ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Yemen
Five dishes to try in Yemen, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Yemen
Saltah سلتة
Bubbling meat stew topped with frothy fenugreek, served in a stone pot.
How to have it: A Sana'a lunch staple; scoop it up with fresh flatbread straight from the pot.
Mandi مندي
Spiced rice with lamb or chicken slow-cooked in an underground oven.
How to have it: Hadhramaut is the home of mandi; a large platter is shared by hand at lunch.
Fahsa فحسة
Shredded lamb stewed with broth and fenugreek froth in a clay pot.
How to have it: Served boiling hot at lunchtime restaurants; eat it with flatbread.
Mutabbaq مطبق
Thin pan-fried dough stuffed with egg, minced meat and onion.
How to have it: An evening street snack in Aden and Sana'a; sweet banana versions are also common.
Bint al-sahn بنت الصحن
Layered buttery pastry baked and drizzled with honey and black seed.
How to have it: Served warm at gatherings and before the main meal; Yemeni sidr honey is traditional.
What to eat next door
Plan the trip
Questions
What food is Yemen famous for?
Saltah (bubbling meat stew topped with frothy fenugreek, served in a stone pot) comes first on our list, followed by Mandi, Fahsa, Mutabbaq and Bint al-sahn.
What is the national dish of Yemen?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Yemen is Saltah: bubbling meat stew topped with frothy fenugreek, served in a stone pot. A Sana'a lunch staple; scoop it up with fresh flatbread straight from the pot.
Which dishes in Yemen are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Bint al-sahn. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Yemen?
Mutabbaq (thin pan-fried dough stuffed with egg, minced meat 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.
Keep exploring
Practical · 3 min readEat your way through a country: how to find the national dishesFood is the fastest way into a place. How to find a country's signature dishes, order them well, eat safely and keep a record of what you have tried.
Planning · 4 min readHow to build a travel bucket list you'll actually useTurn a long wish list into a short plan: sort places by ease, season and effort, pick your next three, and keep the list alive after every trip.
Planning · 4 min readHow to choose the best time to visit anywhereWeather is only one part of it. Learn how to weigh seasons, crowds, prices and events, with real examples of the best months for popular destinations.- Country guidesCountry guidesBest months, weather, holidays and plugs for every country.
- Free toolWhere can I go?Every country your passport opens, sorted by how easy it is.
Tick off every dish you try in Yemen
Explo is a free app: light up the countries you have visited, keep the dishes you have tried, and check visa rules, weather and holidays before you go.
Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.