Best Local Foods to Try in Zanzibar (And Where to Find Them)
Zanzibar isn’t just a paradise for beach lovers it’s a culinary treasure chest bursting with spice, flavor, and history. Blending Swahili, Arab, Indian, and Portuguese influences, the island’s cuisine is as vibrant as its sunsets. If you’re a food explorer, here’s your ultimate guide to Zanzibar’s best local dishes and the exact places to try them!
🍕 1. Zanzibar Pizza – A Savory Street Food Star
A street food sensation made fresh to order, this “pizza” is more like a stuffed pancake — filled with minced beef or chicken, veggies, cheese, egg, and sometimes mayo or chili, then folded and fried. Crispy on the outside and gooey inside, it’s a deliciously messy must-try!
What it is: Think of it as a Swahili take on a stuffed crepe filled with meats, vegetables, cheese, and egg, then folded and fried to perfection.
Where to try it: Head to Forodhani Night Market in Stone Town a buzzing open-air food court packed with sizzling aromas and local vendors.
🐟 2. Octopus Curry – Creamy & Coastal
Tender pieces of octopus are slow-cooked in a rich coconut milk curry infused with turmeric, garlic, and chili. A beloved coastal delicacy, this dish blends creamy textures with a spicy kick best enjoyed by the sea with steamed rice
What it is: Tender octopus chunks simmered in coconut milk, turmeric, and local spices.
Where to try it: Visit Lukmaan Restaurant in Stone Town for a fresh, authentic plate. Their flavors are rich and unforgettable.
🍛 3. Pilau – The Fragrant Feast Rice
Cooked with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, and occasionally meat, pilau is a festive rice dish reserved for special occasions but loved year-round. Its aroma fills the air before it even reaches the table a true taste of Swahili celebration.
What it is: A spiced rice dish cooked with cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and sometimes with beef or chicken.
Where to try it: Sample it at Passing Show Hotel or during a local Swahili cooking class a delicious way to eat and learn.
🥥 4. Urojo (Zanzibar Mix)
A local favorite, this tangy street food soup is a whirlwind of textures and flavors. It blends crunchy bhajias, boiled potatoes, chutneys, boiled eggs, coconut sauce, and crispy cassava chips in a single bowl. Spicy, sour, and sweet it’s Zanzibar in a spoon.
What it is: A tangy soup with fritters, boiled potatoes, coconut chutney, mango, and crispy bites – all in one bowl.
Where to try it: Look for it in local food stalls around Darajani Market. It’s a favorite among Zanzibari school kids and adults alike!
🦐 5. Seafood Skewers – Fresh from the Ocean
Caught just hours before it hits your plate, Zanzibar’s seafood is second to none. Grilled skewers of calamari, shrimp, octopus, or local fish are marinated with Swahili spices and served beachside or at markets. Every bite tastes of ocean breeze and open flame.
What it is: Grilled prawns, lobster tails, calamari, or fish seasoned and charred over open flames.
Where to try it: Enjoy these at The Rock Restaurant in Michamvi or during a Safari Blue day tour where you feast on the sandbank.
🫓 6. Chapati – The Flaky Flatbread
A soft, layered flatbread that’s pan-fried until golden brown, chapati is a must-try accompaniment to curries or beans. Its slightly chewy texture and rich flavor come from being rolled, folded, and griddled by hand often cooked in village homes and local eateries.
What it is: A soft, layered bread eaten with curries or just dipped in spicy chai.
Where to try it: Almost anywhere! But locals swear by the ones served at Dafu Café and local village eateries in Jambiani.
🌶️ 7. Spice Farm Tastings – A Feast of the Senses
At Zanzibar’s spice farms, you don’t just see and smell spices you touch, taste, and learn their history. Freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon bark, vanilla pods, and cloves come alive in a multisensory experience. It’s a flavorful journey that explains why Zanzibar is called the Spice Island.
What it is: Taste fresh cinnamon bark, vanilla pods, jackfruit, tamarind, and nutmeg right where they grow.
Where to try it: Take a guided Zanzibar Spice Tour a hands-on culinary adventure that brings food to life.
🥭 8. Tropical Fruits – Nature’s Candy
Zanzibar’s tropical bounty includes mangoes, pineapples, bananas, jackfruit, passion fruit, and exotic gems like rambutan and soursop. Juicy, colorful, and naturally sweet, these fruits are often sold in local markets or sliced fresh along beach paths a delicious, healthy treat under the sun.
What to try: Mangoes, passionfruit, soursop, rambutan, jackfruit, and juicy pineapples.
Where to try it: Wander through Stone Town markets or stop by roadside fruit stalls in Paje and Nungwi.
🧁 9. Mandazi – Swahili Doughnuts
Lightly sweet, fluffy, and deep-fried to golden perfection, mandazi is a breakfast staple and anytime snack across Zanzibar. Enjoy them with chai, dipped in spicy sauces, or simply on their own — soft on the inside, crisp on the outside, and always comforting.
What it is: Lightly fried and slightly sweet bread, often enjoyed with tea or as a quick snack.
Where to try it: Best bought fresh in the morning from local women vendors or breakfast buffets at Swahili House.
🍹 10. Sugarcane Juice & Tangawizi Tea
Freshly squeezed sugarcane juice is a revitalizing drink, often served with lime and ice perfect after a hot island day. Tangawizi tea, on the other hand, is a traditional ginger-infused brew that warms your soul and boosts immunity. Together, they reflect the heart of Swahili hospitality refreshing, natural, and rooted in tradition.
What it is: Refreshing, naturally sweet juice or a hot ginger-infused tea, both loved by locals.
Where to try it: Forodhani Market, village cafés, or any local street vendor.
✅ Final words
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Further more
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