You can’t truly know a country until you’ve tasted it. Tanzania might be famous for its safaris and beaches, but its food deserves just as much attention. Tanzanian cuisine is a melting pot – Arab, Indian, Portuguese, Swahili, African – all simmering together into something rich, spicy, and endlessly comforting. It’s food made for sharing, not posing for photos (though you’ll probably take some anyway). If you’re wondering what to eat when you visit, here are the must-try dishes that capture the heart of this extraordinary country.
Ugali – The Staple of Tanzanian Life
Let’s start with the foundation: ugali. If Tanzanian food were a religion, ugali would be the communion bread. It’s a simple maize flour porridge, thickened to the consistency of play-dough, eaten by hand and served with almost everything – stews, vegetables, fish, meat. You roll a bit of it into a ball, press a small dent with your thumb, and use it to scoop up whatever you’re eating. It’s not flashy, but it’s comfort incarnate. People grow up on it; it fills you, anchors you, and somehow tastes like home even if you’ve never had it before.
Nyama Choma – Grilled Meat, Tanzanian-Style
Nyama choma literally means “roast meat,” and that’s exactly what you’ll get – usually goat or beef, grilled over an open flame until smoky and tender. It’s a social dish, best enjoyed with friends, cold beer, and laughter. Most locals prefer it with kachumbari (a tangy tomato-onion salad) and a side of chips. You’ll find it everywhere, from roadside stalls to city bars. The trick? Ask for it freshly grilled; pre-cooked versions lose their magic.
Zanzibar Pilau – Aromatic Rice with History in Every Grain
Zanzibar’s spice-trading past shows up beautifully in its food, and pilau rice is the star example. Fragrant with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin, this dish is slow-cooked with onions, garlic, and sometimes chicken or beef. It’s often served during celebrations and holidays, but you’ll also find it at markets and homes year-round. The aroma hits you before the plate even lands on the table – it’s East Africa’s answer to biryani, but distinctly Swahili in spirit.
Mishkaki – The Street Food You’ll Dream About Later
Imagine skewers of marinated beef or chicken, grilled to perfection over charcoal, smoky and slightly sweet. That’s mishkaki, and it might just ruin all other kebabs for you. You’ll find vendors selling them late into the night, especially in Dar es Salaam and Arusha. They’re usually brushed with a chilli-tomato sauce and served with chips or flatbread. If you like bold flavours, this is your holy grail.
Chipsi Mayai – Tanzania’s Take on the Omelette
This one’s pure genius. Chipsi mayai means “chips and eggs” – literally French fries mixed into an omelette. Sounds odd, tastes divine. It’s Tanzania’s ultimate comfort food: crispy, greasy, filling, and cheap. Street stalls everywhere make them to order, served with ketchup or a bit of spicy kachumbari on the side. You’ll see locals grabbing one before work, after a night out, or just because they can. It’s the kind of dish you start craving at 2 a.m. for no reason at all.
Sukuma Wiki – The Everyday Green
Sukuma wiki translates to “stretch the week,” which tells you exactly what kind of dish it is. It’s collard greens sautĂ©ed with onions, tomatoes, and sometimes garlic – simple, healthy, and eaten with ugali more days than not. Think of it as the Tanzanian equivalent of spinach, but with more attitude. It’s cheap, easy to make, and quietly nourishing.
Zanzibar Pizza – Street-Food Chaos (In the Best Way)
Forget everything you know about pizza. Zanzibar pizza isn’t baked – it’s pan-fried on a hot griddle. Imagine a thin dough stuffed with egg, minced meat, cheese, onions, and mayonnaise (yes, really), then folded like a parcel and fried until crisp. Sweet versions with banana and Nutella exist too. You’ll find them at Forodhani Gardens night market in Stone Town, where the air smells like smoke, spices, and grilled seafood. It’s chaotic, noisy, and absolutely unmissable.
Samaki wa Kupaka – Coconut-Grilled Fish
Zanzibar’s coastline means one thing: seafood. Samaki wa kupaka – fish in coconut sauce – is a coastal favourite. The fish (often snapper or kingfish) is marinated in lime, garlic, and chilli, grilled over charcoal, then coated with a creamy coconut curry sauce. It’s silky, rich, and slightly smoky from the grill. Pair it with rice and you’ll understand why locals call it “food for the soul.”
Mandazi – Sweet Fried Clouds
No East African morning is complete without mandazi, the golden, triangular cousin of the doughnut. Lightly sweet, sometimes flavoured with coconut or cardamom, and perfect with chai. You’ll find them sold in baskets on street corners, at bus stations, everywhere really. They’re dangerously addictive – you’ll eat three before realising it.
Urojo – Zanzibar’s “Mix” Soup
Locally known as “Zanzibar mix,” urojo is a thick, tangy, slightly chaotic bowl of everything: potatoes, fritters, boiled eggs, mango, coconut chutney, tamarind sauce. It’s a full meal disguised as street food, found mostly in Stone Town. Every vendor’s version is slightly different, and part of the fun is comparing them. It’s messy, spicy, and unforgettable.
Drinks Worth Trying Too
Food aside, Tanzania’s beverages are part of the experience. Tangawizi (ginger beer) is fiery and refreshing, while sugarcane juice pressed fresh on the street is a revelation on a hot day. If you’re a coffee lover, Tanzania’s Arabica beans are among the world’s best – smooth, rich, and grown on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try Konyagi, a local spirit that’s somewhere between gin and rum. It’s best mixed with tonic, ideally while watching the sun dip into the Indian Ocean.
The Influence of Culture and Geography
Tanzanian food is shaped by geography and history. Coastal dishes draw heavily on Arabic and Indian flavours – coconut milk, cardamom, clove, and tamarind – while inland cooking is heartier, based on grains and stews. Colonisation and trade brought in new ingredients, but the soul of Tanzanian cooking has always been about community and resilience. Meals are slow, shared, and eaten with gratitude. There’s no rush, no over-complication – just depth and warmth.
Vegetarian and Vegan Options
Vegetarians actually do quite well here. Many local dishes like sukuma wiki, maharage (beans), wali wa nazi (coconut rice), and vegetable stews are naturally plant-based. Just double-check for meat stock or fish sauce if you’re vegan. Fruit lovers? You’re in paradise – mangoes, pineapples, papayas, and jackfruit are everywhere, ripe and cheap.
Bringing Tanzania Home
If you fall in love with the flavours (you will), stock up on Zanzibar spices before you leave. Cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom grown here are some of the most aromatic on earth. They’re the perfect souvenir – light to carry, impossible to forget.
Food in Tanzania isn’t just sustenance – it’s a cultural experience, a window into how people live and connect. Whether you’re eating street-side chipsi mayai, a home-cooked fish curry, or fancy resort seafood, it all carries that same Tanzanian generosity.
And when you’ve had your fill, you can explore more of the country’s soul through its classic safari experiences in Tanzania or dive deeper into its Tanzanian culture and traditions – because food here is only the beginning.