Local Foods and Snacks to Try in Mombasa

This post is all about local foods and snacks to try in Mombasa.

Mombasa is a bustling city, rich in history, culture, and amazing Swahili cuisine. Among the top things you should do while visiting the city is try the local foods and snacks.

With Indian and Arabian influences on the Kenyan coast dating back to 800 A.D. prepare your taste buds for an amazing experience. You will experience different flavors, spices, and aromas.

While spicy food is popular, there are non-spicy options for anyone who doesn’t fancy too much heat in their foods or snacks.

Let’s dive into the list!

Achari Mango

These are pickled mango slices, seasoned with sugar, salt, lime, food color (or paprika for the red color), and chili for the heat. The mango slices are then sundried and once ready, packed into small bags or cups ready for you to enjoy.

The seasoning may slightly vary from one vendor to the next. One thing for sure is that the Red ones are spicy while the Yellow ones are non-spicy. Both are great, if you don’t like too much chili you can buy both and mix them up. The Yellow achari has a sweet and sour taste equally delicious when enjoyed on its own.

You can make this snack at home and dry the mango slices in the oven if the sun is unreliable. Don’t over-dry them and don’t use overripe mangoes.

Mabuyu

Another local snack you must try. A seasoned baobab seed candy comes in both spicy and non-spicy versions.

The main seed used comes from the baobab tree known as Mbuyu tree in Swahili hence the name mabuyu. To make the snack, the seeds are seasoned with homemade syrup containing cardamon, chili(optional), salt, sugar, and some food coloring. Then finally coated with baobab powder and left to air dry.

The flavor is a blend of sweet and sour but very delicious.

Madafu (coconut)

These are the green coconuts with refreshing coconut water inside and a soft edible part inside. While many simply call them coconuts, on the Kenyan coast these are known as madafu. The other brown hard-shelled coconuts are also available but almost everyone prefers the green ones.

Sold on every corner of the town, this is a quick way to cool down as you walk through the town.

Falafel (Mbaazi bhajia)

Commonly referred to as bhajias, these falafels are a great breakfast snack. Served with a coconut chutney with some added spices it’s a great way to start your morning. You can enjoy them on their own or with a cup of tea.

Unlike the middle eastern falafel made using chickpeas, the Swahili falafel is made using black-eyed peas blended with different spices and then fried. This gives them a crunchy outside and a soft inside filled with goodness.

Samosas

I love samosa and every time I travel to a new place I love to try samosa. This is because while the cooking process is almost identical, the stuffing inside always surprises me in a good way.

The samosas in Mombasa didn’t disappoint. Make sure to try them any time of the day.

Viazi Karai

These are potatoes (viazi) coated in a flour and spice mix and then deep fried. Sold on the streets and can be enjoyed as a snack as you relax by the beach. Like many other snacks, these are served with different sauces ranging from chili sauce to tamarind sauce.

Chana

This one surprised and wowed me. A mix of chickpeas is blended in coconut milk with spices. The puree is then served in a small bowl and topped with crunchy snacks, dried fruits, or anything you like. At first, I wasn’t sure about it but it exceeded my expectations 10/10 recommended.

I couldn’t find this snack on the streets but my local guide took me to a popular cafe in Mombasa town known as “Mike Cafe.” The cafe is located on this road Archbishop Makarios Rd, Mombasa. A great spot to try most of the snacks without walking all over the entire city. They open around 9 am and close around 3 pm, great for a Swahili brunch.

Fried Cassava

A popular street snack in Mombasa for less than 50 cents. Slices of fresh cassava is deep fried in chunks or as crisps. These are then served garnished with lime, tamarind, salt, and chili.

Both were great but I enjoyed the crisps more.

A Frozen Volcano

While at the Mama Ngina drive, a popular spot for street food and snacks, I’d highly commend trying out one of these fresh juices. Since the place is usually open during the day, I guarantee one of these juices will cool you down.

The ingredients or flavors may vary from one vendor to the other. I enjoyed on with watermelon, pineapple, passion and some bit of lime in it and of course ice. It’s more of a slushy than a liquid.

Falooda

A dessert popular in many Asian and Middle east countries. The diversity in how different ingredients can be used depending on your location is truly amazing.

In Mombasa, you will find different flavors from vanilla, and strawberry to one with pistachios. While these are not commonly sold on the streets, you will easily find one in a local hotel or the juice shops inside the markets.

Mbaazi

Another interesting snack I got to experience on the Kenyan coast. These are cooked pigeon beans soaked for hours in coconut milk, then mixed with fresh coconut milk and some chili (optional but highly recommended). Best enjoyed with a mahamri a soft sweet bread made from flour. These are mostly sold in the morning as they are breakfast snacks.

Chicken Biryani

You can’t visit Mombasa and not try the chicken biryani. A blend of Swahili spices melts into your mouth as you chew on the well-prepared meal.

Other versions equally delicious are the mutton and beef biryani. To wash it all down, order a cold drink, I enjoyed mine with a tall glass of passion juice.

Chicken Tikka

If you only get to try one food at the night street market, it has to be the chicken tikka. Seasoned in spics the chicken is grilled over charcoal as you wait and enjoy the aromas coming from the grill. Comes with different sauces for more flavor.

The vendors have a variety of other foods to try and everything is very affordable. If you visit a well-established kiosk, some offer complimentary popsicles to their customers. 🙂 I recommend Sinia BBQs present in different parts of Mombasa county.

Parting Words

This is just a small drop in the ocean, there are many more foods and snacks to try while in Mombasa. With my limited time there I could only sample a handful. As someone who loves spicy foods, I had a blast here. Everything you order comes with various sauces or is seasoned with different condiments.

Depending on how long you stay in Mombasa, I recommend trying different things on different days. Tying everything in one day or afternoon may end badly and you will not get to experience and truly appreciate the flavors.

The street market is open day and night. Depending on how busy your schedule is you can still sample most of the foods. However, for most breakfast snacks you’ll have to wake up early around 7-8 am should be fine.

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