Eritrea — Food and Dining
Cuisine
Italian cuisine dominates in the restaurants of the larger cities. Massawa is renowned for its excellent seafood, especially prawns and lobster.
National specialties:
• Kitcha (a thin bread made from wheat).
• Injera (a spongy pancake).
• Tsebhi (meat sauté of either lamb or beef with fresh tomatoes and hot peppers).
• Alicha birsen (lentil curry).
National drinks:
• Bun (coffee) and shahi (plain tea). Tea and espresso are drunk black with a lot of sugar. In some regions, coffee is served with ginger or black pepper and sugar.
• Swa (beer brewed from a local grain).
• Fruit juices (banana, mango and papaya) are usually available.
Tipping: Hotels and restaurants add a service charge, usually around 10%. Tipping is fairly common, in small amounts. Taxi drivers are not usually tipped.
