Mozambique is an extraordinarily beautiful country, that amazes with its stunning beaches, reefs and sea life, landscapes, national parks, nice welcoming people, lively atmosphere filled with music and dance, colonial architecture and art. But if you’re travelling in Mozambique as a vegan don’t expect much.
Vegan food is not a thing in Mozambique and even in the capital Maputo, you can only find one vegetarian restaurant called KRU.
As you know they have a famous cuisine and are one of the best countries in Africa foodwise, but is all about tiger prawns, seafood, fresh fish and chicken.
I travelled from north to south only by public transports and through lots of rural areas, where there isn’t any infrastructures, restaurants, cafes, food stalls, or even many street markets. So you are asking the same question I did. Where and what am I going to eat?
If you are in a rural area, you need to rely on the local people and on what they can do for you, but communication can be a big problem if they don’t speak Portuguese.
Where to eat vegan in Mozambique?
Maputo is the exception, has some good options, and it’s easy to find your way around. There are also a few places around the country mostly linked with accommodation or some kind of recreative activity that also cater in some way for vegans.
A great example is a vegetarian place in Tofo, called happi located in the Liquid Dive Center.
Another great option is the Turtle Cove, that during their Yoga Retreats provide an array of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Mozambique was colonized by Portugal in 1505, their cuisine has been deeply influenced by the Portuguese. One of the most eaten dishes is ncima a thick porridge made with ground maize and water, in my opinion just serves the propose of giving you energy… it’s tasteless, but vegan 🙂
Here is a list of some traditional vegan dishes:
- Mucapata– rice with coconut, absolutely delicious, very common in the Mozambique Island.
- Xiguinha – Made with cassava and cacana leaves, common in Inhambane province.
- Pão – white bread rolls, you can find it in any market baked in wood-fired ovens in villages.
- Matapa – made from stewed cassava leaves, ground peanuts, garlic and coconut milk, more likely to get it if you end up staying with locals.
- Collard Greens in Oil – it’s a sauté of onions and collard greens.
- Chamusas – triangle shaped pastries, asked for the potato ones.
- Cassava with Red Sauce – a sauce made with fresh tomatoes, green peppers, onions, garlic and oil
- Rice and Beans – it’s a very common dish.
- Mucuane – with boiled cassava leaves, tomatoes, coconut milk, ask if is made with shrimp or Cashews.
- Quiabo a Zambiana – Okra
- fresh sugarcane juice
- pão de sura – it’s a coconut sweet bread more typical in the Inhambane province
- Cashews – they have nut trees growing all over the place. You’ll see people selling bags of cashews on the side of the road and on the beach. they sell while plain, roasted piri-piri, roasted salt.
- Fruits and vegetables– fruit and veggies are available at markets and on the sides of roads all over the country, depending on the season you can find good papayas, coconuts, mangoes. Avocados, okra and collard greens are also seasonal. Tomatoes, cassava or beans, are available year-round. Green peppers, onions, and bananas seem to go through recurring phases.
photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha
? If you are planning to visit Mozambique, or if you are just curious.. check this post – Mozambique.. it’s maningue nice
I travel through Mozambique for nearly a month, I flew to Maputo and then to Pemba (north of the country) where I started my trip.
