Planning a meal at Kaio restaurant and want a quick answer before you book? This page covers our most common questions about reservations, the menu, our two-floor layout, dietary needs, our alcohol-free philosophy, and getting here, all in one place.
If your question isn’t covered below, feel free to reach out to us directly, you can find all of our contact details on our Location Page.
Kaio is a two-floor beachfront restaurant located on the sand at Alaïa Beach Resort in Paje, on the east coast of Zanzibar. Our kitchen is Italian-leaning, featuring Neapolitan-style pizza and authentic imported Italian pasta, combined with fresh local seafood sourced daily from the fishing boats that work the coast directly south of us. We also offer a substantial salads and healthy plates menu, a full breakfast service from 7:30 AM, a serious La Cimbali espresso coffee program, and a full non-alcoholic drinks and mocktail menu.
No. Kaio is fully open to all guests, including hotel residents and outside visitors alike. On any given day, a meaningful portion of our dining room consists of travelers staying elsewhere in Paje, driving in from Jambiani or Bwejuu, or visiting Paje for a day trip. You are incredibly welcome here.
We are open daily from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM, continuously. There is no gap or operational closure between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and our hot kitchen runs through all three services without stopping. Last orders are taken at 9:30 PM.
Yes. Kaio is open every day of the year, including during the seasonal rains in April to May and November. Our covered upper floor and shaded ground floor are both structurally designed to keep you entirely comfortable, dry, and sheltered during passing coastal rain.
Kaio is the third restaurant from the same team that runs Hello Capitano Gili Trawangan in Indonesia and Hello Capitano Paje, which sits just a short walk further down the same stretch of beach. All three restaurants are alcohol-free beachfront concepts. Hello Capitano Paje has its own distinct menu and identity, while Kaio is our more ambitious, Italian-leaning project featuring a two-floor layout, a specialized pizza oven, and a dedicated breakfast program.
Breakfast service begins at 7:30 AM every day. We offer one of the earlier opening times in Paje for a proper sit-down breakfast experience.
We offer both. Every guest, whether a hotel resident or an outside visitor, has the choice of our full breakfast buffet, a complete à la carte menu, or both at the same meal. Many guests start with a fresh coffee and a light bite from the buffet, then order cooked-to-order eggs or a smoothie bowl à la carte.
Yes, absolutely. Outside guests are equally welcome for breakfast. No reservation is needed for individuals or small groups. For parties of six or more, a brief heads-up is appreciated so we can ready a space for you. Outside guests simply pay at the end of the meal like any standard restaurant.
Yes, the breakfast menu was built with active travelers in mind. We offer acai bowls, bircher muesli, fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, green juices, egg-white scrambles, avocado toast, and an extensive smoothie list. A kitesurfer heading out for a morning session and a yoga guest returning from a 7:00 AM class will both find multiple nutritious options.
The ground floor is open-sided, shaded, and built directly on the sand, placing you just a few meters from the incoming tide for a classic Paje beachfront experience. The upper floor is a covered, open-sided wooden terrace raised high above the beach line, offering panoramic views across the lagoon all the way to the offshore barrier reef. Both floors serve the exact same food and beverage menus; the choice is purely about the physical atmosphere you prefer.
Yes. Tell us your preference when making your reservation and we will assign your table accordingly. Seaward-edge tables on our upper floor terrace are the most requested tables in the restaurant, so please mention this specifically when you book if it matters to you.
No. The upper floor is accessible via stairs only, and there is no elevator on site. Guests with mobility considerations are equally well served on our ground floor layout, which features its own seamless view of the lagoon, full menu access, and no internal steps. Please mention accessibility needs when you reserve so we can accommodate you perfectly.
Generally, we recommend the ground floor for families traveling with young children, as it sits directly on the sand with no stairs to manage, and our beach play area is located immediately outside. Families with older children often prefer the upper floor terrace, especially during lunch when the colorful kitesurfing view is at its absolute peak.
Yes. Our pizza program was built by two Italian chefs who spent three months in Paje teaching our kitchen team every detail, including our dough formula, the 24-hour slow fermentation process, the hand-stretching technique, and precise temperature management. The pizzas are baked at 400 to 450 degrees Celsius in a state-of-the-art Italian electric pizza oven. This matches the temperatures of a traditional wood-fired oven and produces the same rapid 60 to 90-second bake. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana now formally certifies electric-oven pizzerias, and our consulting chefs return periodically to ensure these high standards never slip.
