Senegal Travel Guide

Browse the Senegal Photo Gallery

Cuisine

Senegalese food is considered among the best in Africa, with an unmistakable influence from French cuisine. The basis of many dishes is chicken or fish, but peanuts infuse a distinctive taste to local dishes. This food is served in many restaurants in Dakar, while provincial rest houses serve less sophisticated but delicious variations. There are bars in some hotels and clubs. Senegal is predominantly a Muslim country, and while there is a conspicuous absence of pork from menus, alcohol is available.

National specialties:
• Chicken au yassa (barbecued chicken in an onion and lemon sauce).
•Tiebou dienne (herb-stuffed fishcakes with rice).
•Maffé (any West African meat in a peanut sauce).
•Dem à la St Louis (stuffed mullet).
•Avocat au Crevettes (avocado stuffed with shrimp).

National drinks:
•Toufam (a kind of yogurt thinned with sugared water).
•Mint tea, the first cup drunk slightly bitter, the second with more sugar and the third very sweet.
•Palm wine, which is drunk either fresh or fermented.
•Home-roasted coffee with pimento.

Tipping: A service charge of 10 to 15% is included in all hotel and restaurant bills.

Nightlife

Dakar is one of the best cities in the region to check out some live music. There are several nightclubs and music venues playing mbalakh (the local modern music). There are many cinemas showing the latest French films. The Daniel Sorano National Theater in the Boulevard de la Republique is a popular venue for theater, concerts and other arts performances. Dakar is host to traditional Senegalese wrestling matches on weekends.