ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Benin
Five dishes to try in Benin, the most typical first. Four are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Benin
Amiwo
Red maize paste cooked in tomato and onion sauce, served with chicken.
How to have it: A festive dish of southern Benin, served at celebrations with fried chicken.
Wagasi
Soft cow's-milk cheese made by Fulani herders, rind dyed red with sorghum.
How to have it: Sold fried in markets and street stalls; also cooked in tomato sauce.
Akara Ata
Deep-fried fritters of black-eyed pea batter.
How to have it: A street snack sold mornings and evenings; eat it with chilli sauce or in bread.
Kuli-kuli
Crunchy fried sticks of pressed peanut paste.
How to have it: Sold by vendors in markets and at bus stations; a good snack for long road trips.
Sodabi
Strong spirit distilled from palm wine.
How to have it: Very strong; sip it in small shots at local bars, often infused with herbs or roots.
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Questions
What food is Benin famous for?
Amiwo (red maize paste cooked in tomato and onion sauce, served with chicken) comes first on our list, followed by Wagasi, Akara, Kuli-kuli and Sodabi.
What is the national dish of Benin?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Benin is Amiwo: red maize paste cooked in tomato and onion sauce, served with chicken. A festive dish of southern Benin, served at celebrations with fried chicken.
Which dishes in Benin are vegetarian?
Four of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Wagasi, Akara, Kuli-kuli and Sodabi. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Benin?
Akara (deep-fried fritters of black-eyed pea batter).
What do people drink in Benin?
Sodabi: strong spirit distilled from palm wine.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Benin
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.