Our seafood comes directly from the small-scale fishing boats that work the lagoon directly south of the restaurant, visible from our upper deck every morning. The local fishermen head out before dawn and return by mid-morning. What they bring back is what our kitchen cooks that day, and the daily catch is always posted right by our entrance.
Yes, all three meals are available continuously from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM. Because the kitchen runs without operational breaks, you can order anything from our active all-day menu at any time of the afternoon.
Yes, we offer custom kids’ menus across every single meal service. This includes smaller, kid-friendly portions of dishes children actually want to eat, such as a kids’ Margherita pizza, simple pasta with butter or tomato sauce, local grilled fish, and healthy breakfast plates, all crafted to our main kitchen standards.
A significant share of our menu is naturally vegetarian, including multiple wood-fired pizzas, house pastas, fresh salads, grain bowls, and vegetable-forward mains. These vegetarian options are designed as complete, intentional meals rather than basic fillers or afterthoughts.
Yes. Several of our core dishes are naturally vegan, including our Vegan Marinara pizza, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, and our nutrient-dense Buddha Bowl. Other items can be seamlessly adapted using our house-made, plant-based alternatives. Our beverage list is also largely vegan-friendly. Let us know your dietary preference when booking and our team will present tailored recommendations when you sit down.
Yes, with advance notice. We keep specialized gluten-free pizza dough and alternative pastas on hand, meaning almost any pizza or pasta dish on our menu can be prepared gluten-free. For guests with celiac disease, please flag this clearly when making your reservation so our kitchen can implement isolated preparation measures to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.
It is a deliberate lifestyle and atmosphere choice, not a constraint. Operating a restaurant without an active bar scene creates a much calmer room that is equally welcoming to families, active watersports enthusiasts, couples enjoying an unhurried dinner, and anyone who prefers a quieter dining environment. The pace stays consistent, conversations remain at normal volume, and the focus rests entirely on the culinary experience and the natural view.
No. We do not utilize alcohol in any stage of our cooking or food preparation, meaning there is no wine in our gourmet sauces and no spirits hidden in our desserts. All of our deep flavors are built entirely from fresh, local, and premium imported ingredients.
We host a full non-alcoholic beverage program, including gourmet mocktails designed from scratch using house-made syrups, fresh juices pressed throughout the day, artisanal house sodas, smoothies, a loose-leaf tea selection, and premium Italian espresso. Filtered still and sparkling water is also provided to all tables at no extra charge.
Very serious. Our coffee program operates on professional La Cimbali Italian espresso machines, utilizing premium Italian-roasted beans managed by fully trained baristas. We serve authentic espresso, cappuccinos, iced coffee, affogatos, and caffè shakeratos continuously from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM.
Yes. Complimentary secured parking is available at the main Alaïa Beach Resort entrance gates for all restaurant visitors. The walk down to our dining pavilion takes roughly three to five minutes through the resort gardens, taking you directly past our famous looping and three-trunked coconut trees.
Yes, we accept all major international credit cards. Cash payments are also entirely welcome, and we accept both Tanzanian shillings and US dollars at standard local exchange rates.
No, we maintain a comfortable, casual beachfront vibe. Shorts, t-shirts, and sandals are entirely acceptable on both levels of the restaurant. While some guests choose to dress up slightly for a lantern-lit dinner on our upper terrace, it is never a requirement.
By car, we are approximately 50 kilometers from Stone Town, which averages a 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minute drive. We are roughly 60 kilometers from Zanzibar International Airport, averaging a 1 hour 15 minute to 1 hour 30 minute transit along paved main roads.
Yes. Simply request a transport connection when booking your table online or via message, and our guest relations team will coordinate a trusted round-trip driver from your accommodation. We will always confirm the set fare with you in advance.
Yes, for the right occasion. We can organize private structural sections of either floor, curate custom set menus for large groups, or coordinate a full buyout of the upper terrace for wedding dinners, milestone birthdays, family reunions, and yoga retreat groups. Please email our guest relations team directly to discuss layouts, guest counts, and seasonal availability.
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