Zanzibar · Food & Culture
A Thousand Years of Trade, on a Plate
Zanzibar was the hinge of the Indian Ocean trade routes for centuries, and its food shows it — Swahili coast cooking crossed with Omani, Indian and Portuguese influence. Coconut, tamarind, cardamom and cloves turn up in everything, and the fish came out of the water that morning.
Eating here ranges from a plastic chair at the Forodhani night market to a table set on the sand at sunset. Both are worth doing, and the gap between them in price is enormous while the gap in quality is not.
- Forodhani Gardens night market in Stone Town
- Spice farm tours with a cooked lunch
- Fresh seafood grilled the day it is landed
- The Rock — the restaurant standing in the sea at Michamvi
Good to Know
Island Dining at a Glance
What You'll Find
Best Time to Visit
Year-round. Ramadan changes daytime opening hours in Stone Town — ask us for dates.
Spices
Cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper are all grown on the island.
Must Try
Urojo soup, pweza wa nazi (octopus in coconut), mishkaki skewers and Zanzibar pizza.
Etiquette
Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim — dress modestly away from the beach and resorts.
- Swahili Cuisine
- Seafood
- Spice Farms
- Forodhani Market
- The Rock
- Cooking Classes
- Octopus Curry
- Zanzibar Pizza
- Urojo Soup
- Fresh Fruit
Things to Do
Eating Your Way Around
We can build the food side of your trip as deliberately as the beaches — a spice farm and cooking class early on gives you the vocabulary for everything you eat afterwards.
- Spice farm tour with a traditional lunch
- Swahili cooking class with a local family
- Forodhani Gardens night market walking tour
- Reservations at The Rock and other sought-after tables
Eat Well on the Island
Tell us what you like and we’ll build the spice farms, classes and tables into your itinerary.