ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Gambia
Five dishes to try in the Gambia, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in the Gambia
Domoda
Peanut butter stew of meat and vegetables, served over rice.
How to have it: Often called the national dish; eaten at home and in local restaurants.
Benachin
One-pot rice cooked in tomato sauce with fish or meat and vegetables.
How to have it: The Wolof name means 'one pot'; it is the Senegambian original of jollof.
Yassa
Chicken or fish marinated in lemon and onion, then braised.
How to have it: Shared with Senegal; served over rice in local restaurants.
Supakanja
Okra stew with palm oil and fish or meat, served with rice.
How to have it: A common lunch; look for it at local eateries in Serrekunda and Banjul.
Wonjo
Sweet chilled drink of steeped hibiscus flowers.
How to have it: Sold in bags or bottles at markets; known as bissap in Senegal.
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Questions
What food is the Gambia famous for?
Domoda (peanut butter stew of meat and vegetables, served over rice) comes first on our list, followed by Benachin, Yassa, Supakanja and Wonjo.
What is the national dish of the Gambia?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for the Gambia is Domoda: peanut butter stew of meat and vegetables, served over rice. Often called the national dish; eaten at home and in local restaurants.
Which dishes in the Gambia are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Wonjo. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What do people drink in the Gambia?
Wonjo: sweet chilled drink of steeped hibiscus flowers.
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 Gambia
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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.