Angolan Cuisine

Angolan cuisine is a hearty, flavourful fusion of African tradition and Portuguese colonial influence, drawing on the country's forests, rivers and long Atlantic coast. The staple is funge, a smooth, firm porridge of cassava or maize flour, eaten with the hands and served with rich sauces and stews. The national dish is muamba de galinha, chicken simmered in a rich sauce of palm oil, okra and spices, while calulu, a stew of fish or meat with leafy greens and palm oil, is equally beloved. Fresh Atlantic seafood, grilled fish, beans, and tropical fruit, along with the Portuguese legacy of good bread and grilled meats, complete a satisfying cuisine.

What you actually see

• Muamba de galinha - the national chicken dish in palm sauce.
• Funge - the smooth cassava or maize porridge staple.
• Calulu - the fish or meat stew with leafy greens.
• The fresh seafood - the grilled Atlantic fish and shellfish.

When to go

Year-round; local eateries and markets serve the national dishes, from muamba de galinha to funge and calulu, and the coast, especially around Luanda, offers abundant fresh seafood. The Portuguese legacy also brings good grilled meats, bread and pastries, and strong coffee.

Honest expectations

Angolan food is hearty, rich and palm-oil-heavy African-Portuguese cooking rather than a refined or widely known cuisine, so its appeal is bold, satisfying flavour and specialities like muamba de galinha and fresh seafood rather than culinary variety; dining, like everything in expensive Angola, can be pricey, and the usual care with water and food applies. Sampled at a local eatery with muamba and funge or fresh grilled fish, though, Angolan food is a genuine and flavourful taste of the country.

Nearby

Luanda's markets and eateries and the coastal towns are the places to eat.