Kafe Utu at Jiak Chuan Road: Authentic African food

Kurt Wagner, the owner of Kafe Utu at Keong Siak, yearned for a taste of authentic Africa in Singapore, where he now resides.
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As someone who grew up in various African countries – namely Liberia, South Sudan and Kenya – Kurt Wagner, the owner of Kafe Utu at Keong Siak, yearned for a taste of authentic Africa in Singapore, where he now resides.

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Framed Photographs
A decor highlight of the 3-storey cafe (12 Jiak Chuan Road) would be the wall photographs, depicting four African women from different nomadic tribes. They were taken by Mario Gerth, a German documentary photographer.

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Zanzibari Traditions
When designing the space, brothers Kurt and Jon Wagner envisioned a place where customers would feel at home. The decorative wooden door, panels and mirrors in Kafe Utu were carved by hand for the cafe, by a master craftsman from Malindi and in motifs that reflect Zanzibari traditions.

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Ubuntu Coffee House Blend
Kafe Utu also takes its coffee seriously. Its house blend, Ubuntu, is selected, blended and hand-roasted in small batches from beans grown in Uganda, Mexico and Brazil.

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Authentic African Dishes
“Our African dishes are true to their origins, using the freshest ingredients, and prepared lovingly to give you a true taste of Africa. Our dishes come from Monrovia, Marrakech, Lamu, Malindi, Bhanga and beyond,” says Kurt.

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