Algerian Cuisine

Algerian cuisine is a hearty, fragrant and generous North African tradition, blending Berber, Arab, Ottoman and Mediterranean influences across a vast land of coast, mountain and desert. At its heart is couscous, the fluffy steamed semolina crowned with a rich stew of vegetables, chickpeas and tender lamb or chicken, the beloved national dish and a centrepiece of family gatherings. The table also offers slow-simmered tagines and stews, chorba soup, savoury bourek pastries filled with meat or cheese, grilled meats and merguez sausage spiced with harissa, and an abundance of breads, all rounded off with honeyed pastries and sweet mint tea. It is food of comfort, spice and hospitality.

What you actually see

• Couscous - the fluffy semolina crowned with stew and vegetables.
• The tagines and chorba - the slow stews and hearty soup.
• Bourek - the savoury filled pastries.
• The sweets and tea - the honeyed pastries and mint tea.

When to go

Year-round; Algerian food is enjoyed across the country and celebrated through the large Algerian diaspora and its restaurants, especially in France. Couscous, traditionally the Friday family dish, is the signature to seek out, along with savoury bourek and sweet mint tea.

Honest expectations

The finest Algerian couscous and tagines are slow, home-style cooking, at their best in a family setting or a dedicated restaurant rather than fast food; happily the cuisine thrives through the wide diaspora. As a hearty, fragrant and hospitable Maghreb tradition, from fluffy couscous to spiced stews and honeyed sweets, though, Algerian food is a genuine delight of North African cooking.

Nearby

The eateries of Algiers, and Algerian restaurants abroad, all serve it.