Traditional Foods and Drinks of Ghana

While most visitors to Ghana will leap at the opportunity to try fufu (a ball of mashed cassava, yam or plantain), this West African country has plenty of other traditional foods and drinks for travelers to seek out too.

From oily palm nut soup paired with starches like banku (cooked balls of fermented corn flour) to filling street snacks like rice water porridge, going hungry in Ghana will be the least of your worries. Moreover, the capital Accra has an ever-evolving dining scene that offers everything from top-notch sushi to gourmet burgers. Here’s what to eat and drink in Ghana.

Start with a staple, groundnut soup

Groundnut soup should be one of the first meals you try in Ghana. This warming, mild-to-spicy dish is cooked with peanut butter, ginger, and either fish or meat, usually enjoyed at lunchtime or dinner. Like many Ghanaian soups, it’s typically served with a carbohydrate like fufu or banku.

Where to try it: Most local roadside eateries, known as chop bars, will have this staple dish on the menu.

Have palm nuts in soup form

Fashioned from tomatoes, ginger, garlic, chili pepper, and palm nuts, this soup takes its bright red color from palm oil. The hearty dish boasts a thick texture and can be enjoyed with an assortment of meats like beef and chicken.

Where to try it: Oseikrom Aduanipa is a 24-hour restaurant in Accra that serves Ghanaian classics seven days a week. Palm nut soup is always available here.

Enjoy red-red with a side of fried plantains

You’ll quickly learn that Ghana is the home of stews and soups fused with flavorful spices, and red-red is no exception. A bean stew usually served with fried plantain, red-red is among the top food choices you should try in Ghana. This dish combines black-eyed peas, red palm oil, chili pepper, and a host of other spices, sometimes including smoked meat or fish.

Where to try it: Known for its authentic African meals, Buka Restaurant offers some of the best red-red in Accra, according to many locals.

Swallow fufu at a chop bar

Mashed and mixed from cassava, plantain, or yam to create its thick, sticky texture, fufu is used as an accompaniment for many soup and stew-based dishes in Ghana. You use your fingers to separate pieces of fufu from their whole shape and dip them into your soup or stew of choice.

Where to try it: Bush Canteen at the University of Ghana is known as one of the most popular local spots to eat in Accra – and a great place to enjoy some freshly-pounded fufu.

Enjoy banku with your stew

Used as another accompaniment for meals in Ghana, banku is a carbohydrate made from fermented corn and cassava dough shaped into balls. The qualities of banku and fufu are quite similar yet can easily be mixed up. However, banku is characterized by its slightly sour taste and thicker texture compared to fufu. It’s added to stews and soups and is frequently enjoyed with a spicy pepper blend.

Where to try it: Dimaensa, a traditional restaurant in Accra, is worth visiting for some banku.

Try the famous banku and tilapia combination

Besides soups and stews, banku is commonly paired with freshly grilled tilapia topped with green and red peppers and onions. Typically served with a side of shito (hot pepper sauce) and green sauce, the banku is meant to be dipped into both before savoring the tilapia.

Where to try it: Azmera Restaurant in Accra offers a tasty twist on this dish with options of corn or billet banku and a side of avocados.

Start the day with rice water

Breakfast in Ghana is generally served early in the morning, and you might miss it if you aren’t out before 7-8am. For early risers, grabbing a cup of rice water is a delightful treat. This breakfast food resembles porridge, usually made from boiled rice mixed with sugar and evaporated milk for a filling start to the day.

Where to try it: Rice water is commonly found along the roadside at breakfast food stands, often indicated with signage.

Indulge in all the jollof rice your stomach can handle

If you visit Ghana and don’t try jollof rice, did you really visit? This spicy, rice-based dish is rarely absent from menus. Typically mixed with a base of blended tomatoes and onions, jollof rice is often paired with meat, though some variations might include small vegetables.

Where to try it: Noble Chef serves Accra around the clock and arguably has some of the best jollof rice in the city.

Sip on sobolo

Also known as hibiscus tea, sobolo is a favored drink in Ghana, easily recognizable by its purple-red color typically sold in labeled bottles. Found in restaurants, chop bars, or roadside vendors, the drink is made by steeping hibiscus leaves, sweetened with sugar, and infused with ginger, resulting in a refreshing beverage.

Where to try it: Watch for vendors selling bottled sobolo while traveling around by car or tro tro.

Go for a glass of akpeteshie

Akpeteshie, a drink rooted in Ghana’s independence in 1957, is strong palm wine distilled from palm tree sap. Known for its distinct taste and high alcohol content, akpeteshie is an essential experience when visiting Ghana.

Where to try it: You can find akpeteshie at most local roadside pubs.

Vegetarians and vegans

Although Ghana’s culinary scene is predominantly meat-heavy, vegetarians and vegans will find ample options. Many popular dishes can be made meatless upon request. Furthermore, vegan and vegetarian restaurants are available, particularly in the capital Accra, catering to those who prefer dairy and meat-free diets.

Some vegan and vegetarian-friendly establishments include Tatale Vegan Restaurant, Mahorgany, and Purple Cafe in Accra; as well as Baobab Vegetarian Moringa Restaurant in Cape Coast and Saarnak Vegetarian Food and Health Shop in Kumasi.