A Flavorful Journey: African Street Food You Have to Try
- Amberly McKee
- May 18
- 4 min read
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If you've ever visited a major city in the United States, you've likely tried street food, but African street food offers a completely different experience than pretzels in New York City or hot dogs in Chicago. In Africa, street food is readily available on almost every corner and is much more affordable than what you might find in the U.S. It's also fresher—using local ingredients and deeply influenced by the unique cultures of each region. No matter where you travel, you're bound to encounter delicious street food. Today, we'll highlight a few must-try dishes to keep an eye out for.
South Africa: Bunny Chow
Bunny lovers, you can stop holding your breath—bunny chow doesn’t contain actual bunnies. This popular South African street food is made by hollowing out a loaf of bread and filling it with spicy curry, usually made with chicken, lamb, beef, or beans (notice how we still didn’t say bunny). Bunny chow is especially beloved in Durban, but you’ll also find it throughout Johannesburg and Cape Town, making it a must-try dish in these top South Africa travel destinations. It’s meant to be eaten by hand, with the bread soaking up the curry and making it only sort of messy.
Nigeria: Suya
This popular Nigerian street food, suya, is a spicy, grilled meat skewer made with beef, chicken, or goat, coated in yaji, a flavorful peanut spice mix. Yaji typically includes roasted peanuts, chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and other local Nigerian spices. Suya is usually served with fresh sliced onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and sometimes cabbage or spicy pepper sauce. All these ingredients combine for a smoky, nutty, and spicy street food experience. You can find suya in nearly every big city across Nigeria, but it’s especially popular in Northern Nigeria, Lagos, and Abuja, making it a must-try Nigerian delicacy.
Various Countries: Samosas
A samosa is a deep-fried or baked pastry commonly filled with spiced meats, potatoes and peas, or lentils and paneer. The most popular meats include lamb, beef, or chicken, all seasoned with onion, garlic, ginger, and traditional spices. This flavorful combination delivers a satisfying crunch with a savory filling, making samosas a beloved African street food. Some of the best places to try samosas in Africa are Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Nigeria & Ghana: Akara
Akara is a popular West African street food, best described as a deep-fried bean cake made from soaked, peeled, and ground black-eyed peas. The batter is mixed with onions, peppers, and seasonings, then fried until golden—resulting in a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior. Often served with bread or a fermented corn pudding called pap, akara is a common Nigerian breakfast staple. You can find akara in cities like Lagos and Abuja, while in Ghana, it’s commonly enjoyed in Accra and Kumasi as a favorite street food snack.
Ghana: Chinchinga
Similar to a kebab, chinchinga is a popular West African street food—a grilled meat skewer typically made with seasoned beef, chicken, or lamb. The meat is marinated in a blend of local Ghanaian spices, including ginger, garlic, onions, chili, and paprika, then grilled over an open flame for a rich, smoky flavor. Chinchinga is often served with sliced onions, spicy pepper sauce (shito), or paired with fried plantains or gari. You’ll frequently find these flavorful skewers in cities like Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi.
Ethiopia: Doro Wat
One of the most iconic Ethiopian staples, doro wat is a delicious chicken stew made by simmering bone-in chicken in a flavorful sauce made with berbere spice mix, spiced clarified butter called niter kibbeh, onions, garlic, and ginger. Hard-boiled eggs are typically added near the end of cooking to soak up the rich, spicy flavors. Doro wat is often served with injera, a traditional Ethiopian spongy flatbread used to scoop up this tasty, authentic stew.
West Africa: Jollof Rice
Jollof rice is a long-grain parboiled rice dish often served with fried plantains, grilled chicken, beef, or fish. It's cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce made with tomatoes, red bell peppers, onions, garlic, ginger, and flavorful spices like thyme, curry powder, and bay leaves. Multiple West African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal, claim to make the best jollof rice, leading to a fun and ongoing "Jollof rice war" across the region.
East Africa: Mandazi
Mandazi is comparable to a donut, but it contains less sugar and no glaze. This popular East African street food is made from a dough of flour, sugar, coconut milk, yeast, and sometimes cardamom or nutmeg for added flavor. Once the dough is shaped into triangles, it’s deep-fried until golden and slightly crunchy on the outside. Mandazi is widely enjoyed across East Africa, especially in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, where it’s often served with tea or coffee. For a sweeter treat, people sometimes dip mandazi in honey or jam.
Various Countries: Fufu
Soft and starchy, fufu is a classic West African dish made by boiling cassava, yam, or plantains, and then smooshing them into a doughy consistency. It's typically served with rice, African stew, or traditional soups like egusi soup, okra soup, or light soup. Instead of using utensils, locals usually tear the dough apart and dip it in the soup or stew. Fufu can be found in various African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon.
If you're a fan of traditional African food like I am, these are the types of street foods you should try if you find yourself in Africa. From a deep-fried samosa to a savory bunny chow, the continent has tons of cultural food staples you shouldn't miss out on when perusing the local street food scene.
