ExploFood · Africa
What to eat in Ivory Coast
Five dishes to try in Ivory Coast, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Ivory Coast
Attiéké
Fluffy fermented cassava grains, served with grilled fish, onion and chilli.
How to have it: Order 'garba' at street stalls for attiéké with fried tuna, or poisson braisé at a maquis.
Alloco
Ripe plantain cubes fried in palm oil, with chilli and onion.
How to have it: Evening street food in Abidjan, especially in Treichville and Yopougon; often with grilled fish.
Kedjenou
Chicken slow-cooked with vegetables in a sealed clay pot with little water.
How to have it: A maquis favourite; eat it with attiéké or rice.
Sauce graine
Rich palm-nut sauce cooked with meat or fish.
How to have it: Served with rice or foutou at local maquis and family lunches.
Foutou
Pounded plantain or yam dough eaten with sauces.
How to have it: Pair it with sauce graine or peanut sauce; eat with your right hand.
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Questions
What food is Ivory Coast famous for?
Attiéké (fluffy fermented cassava grains, served with grilled fish, onion and chilli) comes first on our list, followed by Alloco, Kedjenou, Sauce graine and Foutou.
What is the national dish of Ivory Coast?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Ivory Coast is Attiéké: fluffy fermented cassava grains, served with grilled fish, onion and chilli. Order 'garba' at street stalls for attiéké with fried tuna, or poisson braisé at a maquis.
Which dishes in Ivory Coast are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Alloco and Foutou. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Ivory Coast?
Alloco (ripe plantain cubes fried in palm oil, with chilli and onion).
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.