Anyone who’s ever been to Mombasa has probably eaten a meal or two at the Blue Room. It’s been around since 1952, starting as a glorified ice cream parlor, and under the third generation of family ownership, expanding into a busy café in the center of town.

Popular with tourists and expats, this is where everyone who’s anyone in the city gathers to meet informally with business associates, politicians and such. Even at mid-day during Ramadan (when I was there) it was packed — albeit with at least half the tables occupied by people not eating or drinking (because of the fast) but talking up a storm.

The kitchen is very versatile here, offering up everything from East Indian specialties like chicken biryani (my choice) and dal bhajia to kebabs, pizza, burgers and fries. You can order from a menu at a table as I did, or grab a cafeteria tray and select what you want at the various food stations. Just want a snack? The samosas are legendary.

For Westerners starved of their usual sugar fix in East Africa (which doesn’t go in much for sweet desserts), there’s a huge display case where one can salivate over the most decadent cakes imaginable. A slice is enough for two or three people.

They also have ice cream cones, sundaes, milkshakes, brownies and other treats not usually found in Kenyan eateries. Their fresh fruit juices are tops (I had the passion fruit, but there’s tangerine, watermelon, mango, orange…).

Best part? There’s free Wi-Fi, so you can catch up on your email and social media while noshing.

The Blue Room is in the middle of the island portion of Mombasa, but outside the congested Old Town market alleyways. Across the street is a curbside carwash, and watching the guys scrub every speck of Kenyan mud off a seemingly endless parade of vehicles is worth a ticket in itself.