Tanzania Food

From waterfalls to beaches, safaris to mountains, and ancient history to modern colonies, A trip to Tanzania is truly a 360-degree holiday. But, what about the Tanzanian Food? Your Tanzania Safari experience is incomplete without it.

Tanzania cuisine is all about big flavors, amazing spices, heart-warming stews, and perfectly barbecued meat. We’ve highlighted the big 5 of Tanzania Food that you just can’t miss during your holiday in Tanzania.

Zanzibar Pizza

The only thing common between Zanzibar Pizza and its Italian cousin, is they both are very tasty. It is made with unleavened dough, stretched thin, and filled with various ingredients including meat such as beef or chicken, seafood, various vegetables, cheese, mayonnaise, or eggs. The sides are then wrapped into a pancake-like shape and are fried in ghee until it is golden and crispy. There’s also a Sweet version made up of bananas, chocolate spread, mangoes, or peanut butter.

A word of caution; the Zanzibar pizza is utterly delicious and highly addictive. You would want to eat it again and again even after your Safari Tanzania is over.

Chipsi Mayai

During your Tanzania Safari Tours, if you see a big black wok filled with bubbling yellow oil in front of a restaurant, be sure that the restaurant serves Chipsi Mayai.

Swahili for “chips and eggs”, Chipsi Mayai is the favorite Tanzania comfort food. This is nothing but a combination of an omelet and French fries. But that’s where its true beauty lies – simplicity. This popular Tanzanian street food is commonly served with kachumbari. Which is a simple salad consisting of raw tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and a bit of chili.

Nyama Choma

‘Nyama Choma’ is a Swahili word for “charcoal-grilled meat”. BBQ is a great way to spend a sunny African afternoon. This Tanzanian dish is a very delicious barbecue mostly of chicken, beef, and goat meat. The locals will set up a grill over hot charcoal, and then the meat will be hacked off the carcass, have some seasoning applied on, and then thrown on the grill right in front of you, so you know it’s fresh. After that, it is left to grill slowly, giving it an amazing smoky flavor. Tanzanian Food is best enjoyed with friends and company. A single plate can take up to 45 minutes to an hour to cook, thus perfect for getting together as a group to come together and have a few drinks and chat while the meat is set to grill nicely.

Mchicha

To all those vegetarians out there, this Tanzanian Food Is an absolute delight you just can't miss. This popular Tanzanian dish is a thick creamy vegetarian meal prepared mainly from a local green leafy vegetable which is similar to amaranth or spinach with added grated coconut, coconut milk, peanut butter, tomatoes, and onions. Enjoy mchicha with starch e.g rice or ugali and beans on the side.

Ugali

Ugali is not just food, it’s the epitome of traditional Tanzanian cuisine and culture. So, don’t miss this authentic Tanzanian staple food on your Tanzania Safari holiday. Ugali is a thick porridge and it is made from white maize flour and water stirred together until it reaches a stiff consistency, leave it for some time to set, and voila! Ugali is ready. It is the most preferred side dish for everything: beans, greens, meat or vegetable stews, everything. A very good meal to provide energy and a sense of fullness that will last for a long time.

Timeless Dream Travels puts a lot of stress on the full Tanzania Safari Experience. Our Tanzania Safari Guide will inform you about all the hidden gems of Tanzania. We are known to go the extra mile to take you to all those authentic Tanzanian places that no one tells you about. The people are the country so what they eat is what keeps the country alive.

Caution should be taken while eating out in towns but good quality cuisine is guaranteed while out on tours.

Vegetarian, Vegan, Halaal, and Kosher meals options are available on request.