Traditional food in Zambia revolves around maize, served as a kind of porridge called nsima, rolled into balls and dipped into various stew mixtures, which can be vegetarian, or contain chicken, beef or fish, according to taste and affordability. The same mix is often eaten for breakfast in a sweetened form of soup. This cheap meal can be bought in many restaurants, and is ideal if you are travelling on a tight budget.
Western food is growing in popularity here as the tourist trade grows, especially in Lusaka and Livingstone where burgers, pizzas and fried chicken are easily found.. Bakeries are also a common sight in towns nowadays. The restaurant market is opening up in the cities as a result of a growing number of expats living here. Western Sunday brunch at some hotels and Indian restaurants serving excellent curries are examples of the kind of food now available to visitors. If you are at the top end of the market, staying in the game parks which cater for luxury safaris, then excellent high-quality western-style meals await, as this kind of tourism is especially valuable to the country’s economy.
As far as drinks go, you should try the local offerings, which include maheu, a yoghurt-like drink made from maize. Western-style drinks are gradually becoming available, and imported lagers are available for a price. Local brews are also worth sampling - Mosi, While Eagle and Zambezi Lager are tasty and South African Castle is bottled locally and sold widely.
