TanzaniaFood and Drink

Tanzania’s cuisine is a delicious product of cultural intersection, blending Bantu staples with Indian spices and Arabian flavours. Explore the following delights to enrich your Tanzanian adventure. Ugali, a starchy maize porridge, is the foundation of many Tanzanian meals, often accompanied by flavorful stews of meat or fish. Rice dishes like pilau and biryani, infused with spices, also grace the table.

Sampling street food offers an authentic taste of Tanzanian life. Indulge in mishkaki (marinated meat skewers), or treat your taste buds to chapati (flatbread) and mandazi (sweet doughnuts), perfect for on-the-go snacking. The Zanzibar Archipelago is famous for seafood. Relish freshly caught fish, octopus, or lobster, grilled to perfection with a dash of local spices.

Vegetarians can enjoy a variety of dishes made from local produce like mchicha (spinach and peanut curry), maharage (spiced red beans), and ndizi na nyama (plantains with meat sauce).

No meal is complete without trying local beverages. Konyagi, a local spirit, is a bold choice, while banana beer offers a milder, sweeter sip. For non-alcoholic options, tangawizi (ginger tea) and fresh coconut water are ubiquitous. Tanzania's coffee from Mount Kilimanjaro is also a must-try. Visit a plantation to witness its journey from bean to cup.

End your meal with kashata, a coconut and nut brittle, or tropical fruits like mangoes, papayas, and pineapples.

What is Tanzania’s traditional cuisine?

Tanzanian food is diverse and delicious, extending well beyond the western choices you’ll find on the buffet at your safari camp or lodge. Rice plays a big role in Tanzanian cuisine, including biryani and pilau, brought to Tanzania through trade with India and the Middle East, and perfected with local ingredients and a range of spices. Ugali is a fixture throughout the country, and is usually served as a side with every meal. This cornmeal-based dough is ideal for sopping up delicious sauces, soups, curries and gravies. Chipsi mayai is a popular street food mixing up fried potatoes with eggs, makai paka spices up the corn on the cob with a spicy curry, while in Zanzibar, the folded pocket of deliciousness that is Zanzibar pizza will leave you craving it long after you return home.

What is the dining etiquette in Tanzania?

Don’t sniff your food in Tanzania, even to show appreciation. It shows distrust and is a big cultural faux pas. It’s also considered rude to turn down a dish that’s offered to you, so take a little of everything unless you have an allergy. This is especially true if you’re fortunate enough to be invited to someone’s home. Don’t worry, you won’t necessarily have to clean your plate to show you enjoyed the meal. Just remember to eat and serve food using your right hand only. The Tanzanian table isn’t big on cutlery, except for soups. Even then, most locals eat by shaping their ugali into a spoon and dipping it in.

What is the drinking etiquette in Tanzania?

Sharing a drink with a visitor is a typical Tanzanian welcome, and the country is pretty relaxed about alcohol as a whole. Pombe is a word describing home-brewed beer which can be made from millet, sorghum or similar grains, while Mbege is a fermented banana drink popular during celebrations and important ceremonies. The entire community often gets involved in its making. One drink you may want to skip is a ceremonial mix of cow’s blood and milk (or wine). Maasai warriors drink this to draw strength, unity, and spiritual connection to their ancestors from the sacred animal, but tourists—and other Tanzanians, for that matter, prefer a sundowner instead. Sip on a cocktail or mocktail as you watch the sun dip below the horizon, a perfect toast to your Tanzanian adventure.

Does Tanzania cater to dietary restrictions?

Most safari camps and lodges in Tanzania will happily accommodate any dietary restrictions if given notice. Dairy and wheat are rarely part of the Tanzanian diet. In addition, there are some traditional taboos around certain meats, vegetables, and eggs while pregnant or breastfeeding. You’re unlikely to be held to any of these taboos on your Tanzania safari, but it’s another example of how easily the local diet can be adapted upon request.

What do meals typically cost in Tanzania?

Meals will usually be included at safari camps and lodges throughout Tanzania. Elsewhere, a cheap and filling meal can be had for less than US $5, while a mid-range restaurant dinner for two will cost closer to US $25-30.