Top 8 Local Dishes Visitors Love in Luanda

It doesn’t take long in Luanda to realise that food is more than fuel; it’s a way to slow dance with Angolan history. From open‑air grills on Ilha de Luanda to tucked‑away garden restaurants in Maianga, the capital’s eateries remind visitors that the city’s soul is simmered in fish, cassava and palm‑oil stews.

Below are eight dishes locals swear by in 2025, plus where to try them, what it costs, and a few insider tips to avoid rookie mistakes.

1. Mufete

On Ilha de Luanda, La Vigia is a backyard restaurant shaded by palms where whole cacusso (tilapia) is grilled over coals and served with sweet potatoes, beans, plantains, cassava and a pungent onion relish. The vibe is relaxed, with tinny semba music and families lingering for hours.

Price & tip: 

A platter costs about US$15–25 (≈ 14 000–23 000 Kz) per person. Order a cold Cuca beer and go easy on the peri peri sauce; it’s fiery enough to make a seasoned Luandan sweat. The official tourism board even joked that “cacussos and river prawns are so fresh they might swim away” check out their Instagram for proof of how proud they are of this seafood (@angola__tourism).

2. Moamba de Galinha

Where: Nikki’s House in Maianga looks like a colonial villa. Inside, the leafy courtyard hosts jazz nights and the menu’s star is moamba de galinha, a chicken stew simmered with palm oil, garlic and okra.

Price & tip: 

Dinner for two runs US$40–60 (≈ 36 000–55 000 Kz). Portions are generous and there’s live music most nights. To eat like a local, fish out the pumpkin pieces and suck them clean.

A London based Angolan proudly posted their own pot of moamba on Instagram during Independence Day their feed (@isabel_almeida_da_silva) is worth a look for modern home cooking inspiration.

3. Calulu

Downtown’s Funge House feels like someone’s living room. Calulu is a slow cooked stew of dried fish or meat, tomatoes, onions, garlic, okra and leafy greens. It arrives in a clay pot and rewards patience.

Price & tip: 

Calulu do carne with funge goes for about 13 000 Kz (≈ US$14), and an extra scoop of funge costs 3 000 Kz (≈ US$3) hefty portions that easily feed two.

Get there early; the kitchen closes when the pot is empty. Travel blogger @traveltomtom filmed a lunch stop by Calandula Falls and said Angola’s lunches are scenic and delicious watch his reel for inspiration.

4. Funge

 Funge isn’t a dish so much as the heart of Angolan meals. Cassava or corn flour is stirred into boiling water until it becomes a smooth, elastic dough. Funge House scoops it out like mashed potatoes and encourages diners to tear pieces with their fingers.

Price & tip: 

A bowl costs only about 3 000 Kz (≈ US$3), and some cafés in São Paulo Market will give you a scoop for less than US$1. Eat it with your right hand; locals insist cutlery ruins the experience. Even travel influencers agree the view is best paired with a big bowl of funge see @traveltomtom’s post for proof.

5. Kizaca

Kizaca (kizaka) is made from cassava leaves simmered with onions, ground peanuts and palm oil. It shows up on daily specials at Funge House and at small canteens in the São Paulo and Benfica markets, usually alongside grilled fish or chicken.

Price & tip

In informal eateries a plate with fish and funge costs about 5 000–15 000 Kz (≈ US$5.50–16.40). Mix everything together and let the peanut sauce seep into the funge. Curious about Angolan market meals? Watch @traveltomtom’s 2025 Angola highlights for extra encouragement.

6. Catatos

Catatos are fried caterpillars seasoned with garlic, onions and chili. Vendors sell them in paper cones at Benfica Market, and upscale restaurants in Talatona serve them as appetisers.

If you ever needed proof that Angolan cuisine is full of surprises, look no further than Catato. Celebrated across the country for its bold flavor and nutritional punch, this dish is made from the larvae of the Omugo butterfly, a species that feeds exclusively on the leaves of the “coqueiro” palm.

Far from a novelty, Catato is a respected local delicacy that blends tradition, technique and resourcefulness into one unforgettable bite. Harvested by hand after the rains and cooked fried, boiled or dried, these caterpillars offer a crunchy texture and uniquely smoky taste that keep locals and visitors coming back for more.

Price & tip

Street portions cost around 1 500–3 000 Kz (≈ US$1.60–3.30) while a restaurant appetiser can be around 10 000 Kz (≈ US$11). Eat them hot with lemon and a cold Castel beer. When Angola’s tourism board urged travellers to embrace local delicacies, catatos were part of the challenge follow @angola_tourism to see them making an appearance in 2025.

7. Cocada Amarela

Cocada amarela is a rich pudding made from grated coconut, egg yolks, sugar and cinnamon. Pastelarias on Ilha do Cabo and high‑end restaurants alike offer it, but locals swear by the tiny vendors near the bay.

Price & tip

Expect to pay 2 000–5 000 Kz (≈ US$2.20–5.50). Chef @thecheftomy shared a 2025 tutorial showing how to beat the eggs until they’re lighter than the Luanda skyline give it a watch before attempting to make it at home. Locals eat cocada warm with a shot of strong Angolan coffee.

8. Chikwanga

Chikwanga (or kwanga), a dense cassava bread steamed and wrapped in banana leaves, is sold at São Paulo and Benfica markets and along roadside stalls across Uíge province. Vendors slice it into thick rounds to accompany grilled tilapia or stewed beans.

Price & tip

A roll costs around 1 000–2 500 Kz (≈ US$1.10–2.70). Buy it warm; it becomes dense as it cools. Enjoy it with roasted goat or with a mug of caxinde tea at breakfast. For more street food inspiration, @angola__tourism often posts bread and seafood combinations that show why simple dishes carry the richest stories.

Luanda’s culinary scene in 2025 is a delicious study in contrasts. Restaurant chefs elevate grandma’s recipes with garden patios and jazz, while market vendors still dole out hot funge and kizaca to office workers.

Whether you’re dipping cassava bread into moamba or crunching on catatos between museum visits, these eight dishes offer a genuine taste of Angola’s capital. Just be ready to loosen your belt and maybe your preconceptions about what makes a great meal.