What to Eat in Rwanda

Rwandan food does not have the international profile of Ethiopian or West African cooking, and visitors tend to arrive with no expectations at all. That is the right frame: it is straightforward, fresh, heavy on what grows locally, and considerably better than the guidebooks suggest.

The things to actually eat

• Brochettes — skewered grilled goat, beef or fish, usually with chips or fried plantain. The national dish by consumption if not by decree, and the thing to order at any roadside place.
• Tilapia from Lake Kivu, grilled whole. Eat this at the lake rather than in Kigali.
• Sambaza — tiny lake fish, deep fried and eaten whole by the handful. Order these with a beer at sunset in Rubavu and you will understand the appeal immediately.
• Isombe — cassava leaves pounded and slow-cooked, often with groundnut. Rich, green and quietly excellent.
• Ibihaza — pumpkin cooked with beans, better than that description makes it sound.
• Ugali and matoke, the starches that come with everything.

The buffet is not a compromise

Lunch across Rwanda is very often a buffet — a long counter of rice, beans, plantain, cassava, greens, stewed meat and salad, priced by the plate. Visitors sometimes read this as a lack of restaurants. It is not; it is how the country eats lunch, and it is where you will find the actual home cooking.

Pile the plate once, because that is the convention. It is also excellent value and usually the best vegetarian option available.

Eating vegetarian and vegan

Easier than in most of the region. Beans, plantain, cassava, sweet potato, greens and rice are the base of the diet, and the buffet counters are largely plant-based before you get to the meat at the end.

Tell us in advance and we will brief the lodges; away from Kigali the kitchens are small and a day's notice makes a real difference.

Coffee, and the strange fact about it

Rwanda grows outstanding arabica and exports nearly all of the good lots, so for years the coffee served here was worse than the coffee sold abroad under Rwanda's name. That is changing, and Kigali now has roasters doing serious work.

Seek one out. And if you are travelling between March and July, visit a washing station while the harvest is running.

What to drink

• Primus and Mutzig, the two beers you will see everywhere. Mutzig is the stronger.
• Urwagwa, banana beer, which is traditional, potent and an acquired taste. Try it once at a cultural visit rather than ordering a litre.
• Ikivuguto, fermented milk. Ubiquitous and worth trying if you like a sour yoghurt drink.
• Fresh tree tomato and passion fruit juice, which are outstanding and underrated.
• Bottled water everywhere; tap water is not recommended for visitors.

Practical notes

• Lodge food in the parks is generally international rather than Rwandan. If you want local cooking, eat in the towns.
• Kigali's restaurant scene is genuinely good and spans a lot of cuisines.
• Meals in remote lodges run to a schedule. Tell us if you will be back late from a trek.
• Tipping is appreciated and not obligatory. Rounding up is normal.
• Kimironko market in Kigali is worth an hour for the produce alone, even if you are not buying.

Order sambaza at a lakeside table in Rubavu as the fishing boats go out. It is the best twenty minutes of eating in the country.