Zanzibar Food Guide — What to Eat and Where

Zanzibar's food culture is one of its greatest and most underappreciated treasures. Shaped by over a thousand years of Arab, Indian, Persian, Portuguese and African influence, Zanzibari cuisine is complex, fragrant and deeply satisfying. The spice trade that made Zanzibar wealthy also made its food extraordinary.

Here is our guide to what you absolutely must eat during your time on the island.

The Essential Zanzibar Dishes

Pilau Rice — Wali wa Pilau If you eat one dish in Zanzibar make it pilau. This fragrant spiced rice is the heart of Zanzibari cooking — cooked with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper and sometimes meat or fish. Every household and restaurant has their own recipe. The smell of pilau cooking is the smell of Zanzibar.

Urojo — Zanzibar Mix Urojo is the iconic Zanzibar street food — a rich, tangy, slightly spicy soup made with a mango and lemon base, filled with bhajia (spiced chickpea fritters), boiled eggs, potatoes, crispy cassava chips and fresh coconut chutney. It looks chaotic and tastes extraordinary. Find it at Forodhani Night Market in Stone Town.

Zanzibar Pizza Nothing like Italian pizza. Zanzibar pizza is a street food specialty — thin dough folded around fillings of minced meat, egg, vegetables and cheese then cooked on a hot griddle. Sweet versions filled with banana, Nutella and coconut are equally popular. Forodhani market is the home of Zanzibar pizza.

Coconut Curry — Mchuzi wa Nazi Coconut milk is the foundation of much Zanzibari cooking. Slow-cooked fish or chicken in a fragrant coconut curry with fresh spices is a dish of extraordinary depth and warmth. Served with wali (rice) or chapati.

Fresh Grilled Seafood With the Indian Ocean on its doorstep Zanzibar has some of the finest and freshest seafood in the world. Grilled fish, calamari, prawns, lobster and octopus — all caught the same morning and grilled over charcoal. The beach restaurants in Paje and Jambiani serve exceptional fresh seafood.

Octopus Curry — Mchuzi wa Pweza Octopus is a specialty of Zanzibar's east coast — particularly around Jambiani where women harvest octopus from the reef at low tide. Slow-cooked in coconut milk with fresh spices it is one of the island's most distinctive dishes.

Mandazi — East African Doughnuts The breakfast of Zanzibar. These fried dough triangles flavoured with cardamom and coconut are eaten with chai — spiced tea with cardamom and ginger. Every guesthouse and local cafe serves them in the morning.

Mkate wa Ufuta — Sesame Bread Flatbread baked in a clay pot with sesame seeds — a Zanzibar specialty you will not find anywhere else. Eaten warm with coconut chutney it is exceptional.

Zanzibari Chai Tea in Zanzibar is nothing like tea at home. Brewed with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and sometimes black pepper, Zanzibari chai is a warming, fragrant and deeply satisfying experience. Drink it sweet — sukari kidogo (a little sugar) is how locals take it.

Where to Eat in Stone Town

Forodhani Gardens Night Market Open every evening at sunset. The most atmospheric eating experience in Zanzibar. Dozens of vendors grill seafood and cook street food right in front of you with the Indian Ocean as your backdrop. Budget for $5-10 and eat your way around every stall.

The Emerson Spice Rooftop The finest dining experience in Stone Town. Rooftop restaurant with panoramic views over the city and harbour. A tasting menu of Zanzibari dishes cooked with estate-grown spices. Book in advance — it fills quickly.

Lukmaan Restaurant The locals' choice in Stone Town. Simple, authentic and generous. Enormous plates of biryani, pilau and curries at local prices. No atmosphere needed when the food is this good.

Where to Eat on the East Coast

The east coast beaches — Paje, Jambiani and Bwejuu — have a growing number of excellent restaurants ranging from simple beachfront grills to more sophisticated beach dining.

Fresh seafood grilled over charcoal on the beach is the east coast speciality. Ask your guesthouse or hotel for their current recommendation — the best spots change with the seasons.

The Spice Farm Lunch Experience

One of the most memorable meals in Zanzibar is the traditional lunch served at the end of a Spice Tour. Freshly harvested spices cooked into rice, curries, chutneys and desserts — a complete demonstration of how Zanzibar's spice heritage translates into extraordinary food.

Our Spice Tour includes this traditional lunch. Contact our team on WhatsApp at +255 688 686 983 to book.

A Food Traveller's Tip

The best food in Zanzibar is always found furthest from the tourist areas. Follow your nose into the local markets, eat where local people eat and never judge a restaurant by its decor. Some of the most extraordinary meals in Zanzibar are served from the simplest roadside kitchens.

Kula vizuri — eat well. Zanzibar will not disappoint.