GhanaFood and Drink

Given that Ghana encompasses four climate zones and at least 75 ethnic and linguistic groups, its food culture has the kind of range and diversity you’d expect in a larger nation. The main staple foods in the south, which is wet and humid, are fresh fruits, greens and tubers, especially plantains and cassava; fish such as tilapia is also popular in Accra and other coastal areas, where it’s hauled in from the Atlantic and often cooked streetside. In the north, which is hotter and drier, the core foods are millet, fonio (an ancient African grain) and rice. To varying degrees, these staples are integrated with the maize, beans and yams that are popular throughout the country, coming together in the thick stews, flavourful soups and multiple rice dishes that make up the bulk of the Ghanaian culinary repertoire. One common denominator among all of these is spiciness, both in the zesty and aromatic sense (ginger, nutmeg, cloves and star anise are widely used) and in terms of outright heat. If you don’t like fiery food, pass on shito, an especially spicy black-pepper sauce spooned over many dishes.

What is Ghana’s traditional cuisine?

Although meat and fish are big parts of the Ghanaian diet, they are often simply prepared. In coastal areas, seafood such as prawns and crab join key fish tilapia on the grill or in stews, while grilled goat and chicken kebabs are a popular street food countrywide. Where Ghanaian cooks really show off their skills is in the extravagant array of rice dishes, soups and stews they produce. Among these are Ghana’s world-famous jollof rice (a spicy one-pot medley consisting of jasmine or basmati rice cooked with tomato, onion, curry powder, red pepper, garlic, ginger and Scotch bonnet) as well as hearty groundnut stew (which sees chicken and sweet potatoes simmered in a creamy peanut broth flavoured with ginger, garlic and cayenne). Many stews and soups are accompanied by fufu, a starchy dumpling typically made from pounded cassava or plantains. Another popular dumpling is banku, made by shaping a slightly fermented cooked mixture of maize and cassava doughs into single-serving balls. To cap off their meals (or to start off the day), Ghanaians will also indulge in bofrot, delicious fried dough balls with a doughnut-like taste and texture. 

What is the dining etiquette in Ghana?

Finger foods such fufu and bunku are meant to eaten with your hands, but never use your left hand when doing so. From a young age, many Ghanaians are taught that their left hand is to be used for bathroom hygiene and therefore never for eating. When you’re dining and someone joins you, always offer them some food or invite them to partake. If you are so invited, you can decline respectfully or join in as you wish, but make sure you wash your right hand before sitting down. When you are served food, never refuse it. Eat at least some and make only favourable comments about it. Above all, be observant of how those around you are eating, embrace their practices and dig in.

What is the drinking etiquette in Ghana?

Ghanaians are not great consumers of alcohol and find public displays of drunkenness extremely unseemly. If they do imbibe, they often do so behind closed doors in their homes. Consequently, do not drink to excess in public, and only smoke if a bar or restaurant permits it, which isn’t a given. A popular alternative to spirits is no-less-potent akpeteshie, a strong palm wine derived from tree sap. Much less powerful is sobolo, a purple-red hibiscus tea sweetened with sugar and spiked with ginger. The latter is commonly sold in bottles by street vendors.

Does Ghana cater to dietary restrictions?

While Ghanaian main dishes can be meat-heavy, vegetarians and vegans have plenty of options to choose from in the country’s many plant-based soups, stews and sides. Even those that traditionally incorporate chicken or beef made can be meatless upon request; many restaurant dishes are made to order, allowing room from substitutions or omissions as desired. In Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi, moreover, a growing number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants cater to dairy- and meat-free diets. However, many traditional dishes, such as groundnut stew, are heavy on nuts, so those with nut allergies should study menus closely.

What do meals typically cost in Ghana?

Like many other aspects of visiting Ghana, indulging in good food costs little by Western standards. A three-course meal for two in a mid-range restaurant, for instance, costs around $46 USD, while a single meal in an inexpensive eatery can be had for as little as $4 to $5 USD. Of particular note are the so-called chop bars—mainly in Ghana’s south—that serve traditional fare like fufu, banku, and omotuo (rice balls) along with domestic beers and spirits. These establishments offer not only good value for money, but also the chance to gather with locals in a quintessential Ghanaian setting.