We stayed next door in Santa maria coral park, and while the food there was great, it was good to have this as an alternative. The food was amazing - $40 for the lobster menu (5 courses with a glass of wine thrown in) was great value and the best lobster I've had. There were about 4 lobster courses, including soup, pasta with chilli and parsley (and lobster), then two whole lobster (cigalle) for the main! The chef cooked these on the grill out the front on the beach. We were there for our honeymoon and the staff put a solo table out on the beach for us. The Italian owners were really nice too, and certainly had the perfect lifestyle running the hotel and restaurant!

Pongwe Bay Villa is far more than a restaurant. It's also a small hotel (2 rooms) where one can stay in complete luxury.
We did just that in early March, enjoying 4-nights of bliss in the amazing place that is Pongwe and having the 2 km beach pretty much to ourselves for the entire duration of our stay.
There are no people selling stuff and hassling you, the sea is stunning (although at low tide it's not possible to swim) and the whole area is just beautiful.
The upstairs room is vast, beautifully appointed, and has an amazing terrasse, offering some of the nicest views ever.
Add to that the care and attention to detail of Elisabetta and Paolo, the exclusive care of the wonderful cook and person that is Habibu - always ready to offer some amazing suggestions for your lunch or dinner - and the ever smiling Simon and Deborah always willing to cater for your every wish and you have THE perfect stay.

This is an amazing place. I'd recommend it with no hesitations.

My wife and I had a 6 night stay at Pongwe Bay Villa - it was an amazing experience in terms of the location and beach setting, service from Paolo and his staff and the wonderful food that Paolo's chef Habibu prepares for all the meals, both Italian and local Zanzibari cuisine. Paolo was also very helpful in arranging day trips for us and everything was done at very reasonable prices. I would highly recommend Pongwe Bay Villa and hope to return for a stay there again.

GO there! Simply great. Delicious cocktails. Great Food. Beautiful beaches and pool. Excellent service.