Tanzania’s food scene is one of the great surprises of AFCON 2027. Fans who arrive expecting typical stadium food will find something entirely different — a coastal cuisine shaped by centuries of Arab, Indian, Swahili and African influences, where spiced rice dishes sit alongside fresh Indian Ocean seafood, grilled meat skewers cost less than a dollar and the best food is usually found at a street stall, not a restaurant. This guide covers what to eat near every AFCON 2027 venue, what things cost in TZS and what to try before you leave.
The Essential Dishes — Know These Before You Arrive
Nyama Choma — The National Dish
Grilled meat, usually goat or beef, marinated in herbs and spices and cooked over an open flame. Nyama choma is a widely famous food from Tanzania, also particularly enjoyed by Kenya’s Maasai tribe — these days it is easy to find throughout the country, including at street food hubs like the Kwa Morombo Market in Arusha. Order it by the kilo, eat it with your hands and pair it with ugali (maize porridge) or chapati. This is the dish you eat at 10pm with a cold Kilimanjaro beer after the match.
Cost: 8,000–20,000 TZS per portion ($2.50–6.50 USD)
Mishkaki — The Match Day Snack
Marinated meat skewers grilled over open flame — East Africa’s answer to a kebab. Dar es Salaam is the go-to place for quality mishkaki, often credited as the home of these mouthwatering skewers. Find them from street vendors outside every stadium before and after matches. Eat them walking, dipped in tamarind sauce.
Cost: 1,500–3,000 TZS per skewer ($0.50–1 USD)
Pilau — The Spiced Rice Dish
Tanzanian pilau stands out with its aromatic blend of spices like cardamom and cinnamon — this delightful rice casserole often features tender pieces of beef or goat, though vegetarian versions with potatoes are equally satisfying. Well priced at just 3,500 TZS. The perfect lunch between morning sightseeing and an afternoon match.
Cost: 3,000–7,000 TZS ($1–2.30 USD)
Chipsi Mayai — The Comfort Food
Chips mayai, a beloved Tanzanian street food, is a staple in various regions — this flavorful dish combines deep-fried chips with beaten egg, resulting in a delightful and satisfying option. Think of it as a Tanzanian omelette-chip hybrid. Dar es Salaam is said to be the birthplace of chipsi mayai.
Cost: 3,000–6,000 TZS ($1–2 USD)
Urojo — The Zanzibar Mix
Urojo is a tangy soup with potatoes, chickpeas, and tamarind sauce — a Dar es Salaam institution that costs less than $2. A full meal in a bowl. Hearty, spiced and unlike anything most visiting fans will have tried before.
Cost: 3,000–5,000 TZS ($1–1.60 USD)
Chapati — The Flatbread
Soft, flaky flatbread cooked on a griddle — a legacy of Indian influence on the Swahili coast. Eaten with curry, stew, beans or on its own. Available everywhere, all day. The cheapest reliable food option for budget fans.
Cost: 500–1,500 TZS per piece ($0.17–0.50 USD)
Maandazi — Breakfast and Snack
A slightly sweet fried dough — Tanzania’s version of a doughnut, eaten with chai tea in the morning. The markets of Stone Town in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam are some of the top spots to sample this revered snack. A mandazi and a cup of spiced chai is the cheapest and most satisfying breakfast in Tanzania.
Cost: 200–500 TZS each ($0.07–0.17 USD)
Dar es Salaam — Food Near Benjamin Mkapa Stadium and the Fan Zones
Slipway Area — Msasani (Fan Zone Hub)
The Slipway has become an iconic stop for anyone looking to enjoy the softer side of city life — a coastal haven of cafes, curio shops, restaurants, and shaded walkways overlooking the sea, ideal for both tourists and locals. The Slipway Food Park fan zone will be the main AFCON 2027 food and entertainment hub in Dar es Salaam. Here is what to eat:
- Mamboz Corner BBQ / Mamboz Masaki — a popular restaurant offering delicious local dishes like grilled meats, various fish preparations, and biriyani, with affordable options ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 TZS. The juicy mishkaki, smoky BBQ chicken and perfectly spiced chips masala are all worth ordering. Three branches across the city — the Masaki branch is closest to the fan zone.
- Terrace Restaurant and Veranda Tapas Bar at the Slipway — excellent coffee, smoothies, pastries and full breakfast or brunch menus with a sea breeze as your dining companion.
- Fresh seafood stalls at Coco Beach — grilled octopus and fish at Coco Beach in the late afternoon offers the best value for fresh seafood — expect to pay $5–10 USD for a generous plate.
Kariakoo Market — Budget Eating
Kariakoo Market is the city’s largest street food hub, especially lively in early mornings and evenings. Not the safest area to walk around alone at night — go during the day, keep your phone in your pocket and go with a local if possible. But the food is exceptional and the prices are the lowest in the city.
- Urojo soup: 2,000–4,000 TZS
- Pilau: 3,000–5,000 TZS
- Chipsi mayai: 3,000–5,000 TZS
- Kachori: 500–1,000 TZS each
Near Benjamin Mkapa Stadium — Temeke
The stadium itself is in a local residential area, not a tourist zone. The food around it is genuine street food — mishkaki vendors, roasted corn, grilled cassava, chapati sellers and mandazi stalls. All cheap, all good, all cash TZS only.
Do not linger in the Temeke area after dark. Eat before you arrive at the stadium or eat inside the fan zones before departure. Use Bolt to get back to your hotel after the match — do not walk.
