Food & Drink Experiences in Tanzania Worth the Money: Our Top 15

1.Stonetown: Food Markets and Street Food Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 151 reviews · 3 hours · from $35Our pick

Spend three evening hours with a local guide such as Juma or Zahran, starting at Darajani Market and a sunset drink before walking Stone Town to Forodhani Gardens. Your guide selects food stalls for Zanzibar pizza, urojo, shawarma, spice tea, coffee, and sugarcane juice, with hotel pickup and dinner included.

“I really enjoyed this 3 hours tour in night food market. I had heard that if you don't know from which stand to try you might have stomach issues, going there with Zahran, was the best thing. He knew exactly where to take me and we tried amazing dishes. I loved every single one. While I was enjoying the flavors, Zahran was informing about the beautiful culture of Zanzibar. Definitely I recommend this tour. Thank you Zahran 🙂”

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2.Authentic Street Food Tours in Stone Town, Zanzibar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $40Top rated

Meet Lodi at Maru Maru Hotel for a 2.5-hour walk through Stone Town. You’ll visit at least six local vendors, sample foods such as sambuusa, chapati, uji, tende shake, Carlisi, and Zanzibar pizza, and hear personal stories from a guide who grew up in the neighborhood.

“Great time with the guide who was also quite informative. You may think it’s pricey, but you are with an expert who knows the nooks and crannies of Stonetown.”

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3.Traditional Tanzania Cooking Class & Food Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $42

Join Tanzania Songbirds Safaris for a four-hour food and culture outing in Arusha. Your guide, possibly Israel, James, Lameck, Magret, Bariki, or another team member, takes you through the central market, helps choose two dishes, and leads a hands-on cooking lesson in Sanawari. Hotel pickup, ingredients, lunch or dinner, and drop-off are included.

“From the moment we were picked up from our hotel, the experience was seamless and welcoming. The transfer was punctual and comfortable, setting the tone for an unforgettable day. Our guide Jack was warm, knowledgeable, and madRead more”

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4.Organic Coffee Tour and Local Food Experience in Arusha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · from $45

At a family farm in Ambureni village near Mt. Meru, guide Cosmas leads you through coffee picking, roasting, and brewing. You will taste handmade snacks, eat traditional food cooked over firewood and charcoal, and finish with your own coffee in a treehouse. The three-hour private tour begins at 13:00.

“this was the best tour of any kind I have ever done. It was authentic and could not be any better. We went to his family's home near Mt. Meru and learned a lot about their tribe, coffee and its role in the economy.”

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5.Stone Town Evening Walk Tour With Visit Food Markets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 28 reviews · from $40

Spend three hours exploring Stone Town’s evening food scene with a private guide such as Juma, Kassim, or Salum. Visit Darajani Market, stop for one drink at Africa House, then eat Zanzibar pizza, urojo, shawarma, and spice tea or coffee at Forodhani Gardens. The sunset stop and food tastings are included.

“Enjoyed the atmosphere of the market and had a nice dinner there with a guide who knew the locals. Would recommend.”

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6.Traditional Tanzania Cooking class& Food Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 12 reviews · 5 hours · from $45

Start with hotel pickup in Arusha, then visit a central market with guides such as Liroy or Israel. Shop for ingredients, cook plantains, chapati, ugali, vegetables, and optional meat with chef Neema, then share the meal and take home the recipes.

“Liroy was so nice and was telling a lot about the market and the town. The cooking class was really nice, good fresh food and we had a wonderful chat with Neema, Liroy and Israel! One thing; there was nothing to drink but Liroy was so nice to get us some water and a beer.”

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7.Street Food and Community Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $25Best value

Walk from Kajo Art Gallery near the Maasai Market into Sinoni with local guides, including Jackson and Given on one reported outing. Taste sweet and salty Tanzanian foods while seeing urban farms, recycling work, maize milling, carpentry, mud houses, and churches. The small group lasts about 2.5 hours, and all profits support Jamii Imarika Foundation.

“Jackson and Given were great at showing me around the neighborhood, they shared lots of interesting information and were very helpful and friendly. I enjoyed the foodie treats along our walk and am grateful to them for showing me a side oRead more”

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8.Serval Wildlife Tour with food and drinks

★★★★★★★★★★3.2 · 11 reviews · 3 hours

Spend three hours visiting Serval Wildlife Sanctuary in Siha District, with transport from Moshi, Arusha, or Boma Ng’ombe. An English-speaking naturalist guide leads encounters with giraffes, zebras, ostriches, monkeys, Oryx, lions, and servals, followed by lunch and drinks at a local restaurant. Ask exactly what the quoted price covers before booking.

