Eating & Drinking on Zanzibar

Zanzibar has one of East Africa’s most lively culinary scenes. The island is well known for its seafood and traditional dishes, but it also hosts a cosmopolitan range of international restaurants. The best place for

eating out is Stone Town, where the Shangani and Forodhani waterfronts are particularly well populated with restaurants and bars. Larger resort villages such as Nungwi, Kiwengwa and Paje also offer a varied selection of dining venues, but the choice is more limited in smaller resort villages.

Safari & Zanzibar Packages

Seafood

As might be expected of a tropical Indian Ocean island, Zanzibar is renowned for its fresh seafood, which is generally of a high quality and well priced by international standards. Local favorites are fish fillet or

kebabs, which are basted in a marinade laced with ginger, garlic and other spices, then flame-grilled on an open charcoal fire. Lobsters, prawns, octopus and calamari can be found on most restaurant menus and are usually grilled in a similar manner. If you feel like splashing out and sampling a little of everything, many restaurants offer shared seafood platters for two.

Swahili Cuisine

The people of Zanzibar and the East African coast have a unique cuisine that reflects a long history of trade across the Indian Ocean. A blend of African, Arab, Indian and Portuguese influences, this cuisine

is known for its extensive use of the spices for which Zanzibar is known. A popular dish is curry (usually prawn, fish or chicken), which is cooked Swahili-style in a tomato-and-coconut-based sauce. Rice-based dishes include and , both of which are heavily spiced and can be made with meat, fish or chicken.Popular snacks include (spicy grilled meat kebabs) and (deep-fried pastry triangles filled with meat or vegetables). Aside from the usual rice and chips, local side dishes include (a thick porridge-like dish made with maize meal) and (fried flatbread). Treats for sweet-toothed visitors include (a coconut candy) and (deep-fried doughballs).

International Cuisine

Zanzibar has a cosmopolitan culinary scene. This is particularly the case in Stone Town, which is home to a good number of , Indian and Italian restaurants but also has specialist Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Ethiopian

outlets. Also in Stone Town, you’ll find a number of classy modern restaurants that don’t specialize in any one national cuisine but serve everything from seafood and steak to burgers and pizzas.The situation on the beaches is varied. Several resort towns and villages are serviced by a good selection of restaurants. Of these, Nungwi and Paje have the trendiest and most diverse culinary scenes, while Kiwengwa is known for its strong Italian influence, and Jambiani is home to several unpretentious local Swahili seafood restaurants. You won’t find as many stand-alone restaurants in towns and villages whose beach resorts tend to offer all-inclusive, full-board or half-board packages.

Vegetarians & Vegans

Indian food platter — Indian vegetarian food platter

Zanzibar is a good destination for vegetarians and vegans. There is at least one Indian vegetarian eatery in Stone Town, and most other Asian restaurants have a long vegetarian menu. The trendier restaurants on Stone Town’s

waterfront also generally offer a fair selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes. Vegans should check out Stone Town’s only Ethiopian restaurant: orthodox Ethiopians are forbidden from eating animal produce on fasting days, which means that all their vegetarian dishes are by default vegan too.If you’re staying at an upmarket beach resort, the kitchen should be used to catering to vegetarians, vegans and other special requests. Nevertheless, it is best to specify any dietary requirements when you book and again upon arrival. Restaurants and cafés at hip beach resorts such as Nungwi and Paje tend to be vegan-friendly. Elsewhere, vegetarians are usually catered for, but vegans may need to spell out their needs.

Forodhani Gardens

A unique Zanzibari culinary experience worth highlighting is the nightly food market at Forodhani Gardens on Stone Town’s characterful waterfront. This lively setup comprises a few dozen different food stalls, most of which specialize in freshly

barbecued seafood, but there are plenty of other specialties on offer. Forodhani Gardens won’t appeal to those who worry about germs, or other visitors who are nervous about eating street food, but plenty of tourists eat here without ill effect. The combination of cheerful vendors and plentiful local diners creates a very enjoyable and inclusive atmosphere, one enhanced by the sight of children playing on the beach and sailing past the harbor at sunset.

Drinking

Tanzania is a major coffee and tea producer, and both beverages can be enjoyed at numerous cafés dotted around Stone Town and the larger resort villages. Traditional tea or coffee is heavily spiced, but most

cafés also serve it Western style. Sticking with nonalcoholic drinks, a very Zanzibari treat is coconut water drunk fresh from the shell (the top of which is lopped open with a machete).A popular African tradition is drinks. On Zanzibar, if you actually want to see the setting sun, this is possible only on west-facing beaches such as Kendwa, Nungwi and Michamvi Kae. Stone Town also faces west, and several superb sundowner bars line its waterfront. A popular drink after a hot day out is a chilled beer (local lagers include Safari, Kilimanjaro and Tusker). Most bars and restaurants also serve cocktails and mocktails, as well as wine imported from South Africa.

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