Traditional restaurant businesses in Zambia

As Zambia comes of age and as Zambians become proud of their traditional food many restaurants serving traditional food are coming up. Find a place for meat and fish lovers, prepared and served in true Zambian style. Enjoy Zambia’s wide range of exotic vegetables prepared in as many ways as there are tribes in Zambia. Some traditional restaurants in Zambia more accurately prepare the dishes on charcoal stoves and will offer barbequed fish, chicken, sausages, T-bone, beef as this is very much an established Zambian tradition. In the higher end establishments, the decor is Zambian and the waiting reflects Zambia’s high level of respect for guests.

Traditional restaurants in Zambia

Zambia has a wide selection of traditional restaurants offering you an exciting and authentic African dining experience. You will be served deliciously prepared Zambian food in an atmosphere that is comfortable and relaxed. Zambian traditional restaurants have beautiful African arts and crafts displayed, of which most are known to have been done by Zambians, this gives you a traditional feel, while the great aromas and music create an atmospheric dining environment. There are a number of traditional restaurants in Zambia including Mikiti Kitchens, Mabel's Kitchen and Shamilimo Lodge.

Zambian cuisine is inspired by the traditions and values of her people. There are about 73 tribes, in Zambia’s ten provinces all offering different versions of preparing Zambian food. Cultures all over the world love to add hot spices when preparing food, Zambia on the other hand, tends to hardly use any hot spices at all. However, they use other traditional ingredients and spices that give Zambian foods that distinctive unique taste and flavour.

Zambia’s traditional restaurants offer lots of delicious food prepared the Zambian way!

Zambia’s fish options include:

• Boiled small fish (Tikatika)
• Fresh or dried fish such as bream, smoked or fresh
• Dry fish in peanut sauce (Chapatwa ya Kusashila)
• Small sardines (Kapenta)

Zambia’s exotic meat options include:

• Special village chicken (inkoko ya kutumba)
• Village chicken in peanut sauce (inkoko ya kusashila)
• Grilled game meat (inama ya mpanga ya kocha)
• Fried caterpillars (ifishimu fya kusalula)
• Oxtail

Zambia's vegetable options that are served in season include:

• Sweet potato leaves (kalembula)
• Black jack (kanuka)
• Lady's fingers or okra (chilungu ntanda)
• African polony (chikanda)
• Dried amaranthas (bondwe)
• Pumpkin leaves (chibwabwa)
• Cassava leaves (katapa)
• Solanum macrocarpon (impwa)

All the above options are popularly served with nshima which is Zambia's staple food. Nshima is a form of carbohydrate made from maize flour prepared into a thick porridge and is eaten together with vegetables, chicken, fish or meat, traditionally using your hands rather than a knife and fork.

Some traditional restaurants in Zambia offer Munkoyo, Zambia’s most favorite and well-known non-alcoholic drink. The methods and ingredients of cooking Munkoyo differ from one part of the country to another, though the basics and final product is the same. The most popular way of preparing Munkoyo is prepared by mixing together warm maize porridge with Munkoyo roots and allowing the mixture to mature overnight. Preparation of Munkoyo is traditionally a women’s specialty and it is best enjoyed with sugar added. You'll be lucky to get a chance to enjoy this filling Zambian traditional drink!

Not only will you enjoy a variety of eye-candy and authentic cuisine, you will also get to experience the country’s famously warm hospitality, making your experience an unforgettable one. Plus you will get to learn about Zambian food, how the Zambians eat, the culture of the country, the customs, and even sample a few Zambian languages! And make sure to look out for restaurants that have cultural song and dance performances, those will certainly give you a bonus to your Zambian experience.

Zambian cultural song and dance performances are very much alive in all parts of the country, it's as diverse as Zambia's 73 ethnic tribes. You will enjoy watching performers dressed in traditional costumes passionately dance and sing in a way that truly expresses their love and pride for their culture, performers will also play traditional instruments such as drums, flutes and xylophones.