Uganda Food and Drink

Ugandan cuisine draws on English, Arab and Asian – especially Indian – influences and uses local produce including plantains, sweet potatoes, corn, beans and cassava.

It’s easy to eat cheaply almost anywhere in the country. International restaurants can be found in larger towns, with Indian, Chinese and Italian being the most popular.

Traditional foods include ugali (solidified maize meal porridge) served with a stew of groundnuts (peanuts), beans, chicken or meat such as beef, goat or mutton. Game can be found on menus in some restaurants and at safari lodges. Fish including the tiger fish, mukini, mputa and tilapia are popular.

Vegetarians may struggle outside of major towns, but Uganda’s Indian and Chinese restaurants generally offer a selection of vegetarian dishes.

Specialities

Chapati: Indian-style flat bread fried in oil.
Grasshoppers: The crunchy, deep-fried insects are a popular street food.
Luwombo: Stew made from meat, vegetables or fish steamed in banana leaves.
Matoke: A green banana, often steamed in its own leaves and mashed.
Millet bread: A mixture of millet and cassava flour, eaten with peanut or meat sauce.
Posho: Made from white cornflour, this starchy staple is similar to polenta.
Rolex: An omelette with onion and veg rolled up in a chapatti.
SimSim: Roasted sesame paste mixed into a dish of beans or greens and served as a side.
Kikomando: A chapati cut into pieces and served with fried beans.
Mandazi: A doughnut often served with cinnamon or sugar.
Pombe: Fermented beer made from millet or banana.
Waragi: A potent local gin.

Tipping

Although always appreciated, it is not standard practice. Aim to tip 10% at tourist-orientated restaurants.

Drinking age

18.