Food Price Guide — Dar es Salaam
| Food | TZS | USD | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mishkaki (3 skewers) | 3,000–6,000 | $1–2 | Street vendors everywhere |
| Chipsi mayai | 3,000–6,000 | $1–2 | Street stalls and local cafes |
| Pilau (large portion) | 3,500–7,000 | $1.20–2.30 | Local restaurants and markets |
| Nyama choma (portion) | 8,000–20,000 | $2.50–6.50 | Nyama choma joints and BBQ restaurants |
| Urojo soup | 3,000–5,000 | $1–1.60 | Markets and street stalls |
| Chapati | 500–1,500 | $0.17–0.50 | Everywhere |
| Mandazi + chai | 1,000–2,000 | $0.30–0.65 | Morning street stalls |
| Fresh grilled fish | 8,000–20,000 | $2.50–6.50 | Coco Beach, waterfront |
| Grilled octopus | 15,000–30,000 | $5–10 | Coco Beach, Slipway |
| Kilimanjaro beer (local bar) | 2,000–4,000 | $0.65–1.30 | Local bars and restaurants |
| Kilimanjaro beer (tourist venue) | 8,000–15,000 | $2.50–5 | Slipway, hotel bars |
| Sit-down restaurant meal | 20,000–60,000 | $6.50–20 | Msasani restaurants |
Zanzibar — Food Near the Stadiums
Forodhani Night Market — Stone Town
The single best food experience available anywhere in AFCON 2027 — arguably the best night market in East Africa. Every evening at sunset the Stone Town waterfront comes alive with dozens of vendors cooking in front of you.
- Zanzibar pizza — not Italian pizza. A thin crepe-like dough folded around egg, meat, vegetables and cheese on a flat griddle. The most unique food in the tournament.
- Grilled octopus — fresh from the Indian Ocean, grilled over charcoal, served with lime and chilli sauce.
- Urojo / Zanzibar mix — a blend of fried snacks including samosas, bhajias (spiced potato fritters), cassava chips and lentil fritters.
- Fresh sugarcane juice — pressed on the spot, 500–1,000 TZS.
- Coconut water — straight from the coconut, 1,000–2,000 TZS.
Cost at Forodhani: A full dinner eating everything you want costs 10,000–20,000 TZS ($3–6.50 USD). One of the great cheap eating experiences in Africa.
Near Amaan Stadium — Stone Town
Amaan Stadium is walkable from Stone Town — and the streets between them are lined with local food options. Eat before the match or after — the narrow alleys of Stone Town are worth exploring on foot when you have time. Look for:
- Mishkaki vendors outside the market entrances
- Zanzibar coffee — Arabic-style spiced coffee, 500–1,000 TZS a cup
- Fresh fruit stalls — mango, papaya, passionfruit
Near Fumba Stadium
Fumba is 25km southwest of Stone Town — a new development area with limited established food infrastructure around the stadium itself. The practical approach: eat a full meal in Stone Town before taking transport to Fumba, and plan your return route through Stone Town for the Forodhani Night Market after the match.
Arusha — Food Near Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium
Chapati and pilau rice showcase the city’s Indian roots, while fish-based dishes nod to the coastal Swahili traditions. Arusha has a vibrant food scene centred on Haile Selassie Road and the surrounding streets — the main tourist area and the best base for fans attending matches at the Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium.
| Food option | Cost (TZS) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nyama choma (local joint) | 8,000–15,000 | Ask your hotel for the best local spot — quality varies enormously |
| Ethiopian restaurant | 8,000–20,000 | Arusha has a strong Ethiopian community — injera and coffee ceremony are unmissable |
| Coffee shop | 3,000–6,000 | Near the highland coffee-growing regions — quality is exceptional |
| Kwa Morombo Market | 3,000–10,000 | Main street food hub for nyama choma and local dishes in Arusha |
Food Safety — What to Know
- High-turnover stalls are safest — locally favoured stalls with high customer turnover are generally safe. If a vendor is busy, the food is fresh. If they are empty, move on.
- Cooked food only — nyama choma, mishkaki, chipsi mayai and pilau are all cooked at high temperatures. Avoid raw salads and unpeeled fruit from unknown vendors.
- Never drink tap water — buy sealed bottled water only. At fan zones and stalls accept only sealed bottles.
- Ice in drinks — be cautious with ice at local venues, which may be made from tap water. At tourist venues and hotel bars ice is generally safe.
See our complete health guide for full food and water safety advice including what to pack in your medical kit.
The Drinks
| Drink | TZS | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kilimanjaro beer (local) | 2,000–4,000 | Tanzania’s most popular lager — light and refreshing in the coastal heat |
| Serengeti beer | 2,000–4,000 | Premium alternative — slightly fuller-bodied |
| Safari beer | 2,000–3,500 | Budget option, widely available |
| Fresh sugarcane juice | 500–1,000 | Pressed in front of you — try it with ginger |
| Coconut water | 1,000–2,000 | Best hydration in the coastal heat |
| Spiced chai | 500–1,500 | With cardamom and cinnamon — the morning drink |
| Dawa cocktail | 8,000–15,000 | Vodka, lime, honey — Tanzania’s signature cocktail |
For the complete AFCON 2027 Tanzania budget guide including food, accommodation and transport visit our cost guide. For health and food safety advice see our health guide. For money, ATMs and currency see our money guide.
Food prices sourced from verified travel guides including Airconnect, BornWild, Traford Safaris, EasyTravel.co.tz and CuisineVoila, updated 2025–2026. Prices fluctuate — treat TZS amounts as reliable estimates rather than fixed prices.