Gabon Dining and Restaurant Guide

Authentic Gabonese food is difficult to find in restaurants. It usually consists of manioc paste or rice with spicy sauce and bush meat, which can be anything from antelope to snake. There's a good selection of international food available in Libreville (Continental, Chinese, Lebanese, Indian, et al.). Throughout the rest of the country, the cuisine is primarily French influenced. Try the local fruit itanga, which is typically boiled and served with salt and pepper. Kola nuts, traditionally shared when visiting, have the same effect as drinking a strong cup of coffee. Palm wine, which tastes like fermented coconut juice, is a traditional drink relished throughout central Africa. Be careful though, because some palm wines may be cut with unboiled local water and can make you very ill. The good news about the local beer, called Regab, is that it costs about the same as bottled water. The bad news is that it may also be cut with unboiled local water.