A restaurant that dishes up two different cuisines at the same time might not inspire confidence, but the Msasani Peninsula’s Alcove works well with its mix of Indian and Chinese dishes. One side of the menu is decent pan-Indian fare, while Alcove’s Chinese chef specialises in Cantonese and Szechuanese dishes. Housed in the Sea Cliff Hotel, Alcove is also a good place for a pre-dinner drink overlooking the water, but don’t expect a sunset on this East-facing coast.

A major community spot for Indo-Tanzanians, the Patel Brotherhood is a kind of restaurant-cum-clubhouse. If you’re a non-member, you have to pay a day membership of 2000 Shillings, but once you’re in, the Indian food is delicious and good value. If you’re eating in the evening, the best tables in the place are on the roof, where you get a cool breeze and a better view.

This Thai restaurant lures in customers with its excellent view of the harbour as much as with its good grub. Located on the ninth floor of the New Africa Hotel, its menu offers anything from an excellent, simple prawn Pad Thai to less common choices such as crabs in yellow curry and sago with melon. The restaurant is only open in the evening.

When you realise that there are probably more visitors from Italy along the Swahili Coast than from any other western country, finding this fine Italian restaurant makes perfect sense. Serving good seafood, home-made pasta and wood oven-baked pizza, the Mediterraneo Hotel’s restaurant also benefits from a great waterside setting. A little further out of town, its wooden beamed bar and dining room spill out onto the beach, with views over to Bongoyo Island.

Thanks to Dar’s large South Asian community, the city’s Indian food has an authenticity rarely found outside India itself. This restaurant on the Msasani Peninsula’s southern edge, popular with well-heeled locals, is one of the city’s better Asian spots – the juicy, herb marinated fish tikka is particularly recommended.

This Lebanese café-cum-bakery sells cakes, pastries and a variety of breads in addition to light breakfast, brunch or lunch snacks and Middle Eastern influenced food such as fresh salads, houmous and baba ghanoush.

This atmospheric Ethiopian restaurant serves up its food in traditional style, with each dish spooned onto a tangy, springy Injera flatbread. You’ll get more rolled Injera to scoop up the many spicy dishes available, which offer a good range of vegetarian choices among the meat. To complete the meal, try the restaurant’s freshly roasted, spiced Ethiopian coffee.

Chapan Bhog is one of Dar’s best restaurants for vegetarians, serving excellent - and cheap - pan-Indian street food to a devoted local following. Perhaps best on the menu are the paper thin dosas with crispy rice, or the lentil flour pancakes served with dipping chutneys or filled with curries. There are also some interesting fusion dishes on offer, such as Szechuan pepper and chilli paneer.

There aren’t many frills at this friendly city restaurant and takeaway, but there is a dependable choice of classic Tanzanian/Indian fusion food. Summy’s grills are probably the best bet and it's not uncommon to find people queuing up around the corner for their barbecued chicken and Mishikaki – spiced, marinated skewers of meat that go down particularly well with a beer. They also serve decent curries.