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What to eat in Uganda

Five dishes to try in Uganda, the most typical first. Four are vegetarian.

Five dishes to try in Uganda

  1. Rolex

    Street foodVegetarian

    Omelette with cabbage, tomato and onion rolled up in a chapati.

    How to have it: Made to order at roadside stalls across Kampala; ask for extra egg or added sausage.

    Read about Rolex on Wikipedia

  2. Matoke Matooke

    Main dishVegetarian

    Green cooking bananas steamed in banana leaves and mashed.

    How to have it: The core of a Ugandan lunch plate; eat it with groundnut sauce, beans or meat stew.

    Read about Matoke on Wikipedia

  3. Luwombo

    Main dish

    Chicken, beef or fish stewed in groundnut sauce inside a smoked banana leaf parcel.

    How to have it: A Buganda festive dish; look for it at traditional restaurants and celebrations.

    Read about Luwombo on Wikipedia

  4. Kikomando

    Street foodVegetarian

    Chopped chapati mixed with stewed beans.

    How to have it: A cheap student and worker lunch from roadside stalls in Kampala.

    Read about Kikomando on Wikipedia

  5. Posho

    Main dishVegetarian

    Firm white maize porridge, the everyday starch.

    How to have it: Served in schools and canteens with beans; eat it by hand like ugali in the region.

    Read about Posho on Wikipedia

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Questions

What food is Uganda famous for?

Rolex (omelette with cabbage, tomato and onion rolled up in a chapati) comes first on our list, followed by Matoke, Luwombo, Kikomando and Posho.

What is the national dish of Uganda?

Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Uganda is Rolex: omelette with cabbage, tomato and onion rolled up in a chapati. Made to order at roadside stalls across Kampala; ask for extra egg or added sausage.

Which dishes in Uganda are vegetarian?

Four of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Rolex, Matoke, Kikomando and Posho. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.

What street food should I try in Uganda?

Rolex (omelette with cabbage, tomato and onion rolled up in a chapati) and Kikomando (chopped chapati mixed with stewed beans).

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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Dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.