Malawi — Food and Dining
Cuisine
Hotel restaurants and many of those in the cities are of a good standard. They offer a wide choice of dishes including European, Korean and Chinese as well as authentic Malawi dishes and haute cuisine. Poultry and dairy produce are plentiful and tropical fruits are abundant in season.
National specialties:
• Fresh fish from Lake Malawi is the country’s specialty, chambo (Tilapia fish) being the main lake delicacy.
• There are trout from streams on the Zomba, Mulanje and Nyika plateaus.
• White maize eaten with vegetables and sometimes meat or fish.
• Nthochi (bread made with banana).
• Mbatata cookies (made with sweet potato and cinnamon).
National drinks:
• The local beer is very good.
• Malawi gin and tonic is well known and inexpensive, with almost cult status.
Legal drinking age: 18.
Tipping: Generally not expected, but some employees who are very poorly paid might appreciate a small tip for good service.
Nightlife
There is little nightlife in the European or US sense. Some restaurants have entertainment as do some of the hotels but outside Blantyre and Lilongwe this will usually take the form of a display of dancing during or after dinner at the lakeshore hotels.
