Africafe on Old Boma Road is Arusha's best coffee shop and a reliable daytime base. It serves excellent espresso drinks and a range of pastries and light meals, and the wi-fi is fast and consistent — important for travellers who need to make bookings or upload photos between safari legs. The cafe is air-conditioned, which makes it a popular midday retreat during the hotter months.
The coffee is Tanzanian, from the slopes of Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, and worth drinking on its own terms. Tanzania produces some of East Africa's finest arabica, and this is one of the few places in Arusha where it is prepared with any skill. Takes cards, which is unusual in this part of town.