Local Delights You Can’t Miss in Zanzibar Night Markets – Updated 2022

Zanzibar is a spectacular, breathtaking, and mesmerizing island where you will find beauty, history, and culture intertwined. Zanzibar’s iconic Stone Town defines a multi-cultural place filled enjoined in harmony. Zanzibar is a tourist paradise, with a little something for everyone from the thrilling diving expeditions to the romantic beach side private dinners.

The night market is packed with street food stalls that will tantalize your senses. However, once the sun sets, the famous Night Market at Forodhani Gardens takes over. This Night Market is perfect for tourists who want to try out some local delicacies and street foods. It is the pinnacle of beauty and an example of the magnificent values and balance of various cultures, including Arab, Malaysian, Persian, Chinese, and Swahili.

You will find every local specialty in the night market, ranging from falafels to seafood skewers. Some of the local delights you can’t miss in Zanzibar’s night market include:

Zanzibar pizza

If you visit Zanzibar and leave without trying the iconic Zanzibar pizza, then why are you even visiting Zanzibar? The famous Zanzibar pizza is a local specialty you will not find anywhere else. It may seem like an ordinary pizza, but the locals have created something special. When it comes to the Zanzibar pizza, the hype is real.

Prepared with various vegetables and a meat of your choice, this pizza will take your taste buds on a vacation of their own. The best pizza that you must try is the beef pizza. The beef is combined with mayo and egg, then wrapped in fried dough. Another layer of dough is added on top, similar to a calzone. To make the pizza even crispier than traditional crispy thin-crust pizzas, the chef will fry the pizza in ghee. Regardless of this unique creation, it still looks and feels like the pizza you probably have back home. However, it will taste unlike any other pizza you have ever had.

Seafood Buffet

One of the major attractions in the night market is the array of seafood, freshly caught and prepared in various ways. You will find tables piled with seafood, ranging from fish to squid. The seafood is also displayed on skewers at many stalls. You can select the skewers you find most appealing and have them grilled in front of you. Once they are grilled to perfection, you will be provided with a special sauce that will blow your mind.

Samosas

The famous, Indian-inspired, fried triangle of goodness is a street food legend. Similar to dumplings, the deep-fried samosas are a perfect savory snack. The best thing is to prepare them with numerous fillings, ranging from potatoes to seafood or minced meat. This snack is taken to a whole new level with the local specialty chutney made with shredded coconut. 

Fresh Sugar Cane Juice

Freshly squeezed sugar cane juice is available in numerous places; however, the locals have found a way to perfect this drink. They add spicy ginger and some lime, which changes the experience and flavor. You would be surprised by the difference these two ingredients will make, providing you with the perfect drink to quench your thirst.

Zanzibar’s night market is a special place to visit, especially for foodies. Discovering culture through food is a unique experience as well. Once you are done with Zanzibar, you can move on to your next great adventure in Tanzania. You can Explore Tanzania with Flightlink and learn about the many unique places you can visit.