Food & Drink
Stone Town Food Guide: Best Restaurants and Street Food in 2026
Stone Town's best restaurants and street food — urojo soup, pilau, Lukmaan, Emerson Rooftop, Forodhani market, and where locals actually eat.
Tanzanian Cuisine
Food in Tanzania: A Complete Guide to Tanzanian Cuisine
Tanzanian food draws from two distinct traditions. The inland regions (Arusha, Dodoma, Mwanza) centre on maize, beans, and grilled meats - ugali with stewed greens, nyama choma over charcoal, and hearty bean dishes. The Swahili coast (Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Tanga) carries centuries of Indian Ocean trade influence - coconut milk, cardamom, cloves, and tamarind appear across rice dishes, curries, and seafood preparations.
Eating in Tanzania is affordable. A plate of ugali with beans or greens at a local stall costs approximately TZS 2,000-5,000 ($0.80-2.00 as of 2026). Nyama choma with sides runs approximately TZS 8,000-15,000 ($3.20-6.00). Street food - mishkaki, chipsi mayai, samosas - is available for under TZS 3,000. The food culture is communal and generous, with portions sized accordingly.
Food by City
Each city guide includes a dedicated food page covering must-eat dishes, local specialities, and where to eat them.
Dishes to Try in Tanzania
Eight dishes that represent the depth and regional variety of Tanzanian cuisine - from inland staples to Swahili coast specialities.
Ugali
The staple food across Tanzania. A firm, white maize flour porridge cooked until it holds its shape, then served as a side with meat stews, greens, or beans. Eaten by tearing off a piece with your right hand and using it to scoop up relish. Every region has its own accompaniment preferences.
Nyama Choma
Slow-grilled meat (usually goat or beef) cooked over charcoal until smoky and tender. Served with ugali, kachumbari (a fresh tomato-onion-chilli salsa), and sometimes chips. Found at dedicated nyama choma joints in every town. Arusha and Dar es Salaam have some of the best spots.
Pilau
Spiced rice cooked with cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, typically with beef or chicken. The Swahili coast version (especially in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam) carries a stronger Indian Ocean spice influence. A celebration dish that has become everyday eating in coastal cities.
Chapati
A flaky, layered flatbread cooked on a griddle with oil. Brought to East Africa through Indian trade routes and now fully adopted into Tanzanian cuisine. Served with beans (chapati maharage), meat stews, or eaten on its own as a snack. Street vendors sell them fresh from approximately TZS 500 each.
Mishkaki
Marinated meat skewers (beef, chicken, or goat) grilled over charcoal. The marinade typically includes lime juice, garlic, ginger, and chilli. A popular street food served in the evening, especially in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Often sold alongside chips and kachumbari.
Wali wa Nazi
Coconut rice cooked in thick coconut milk, giving it a rich, slightly sweet flavour. A Swahili coast speciality found throughout Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, and Tanga. Served alongside fish curries, octopus stew, or bean dishes. The coconut flavour pairs well with the region's seafood.
Chipsi Mayai
Tanzania's own fast food creation: thick-cut chips folded into a beaten egg omelette, cooked in a pan until crispy on the outside. Served with kachumbari and chilli sauce. Cheap, filling, and available at street stalls everywhere. Approximately TZS 2,000-4,000 ($0.80-1.60 as of 2026).
Zanzibar Pizza
Not a pizza at all. A thin dough parcel stuffed with minced meat, onions, peppers, and egg, then folded and fried on a griddle. Sweet versions with Nutella and banana also exist. Found at the Forodhani Gardens night market in Stone Town and street stalls across the coast. Approximately TZS 3,000-5,000.
Best Cities for Food
Zanzibar / Stone Town
The Forodhani Gardens night market is Tanzania's most famous food experience - grilled seafood, Zanzibar pizza, sugar cane juice, and mishkaki served along the waterfront every evening. Stone Town's restaurants serve Swahili curries, octopus in coconut sauce, and spice-infused pilau that reflects centuries of trade influence.
Food guide to Zanzibar →Dar es Salaam
Tanzania's largest city has the widest food variety. The Kariakoo market area has street food stalls serving chipsi mayai, samosas, and vitumbua (coconut rice pancakes). Msasani Peninsula and Oyster Bay have upmarket restaurants. The city's Indian community contributes biriyani, samosas, and bhajia to the everyday food scene.
Food guide to Dar es Salaam →Arusha
The safari capital has a strong nyama choma culture - charcoal-grilled goat and beef served at dedicated roadside joints. The Central Market sells fresh produce and spices. Arusha also has a growing restaurant scene with East African, Indian, and international options catering to the steady flow of safari visitors.
Food guide to Arusha →Food Guides
In-depth guides to the cuisine, restaurants, and street food scene.
Food & Drink
Dar es Salaam Food Guide: What to Eat and Where
Dar es Salaam food guide — Kivukoni fish market, biryani in Kariakoo, nyama choma in Magomeni, and the best Swahili restaurants with TZS prices.
Food & Drink
Tanzanian Food Guide: What to Eat in Tanzania
Complete guide to Tanzanian food — ugali, nyama choma, pilau, chipsi mayai, mandazi, and the coastal dishes shaped by centuries of Indian Ocean trade.
Food & Drink
Best Restaurants in Zanzibar: Where to Eat on the Spice Island
Best restaurants in Zanzibar — Stone Town rooftops, Forodhani night market, beach shacks in Paje, and spice garden meals. Prices in USD, 2026.
Explore the food scene city by city