Tanzania Food and Drink

Food in Tanzania varies greatly depending on where you are in the country. On the mainland and away from the coast, most restaurants serve Tanzanian dishes that usually consist of meat stews or grilled chicken, accompanied by staples including chips, green bananas or ugali (maize meal porridge eaten all over Africa).

Dar es Salaam is a fairly cosmopolitan city with a good choice of local and international restaurants. Many Tanzanian towns, including the capital, have a significant population of second-generation immigrants from the Indian sub-continent, and restaurants serving Indian dishes are not uncommon.

On the coast, the Indian Ocean provides a full range of seafood, and the Swahili culinary style is delicately flavoured by spices and coconut milk and features fragrant rice, grilled fish and prawn curries. Tropical fruits are abundant here, as are the delicious fresh juices made from them.

Specialities

Nyama choma: Barbecued meat.
Ugali: Maize meal porridge, a staple usually served with stews or meat.
Mandazi: A fried dough ball that resembles a savoury doughnut.
Kachumbari: Spicy tomato relish served with meat.
Wali wa nazi: Rice cooked with coconut milk.
Mchuzi wa Kamba: Prawn curry with tomatoes.
Matoke: Plantains, generally boiled and served with stews.
Mishkaki: Spicy barbecued beef kebabs.
Konyagi: A popular, cheap, and frightfully strong gin.
Duckling Dar es Salaam: A Tanzanian delicacy, made from duckling cooked with tomatoes, red peppers and onions.
Chai: Tanzanian tea, usually served sweet, milky and very hot in small glasses.

Tipping

In Tanzania tipping is not expected, but a tip of around 10% for good service is greatly appreciated by restaurant and hotel staff, who generally receive very low pay.

Drinking age

18.