I’m spending the summer in Maputo, Mozambique doing research on peripheral neuropathy in patients with HIV at Maputo Central Hospital. Although much of my time is spent doing research in the Internal Medicine Wards at Maputo Central Hospital, I have had a lot of free time to explore Maputo and engage with locals in their culture. As someone who enjoys cooking and eating foods from different cultures, Maputo has offered me a unique opportunity to explore different kinds of food. I want to tell you about some of the amazing restaurants I’ve gotten to try while here in Maputo!
Traditional Mozambican food was a must-try while here in Maputo. One of the best meals I had came from a local cafeteria that feeds many of the doctors and medical students at Maputo Central Hospital. The chef, who has been working at the cafe for years, makes different items every day, and many are made-to-order. One meal that stood out was a traditional vegetable soup that she served for lunch one afternoon. It had carrots, leafy greens, and so many unique spices. Contrary to what one may expect, Mozambique can get a bit chilly at times, and a warm soup was so comforting on that day. Pão com badjia, which is a popular Mozambican street food, is also made and served at the cafe. Every morning, people rush to order some before they run out for the day, which usually happens early each morning!
In addition to traditional Mozambican food, Maputo has a variety of modern fusion restaurants that are very popular. One of the restaurants I got to try was called Dhow: a local art gallery and restaurant that serves Mozambican-Mediterranean fusion cuisine. I first saw this restaurant on Tik Tok, but I made it a mission to visit after so many locals recommended it to me. The restaurant is set on a hill alongside the ocean, which meant it had the most beautiful view of Mozambique’s coastline. Because I visited for dessert after dinner, the sun was setting and painted the prettiest colors over the ocean. I ordered one of their most popular desserts: an ice cream that had chocolate and orange flavors with a nutty aftertaste. It was delicious and such a beautiful way to spend the evening!
Because of Portugal’s years-long colonial rule over Mozambique, there are many Portuguese influences that have become intertwined with Mozambican culture. I found many Portuguese restaurants in Mozambique, many of which put their own southern african twist on traditional Portuguese foods. One of my favorite meals I had was from a restaurant called Piri-Piri where I ordered grilled chicken, french fries, and vegetable rice. Another restaurant, called Treehouse, served some delicious picanha, which is a style of steak that was first made popular in Brazil and made its way to the Portuguese and eventually to Mozambique. It was served with rice, beans, fried bananas and greens.
Lastly, I’d like to give an honorable mention to the dessert shops in Maputo! Pastries are incredibly popular here, and so many shops sell such as pastel de nata, a Portuguese custard tart. Gelato shops are also quite popular, and I got to visit a couple with some of the young locals that I’ve met while being here.
I truly think that food is such a wonderful way to share culture and history. From being here in Maputo, I feel like I’ve gotten to experience some of the deep connections that Mozambique has to so many parts of the world like Brazil and Portugal, but even India and Turkey! I’ve been so lucky to be able to try new foods this summer, and I’m excited to recreate some of the meals I’ve tried here back home.
