flambé experience is delivered by the maître d who is happy to prepare your steak or chicken just the way you like it. The restaurant prides itself on being customer-centric and the attentive staff are happy to accommodate patrons’ requests or special orders.

If you prefer other options from the menu that don’t include red meat there are a number of seafood or chicken options. The Nyanga trout is especially recommended as is the salmon and the panfried prawns. Seafood is considered a special treat for us landlocked locals.

Vegetarian options include pastas, filled baked potatoes, salads and a vegetable curry. There’s sure to be something for even the most discerning diners. The restaurant is also family and child friendly and has a special selection on their Kiddies Menu like fish fingers, spaghetti bolognaise and bangers served with mash.

Tempting for both children and adults! They have a great selection of scrumptious desserts including gateaux and cheese cake or fresh fruit if you prefer something light to finish off your meal. Of course, you can have coffee or Irish coffee to finish off – or a liqueur from their fully stocked bar. The bar has a great wine list offering a selection of champagne, white, red or rose wines and the sommelier will be delighted to advise you on the best wine to complement your meal and make your dining experience even more special.

The Monos Restaurant bar is fully stocked with a good selection of wines, spirits and beers. It’s a great place to get together with friends or for a quick informal business meeting.

You can also enjoy a drink before heading in to the restaurant for your meal or for an after-dinner nightcap. They have an extensive menu of cocktails with intriguing names like Blue Lagoon and Rolls Royce – as well as the famous cocktails like a Martini or a Daiquiri. If you prefer something non-alcoholic there’s a tempting range of delicious and refreshing mocktails as well.

The venue is perfect for romantic dinners, business lunches, and private functions. For larger groups, booking is advised.

+263 8677004651

+263 (242) 704 501 - 10 to reserve your table.

Tripadvisor recently awarded the hotel four stars which is a good indication of the food and service you can expect!