Walking into New Cactus is like walking into a compact tree and flower garden in the wild.

The building itself boasts a bright and cheerful aura, what with a more than generous splattering of yellow plus other soft colors. Set on a plateau-like ridge amidst a dense tropical canopy of trees in high-end Kiyovu, New Cactus is definitely worth a visit, even just to sit around and take some of the most commanding views of Kigali city.

Said to be one of the oldest restaurants in Kigali, it lives up to its name –the cactus tree after which it is named. Indeed, around the facility are dotted several decorative murals and paintings of the cactus tree.

The facility offers primarily Italian dishes, with a touch of French, perhaps the reason for its popularity with tourists, high-end Rwandans, and the foreign expatriate community resident in Kigali.

When we checked in for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon, the parking lot was teeming with cars with diplomatic registration plates, and it soon became obvious that while some had checked in for a quiet lunch, a few more came to pick large pizza orders, presumably to enjoy them from the comfort of their offices.

We wanted our rice fried, Asian style, a fact that only served to push our waiting time a little further, although the wait was worth it as the fried vegetable rice later did wonders with the grilled fish.

The wait staff is rather charming and quick-footed, and what’s more, are unlikely to mix up your order as they can communicate well in both English and French.

In all, the facility is best suited for people on group outings and cozy diners.