Zanzibar: Afternoon Food Expedition Including Lunch

Your afternoon food tour begins in the heart of Stone Town and we strongly recommend that you bring a big appetite with you because there will be plenty of delicious bites to try as we explore this cultural melting pot!

After a brief introduction to our beautiful town, we will make our way to the first foodie stop of the day, a local shop to try a mixture of salty and sweet snacks, a sort of pre-appetiser before we head over to our lunch stop. The friendly shop owner will invite you to sit on a mat on the shop floor to eat, as this is the customary way of eating in this part of the world. As you enjoy the snacks on offer, your guide will explain to you what you’re eating and how it fits into the local culinary culture.    

We will then head over to our next stop, where we’ll enjoy a sit-down lunch together. While the dishes may vary depending on the season and what’s available, your meal will usually consist of a delicious soup, locally caught and prepared fish, vegetables and fresh bread. There will be several plates on the table and you’ll be encouraged to have a taste from each of them.

After filling up on a tasty lunch we’re off to the local market for an authentic slice of daily life in Stone Town. This colourful and lively market is where the locals go to pick up everything from spices and fresh dates to locally caught fish and meat.

We will visit the fish and meat part of the market first. It is worth noting that this area is not for the faint-hearted, so if you are squeamish at all, we recommend that you spend time admiring another section of the market for 10 minutes and then meet up with us again afterwards.

As we traverse the market, your guide will tell you a little of its history and clue you in to why it is such an important part of daily life in Zanzibar.

We will make our way over to the fruit, vegetable and spice sections next, soaking up the unique vibes, exotic smells and the frenetic atmosphere. Here we will stop to enjoy a dessert of fruit, most likely a fresh coconut, but it will depend on availability that day.

Your tour will end with a strong Zanzibar coffee at an iconic joint that’s been popular with locals for decades. Here they come to catch up with neighbours, for political debates and to play board games, it’s a genuine hidden gem in the heart of the old town that many tourists pass by but few realise that they can sit down on the baraza and enjoy a local-style coffee as the locals do!

To finish the tour, your guide will walk you back through the enchanting maze that is Stone Town, back to the Old Fort where it all began. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay in beautiful Zanzibar.