Malawi Dining and Restaurant Guide

A small selection of international cuisines is available in Lilongwe and Blantyre, but very little Western food is available outside of these centers. In smaller towns and villages, the local food includes boiled meat or freshwater fish (a lake perch called chambo is excellent), yams, fruit and local vegetables. A cornmeal porridge called nsima is the staple food for most Malawians and is served with almost everything. Malawi's well-cooked, starchy dishes tend to be bland, so you may want to take along a bottle of hot sauce to add some flavor. Malawi is famous for its nali sauce, sold in small bottles in supermarkets. Made from chilies, it is fiery hot. There's also a milder version that is made especially for children.