A country formed of magnificent landscapes, misty mountains and impenetrable jungles, but what about the food? Ugandan food is a unique blend of Arab, Asian, English and Indian cuisines with many of their meals centering around meat. Barbeques are a favourite way locals enjoy dinner, especially when it includes goat, pork or chicken cooked over an open fire. Ugandan food is full of deliciously starchy stews with prominent use of potatoes, cornmeal, plantains, peanuts and greens. Here are a few things to look out for when you’re tasting your way around Uganda.
Matoke, one of the most popular dishes in Uganda, is considered the national dish. Wrapped in banana leaves, the plantain is steamed and then mashed. It can also be fried with onions, tomatoes and spices before being served. It is a popular accompaniment to meats alongside ground peanut sauce and vegetables.
Most Ugandans eat with their hands, so make sure you wash them before and after your meal.
Although meat can be expensive in Uganda, most meals at restaurants usually include meat or fish. If you are eating a vegetarian meal, be aware that the same surfaces, pots and sauces may be used for both vegetarian and meat dishes. You may want to check before you order. If in doubt, use Happy Cow – it’s an excellent resource for finding vegetarian and vegan restaurants. Some veggie-friendly dishes to try in Uganda are amashaza mu gitoke, maziwa, ugali and g-nut sauce.
Chai is a popular drink at any time of the day Uganda. It’s made by mixing milk, tea, sugar and ginger and served warm.
Waragi is essentially Ugandan Gin. While it is often drunk neat, it is delicious when mixed into cocktails or diluted with water.
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Uganda has an incredible selection of locally-grown fruit. These are often served blended into a refreshing juice. Our favourite, for example, is passionfruit and pineapple!
Each region in Uganda have their own local beer – the most popular ones are Bell lager and Nile lager.
Vitamin Cafe
(Jinja Road | Centenary Park, Kampala, Uganda)
DukemÂ
(Ggaba Road, Kampala, Uganda)
Bight of Benin Restaurant
(Plot 20, Kyadondo Road, Nakasero, Kampala, Uganda)
Asian Fusion
(Plot 1-2 Kafu Road, Kampala 4595, Uganda)
Khana Khazana Restaurant
(20 Acacia Avenue | Kololo, Kampala 21528, Uganda)
Amagara Cafe BistroÂ
(Colville Street, Kampala, Uganda)
Spectrum
(Colville Street | Plot 10 Opposite Christ The King Church. Kampala 5130, Uganda)
Seven Seas at Sheraton Kampala
(Ternan Avenue, Kampala 7041, Uganda)
Le Chateau Brasserie Belge Â
(Ggaba Road | Quality Hill Boutique Mall, Kampala 12721, Uganda)
Probably one of the most popular and famous meals in Uganda is a rolex. So popular in fact that it even has its own festival! Essentially, a rolex is an egg omelette with chopped onions and vegetables, then rolled up in chapati. Cheap, readily available heaven!
Brought over from India, chapati is flat-bread fried in oil. It’s the staple bread in Uganda and a common addition to beans, soups and stews. They are also used to wrap vegetables, meat and eggs.
Muchomo is essentially a roasted feast consisting of anything from chicken to pork. It is one of the most popular dinner choices in Uganda and can be found almost everywhere from street food stalls to high-end restaurants.
A traditional Buganda dish, Luwombo is a stew made from chicken, beef or fish steamed in banana leaves and mixed with potatoes, carrots and mushrooms, peanut sauce and added spices.
Sim-sim literally translates to sesame. Seeds are usually roasted and blended into a paste and served as a side or mixed into greens. They’re also made into biscuits which resemble peanut brittle.
Mandazi are triangle-shaped doughnuts dusted with cinnamon and sugar. The best ones are crispy and golden on the outside and fluffy in the center. Mandazi are of the most popular sweet snacks in Uganda.
During the rainy season, a popular street-food snack in Uganda is deep-fried grasshoppers. Their wings and legs are removed first, then fried in natural oils, onions and seasoning. They can be found on street-stalls or in pubs.
Katogo is a traditional Ugandan breakfast that is not for the faint-hearted. It contains a hefty pile of fried plantains topped with beef, beans and vegetables and served with a cup of soup. Delicious!
A popular meal with students, TV chicken is chicken cooked in a rotisserie oven and found at roadside restaurants and stalls. The succulent chicken is served alongside salad, plantain and french fries. Â
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