Local Food and Delicacies in Namibia You Have to Try
Written by Nina van Zyl
Travelling to a new country is exciting for several reasons, not least because you get to experience an entirely new culinary culture from your own. In this article, we will look at the delicious delicacies and local foods you, without a doubt, must try during your next visit to Namibia. Take the opportunity to sample as many local food and delicacies in Namibia as possible, ticking them off this list as you go.
Meat and Fish
1. Namibian beef and braaivleis
Given a choice between a salad and a steak, most Namibians will choose the latter. And with good reason. While most leafy greens need to be imported into this desert country and can be expensive, local meat is plentiful and delicious. Precolonial-times, indigenous Namibian groups were cattle herders, and the love for these animals hasn't faded. The best thing about Namibian meat is that cattle (and lamb, for that matter) get to graze out in the open on organic grasses and plants, and you can taste it.
Namibians from all walks of life are united by their love of meat and how they like to cook it, which is over an open fire. To ‘braai’ (barbeque) is a national pastime, which makes ‘braaivleis’ unarguably the national dish!
2. Game
Game meat (venison) is also becoming more popular in Namibia, with many lodges and restaurants serving game on their menus. Think springbok, oryx, kudu, giraffe and even crocodile. Not only can game meat be delicious, but it is also a more sustainable alternative to beef or other domesticated-animal meats. Animals like antelope can live in the wild in Namibia without human help or management. In contrast, cattle, sheep and goats need a lot of help to survive in Namibia's harsh climate. The most famous restaurant in Windhoek that serves game meat is Joe's Beerhouse.
3. Potjiekos
Another popular dish is "potjiekos", a (very) slow-cooked stew of meat or fish made in a cast-iron, three-legged pot over an open fire.
4. Seafood
The Namibian coastline is famous for its teeming fish populations. You can catch a few fish yourself (with a permit) or enjoy fish dishes like hake, galjoen and kingklip at local restaurants. We suggest you only sample seafood at the coast to ensure it's always fresh – although Windhoek also has a few excellent seafood restaurants.
Namibia is well-known for its Lüderitz oysters. These oysters, which are harvested in the tiny town of Lüderitz in the south of Namibia, are exported all over the world. Lüderitz may be a little out of your way, but you might find them on the menu in Swakopmund.
Quick Meals
5. Streetfood — kapana and vetkoek
You can easily find vendors selling strips of cooked meat (‘kapana’) fresh from the fire along the roadside (see ‘braaivleis’ above!). Other street foods to look out for are ‘vetkoek’, tasty balls of fried dough that go down well with a bit of jam and butter.
6. Biltong
Biltong is a southern-African snack that you will find all over Namibia, made of strips of dried meat (either beef or game) that is similar to American ‘jerky’. Biltong is usually sold as slices cut from large strips or as thin spicy strips called Chilli Bites. Another local favourite dried meat and a relative of biltong is ‘droëwors’ (dried sausage), which is made of either beef or game meat.
Traditional Meals and Treats
7. Ombidi and oshifama
Windhoek has a couple of traditional restaurants serving Owambo foods such as ‘ombidi’ (a spinach dish) and ‘oshifama’ (a millet paste or porridge). These meals are also more readily available in the country's north, in Owamboland.
8. Mopane Worms
The most famous snack in Namibia has to be mopane worms. A rite of passage for many visitors, these highly nutritious caterpillars are found on mopane trees and can be cooked or dried into a crispy snack.
9. Omajovas
Omajovas – a type of giant mushroom – are harvested from termite mounds between January and March. The taste differs from your average mushroom, but many locals are avid fans of ‘omajovas’. You might be able to purchase these mushrooms at roadside stalls or even find them as pizza toppings in special restaurants when they are in season.
10. Swakopmund Asparagus
Another delicious local food is the Swakopmund asparagus. Grown between September and April, these vegetables stand out due to their distinctive flavour, which results from the salty water in which they’re grown.
11. Namibian olives
Black and green olives are also being produced in Namibia as well as locally-produced olive oil, which you might be able to find at farm stalls or local shops.
German influences
12. Brötchens
Namibia's German-colonial history is clear from the variety of traditional German-style confectionaries available throughout the country. In particular, ‘Brötchens’ (crisp bread rolls) are widely available and often served filled with eggs, cheese, meat or salad as breakfast or a light meal.
13. Strüdel
Another German dish, the ‘Apfelstrüdel’ (apple tart), can be found in such far-flung destinations as Solitaire near Sossusvlei in Namibia's south. The restaurant at Solitaire claims their Apfelstrüdel is the best in the country, and we won’t disagree!
14. Beer
The German influence is clear in another local favourite: beer. Local company, Nambrew produces award-winning beers, such as Windhoek Lager and Tafel Lager, according to the Reinheitsgebot, a traditional purity law issued in Bavaria in 1516. Craft brews are also popping up and are worth a taste.
Taste Namibia
Mouth watering, yet? Read up on where to find these delicacies and more in our foodie’s guide to Namibia. Experience Namibia's culinary culture with one of our tailor-made trips to Namibia. Check out our trips or get in touch so that together we can help create your journey of a lifetime.