Discover the Taste of Swahili Cuisine at Stone Town Food Festival 2017

Influenced by Bantus, Arabs, Portuguese, Indians, British and Chinese settlers, Swahili culinary inheritance is a fusion of multi-ethnic traditions serving unique taste that's truly Zanzibari. Welcome to the second edition of Stone Town Food Festival 2017, a gastronomic adventure celebrating history and cookery heritage of this beautiful destination.

Scheduled from 9th to 14th October 2017 in the heart of historical Stone Town, UNESCO’s World Heritage site, Stone Town Food Festival brings a weeklong calendar of exciting food events served with a taste of history, folklore and traditional performances. Represented by various participating restaurants and cafes, the event includes an extended 2-day street food celebration at Forodhani Gardens, known for its night food market. Specialty culinary itineraries are designed to give travellers’ gourmet experience with focus on Swahili cooking, the city’s food personalities, street foods and distinctive dining experiences.

Stone Town Food Festival aims to build on the city’s reputation through its culinary heritage. Last year’s inaugural celebration brought together some of the finest traditional food outlets, international cuisines and Swahili flavors all over the historical old town.

Curated for diversity, the festival attracted top restaurants, authentic caterers and chefs thus delivering a delectable array of tastes. Special festival menus were designed across participating vendors while Forodhani Gardens’ served sizzling grills, charcoal BBQ skewers, delicious “Zanzibari Mix”, “Zanzibari Pizza” savoury platters and freshly squeezed juices including local favourites sugarcane, coconut juices, locally brewed Gahwa (coffee infused with the famous Zanzibari spices) all for foodies to indulge.

“This Food Festival was conceptualized to encourage the community to take pride in its culinary history by showcasing traditional recipes and modern tastes thus serving the past, present and future. While the essence of the event is to bring another touristic attraction to Zanzibar,

the festival is an opportunity for travellers to experience an amalgamation of tastes and flavours all week long.  Our debut launch received an overwhelming participation both from vendors and attendees. We have added more activities to this year’s edition and we look forward to a gastronomic celebration that will cement Zanzibar as the best food destination in East Africa” said Garry Friend, Festival Organizer.

Established in 2016 by independent culinary and hospitality community, Stone Town Food Festival is part of the islands’ strategic plans to develop programs and tours contributing to the growth of Zanzibar tourism sector. Stone Town Food Festival highlights diversity of historical food influences across the Swahili cooking; whether gourmet, street food or home cooking, the festival offers foodies a journey intertwined with history and culture.

Savour local cuisines, chat with chefs and relish the delicious tastes while en route to sight seeing and cultural expeditions. Zigzag through the maze of cobblestone Stone Town, bargain for souvenirs or artifacts and enjoy hidden food gems from local cafes and restaurants. Stone Town Food Festival is a family friendly celebration of local as well as international food; combined with local talent, traditional Taarab performances and live music. Come experience Zanzibar differently with an itinerary that combines cultural experiences and delicious plates of local foods. Discover the destination and its palate at Stone Town Food Festival 2017.