“Note this is just a drop off and pick up service. the tickets Serval Wildlife Zoo itself cost 120 dollars + 4% service fee. I wish i had done more research before hands because i paid euros to this tour operator. The drinks involved is 1 x 2L water bottle and the Lunch is you can choose 1 of the main course from the menu (45k - 55k tzs) but you will have to pay the drinks yourself and everything extra you pay yourself. I asked to be picked up in Arusha but dropped off in Moshi. i got mixed answers then no unless i pay 70k tzs extra, so…”

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9.Blue Safari Full Day Private Trip Zanzibar With Sea Food BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $129

Set out from Fumba on a private dhow trip through Menai Bay, with chances for dolphin watching, snorkeling, a seafood BBQ on Kwale Island, and a swim in a natural pool. Guides such as Michael and Jumo may assist with transfers and boat boarding. Pickup, drinks, water, transport, and fees are included.

“We have a great time at Blue safari I and my friends, we do snorkeling and after that we just go for the lunch which was very nice, Sea Food BBQ.”

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10.From Stone Town: Sandbank picnic with sea food BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 6 reviews · 6 hours · from $151

You’ll leave Stone Town for Fumba, then sail by private wooden dhow to Kwale coral reef, a tropical sandbank, and Quail Island. Expect snorkeling, fresh octopus, lobster, grilled fish and calamari, plus a baobab walk and mangrove swim. English-speaking guides include Ahmad, with hotel pickup, gear, water, and lunch covered.

“Una bellissima giornata! Escursione stra-consigliata! Tutto perfetto: bevande, mangiare, trasporto. Se poi avete la fortuna come noi di farla con Ahmad passerete una giornata indimenticabile!”

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11.Waterfalls, Coffee, Hotsprings, Food Cuisine, & Serval Wildlife

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $350

You’ll travel from Arusha with a private guide to Materuni Waterfalls, roast organic coffee with Chagga hosts, eat a local buffet, swim at Kikuletwa Hot Springs, and visit a serval wildlife sanctuary near Moshi. Guides including Andrew, Justin, and Eli are noted for warm service, clear explanations, and hands-on help.

“A great experience with moorland safaris, a Guide with a lot of knowledge. Explains the history of his country very well. A beautiful waterfall, and thanks to Eli I was able to make my coffee while dancing !”

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12.Zanzibar Cooking Class [Swahili food test ] and Spice farm Private tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $59

Spend about five hours at Tangawizi Spice Farm near Zanzibar City, guided through cloves, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and tropical fruit before cooking Swahili food with Mama Africa. You will harvest cassava leaves, make coconut milk, taste young coconut, eat lunch, and shop for spices. Private transport and pickup are included.

“+great customer service (Amina was our guide) -you’ll want to plan to tip several different people (guide, cooking class, coconut drink, driver) so have a lot of change in cash or shillings as they do not take cards for that or purchases. It’s definiRead more”

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13.Spice tour and cooking class (local food)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews

Spend about eight hours with Nungwi Adventures and Safari, walking a Zanzibar spice farm before cooking local food with local women. Guide Sultan and an interpreter help explain the plants, spices, ingredients, and traditional methods. You will prepare spice rice and coconut sauce, then sit down to eat your meal. Pickup is offered, and the tour is private for up to two people.

“We had a really good time! The cooking class was perfect, we enjoyed cooking in the traditional way with local women. It was definitely worth the money. To see how all the spices grow was really interesting. Sultan is a great guide.”

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14.Coffee Plantation Tour with Tasting and Hands-On …

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $60

Meet Max or Maximilian near Arusha’s Clock Tower, then visit a local coffee farm with guide Oliver. You’ll follow Arabica coffee from cherry picking through pulping, drying, roasting, and tasting. The 3.5-hour visit includes snacks and a hands-on lesson, with an optional hike to nearby hills and waterfalls.

“Je recommande vivement, j'ai passé un excellent moment avec Maximilian, il est très enjoué et très agréable, la visite avec Oliver a été très intéressante, j'ai pu découvrir grâce à toutes ses informations la confection du café de l'arbre à la tasse... tout en y participant.. super bon moment que je n'oublierai pas quand je dégusterai du café Arabica.. Merci à tous les deux... bonne continuation”

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15.Tuk-Tuk Tour, Street Food & Local Lifestyle

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 3 reviews · 4 hours

Join a local driver-guide, possibly Glory, for a four-hour tuk-tuk tour through Dar es Salaam. You’ll visit Kariakoo Market, taste chapati and mishkaki, watch artisans at Mwenge Woodcarvers’ Market, and explore the Village Museum. The tour runs in English or French, with German noted in some booking information.

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