ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Guinea-Bissau
Four dishes to try in Guinea-Bissau, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Four dishes to try in Guinea-Bissau
Caldo de chabéu
Fish or chicken stewed in palm-nut sauce, served with rice.
How to have it: Often called the national dish; eaten at home and in Bissau eateries.
Caldo de mancarra
Peanut stew with chicken or fish, served over rice.
How to have it: An everyday lunch, similar to mafé in Senegal and Guinea.
Yassa
Chicken or fish marinated in lemon and onion, then braised.
How to have it: Shared with neighbouring Senegal; served over rice.
Bissap
Sweet chilled drink of steeped hibiscus flowers.
How to have it: Sold in bags and bottles at markets across West Africa.
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Questions
What food is Guinea-Bissau famous for?
Caldo de chabéu (fish or chicken stewed in palm-nut sauce, served with rice) comes first on our list, followed by Caldo de mancarra, Yassa and Bissap.
What is the national dish of Guinea-Bissau?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Guinea-Bissau is Caldo de chabéu: fish or chicken stewed in palm-nut sauce, served with rice. Often called the national dish; eaten at home and in Bissau eateries.
Which dishes in Guinea-Bissau are vegetarian?
One of the four on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Bissap. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What do people drink in Guinea-Bissau?
Bissap: 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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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.