A Guide to Traditional Food in Kenya

It may come as a surprise, but days spent exploring Kenya’s open savannah, either on action-packed game drives or exciting bush walks, is a sure way to work up an appetite.

Fortunately, when you’re not watching hundreds of thousands of wildebeests and zebras cross the Mara River, or lions stealthily stalking their prey, there is plenty of fantastic traditional Kenyan food to fill not only your time, but also your stomach. If you would like to learn more about local cuisine, then read our guide on what to expect, along with our suggestions of dishes to try during your time in the country.

Kenya is home to a proud food culture with different parts of the country and various tribes each have their own unique take on traditional cuisine.

The recorded history of Kenya dates back some 1,000 years and its food reflects its multicultural past drawing from produce brought by the Arab traders that reached its shores, along with Portuguese, British and Indian influences. Over the years, spice plantations sprung up all along Kenya’s coastline growing cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, coriander and cumin alongside tropical fruits.

These flavoursome ingredients were then combined with the main food crops grown in Kenya – many of which remain as the building blocks of traditional Kenyan food: maize, wheat, rice, potatoes, cassava and beans, along with huge tea and coffee plantations and the farming of cattle and goats.

Today, you will find a huge variety of cuisines in the cosmopolitan capital of Nairobi, which is home to a vibrant culinary scene showcasing food from various nationalities that have settled in the country from Peruvian to Somalian and some of the best Indian restaurants outside of India. And while many Kenyans love to try different foods, there is nothing more comforting than the traditional food that they grew up with.

Alongside the many fine dining options in Nairobi, there are also plenty of small, laid-back restaurants serving typical home-style fare at incredibly affordable prices.

Typically, you will choose a meat – either chicken, goat or fish, along with a selection of sides. The waiter may ask if you would prefer ‘wet fry’ or ‘dry fry’ for your protein – which essentially means with or without stew or broth.

Another important detail to note if you are eating at a traditional Kenyan restaurant is that if you would like your drink to be cold, you may need to specifically request it as most locals prefer them at room temperature, particularly when it comes to beer.

While most lodges and hotels offer an international menu, if you are interested in trying out some local specialities, it is worth mentioning it to the chef as most properties will happily oblige, giving you the opportunity to try an authentic taste of Kenya.

If you ask a Kenyan what their favourite food is, most of the time, the answer will be ‘ugali’ – the much-loved staple of the country eaten by many daily for breakfast, lunch or supper. Made from white maize meal cooked in water until it becomes thick, ugali is found throughout Africa with variations in preparation and texture.

Kenyan ugali tends to be slightly coarser than the Southern African version and is often served as a side dish, eaten by hand. This quintessential Kenyan dish is very satiating – even Eliud Kipchoge, the Kenyan long-standing world record marathon runner, credits his fitness, in part, to a diet featuring plenty of ugali.

While ugali may be the country’s favourite staple, not far behind is the ‘chapati’, an incredibly delicious soft and flaky flatbread made from wheat flour, perfect for mopping up the sauce from flavourful curries and stews. In Kenyan households, chapatis are often made a few times a week, with everyone thinking their mother’s recipe is the best. One chapati is never enough, so make sure you order plenty for the table as you will want to keep going back for more.

Along with starchy accompaniments, Kenyans include plenty of vegetables and legumes in their diet. On most menus, you will find ‘sukuma wiki’ a delicious side dish made from collard greens or kale cooked with onions, tomatoes, ginger and other spices. Another traditional side is ‘githeri’, also sometimes known as ‘mutheri’, which is a one-pot stew of maize and beans and flavoured with tomatoes, onion, garlic and various spices, made by Kenya’s Kikuyu tribe but widely found throughout the country. Githeri can be mashed together with potatoes, pumpkin leaves, and peas to make bright green ‘mukimo’.

When it comes to protein, Kenyans love ‘nyama choma’ which essentially means ‘grilled meat’ – usually goat, cooked over the open fire or barbecue. It is then served alongside some of the sides already mentioned, as well as flavourful ‘kachumbari’ which is similar to a salsa made from finely chopped onion, tomato and chillis. ‘Kuku’ or chicken is another favourite.

Don’t be tempted to skip dessert – most Kenyans have a sweet tooth, evidenced by the way they prefer to drink their tea, known as ‘chai’, with the leaves boiled in plenty of milk and served with heaps of sugar. A favourite dessert is a Kenyan doughnut, known as mandazi, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, spiced with cardamom – delicious served alongside ice-cold vanilla or coconut ice-cream!

If you are visiting the Kenyan coast, you may notice a completely different type of cuisine, with ingredients like coconut, vanilla and cinnamon and many others playing a far bigger role. From intensely flavourful curries to an array of fresh fish, prawns, crabs and octopus, often grilled straight out of the ocean, you are sure to be treated to an unforgettable culinary adventure in this beautiful part of the country.

For those with an adventurous palette looking for an authentic experience, you can try some exciting food beyond the typical fare. ‘Mutura’ is a Kenyan sausage, made from goat or beef intestines stuffed with ground meat, blood and flavoured with various spices. It is boiled and then grilled and has a somewhat similar taste to Irish black pudding.

Continuing with the offal theme, you can also try ‘matumbo’, a widely revered stew made from the stomach and intestines of cows or goats, which is boiled until tender and then stewed with vegetables, garlic, ginger and other spices. This is a dish usually shared with family and loved ones, as well as sold as a popular street food by vendors.

Finally, you may be interested to sample ‘mursik’ which is a traditional fermented milk from the Kalenjin community which is then treated with charcoal from specific trees giving it a unique, smoky flavour. If this sounds a bit too daunting, a great way to try it is by visiting the fantastic Brown’s Cheese factory just outside of Nairobi for a tour. Here, they produce an incredible array of cheeses from cheddar to burrata, as well as an incredibly delicious mursik-flavoured cheese.

If you are ready for your very own taste of Kenya, then now is the perfect time to

start planning your trip. Our travel researchers are standing by to create the Swahili food adventure of your dreams, so get in touch on +44 (0) 20 38215994 (UK), +1 (833) 215 9353 (US) or at explore@niarratravel.com.