Food of Djibouti

Djiboutian cooking mixes Somali, Afar, Yemeni, Ethiopian and French influences. Fragrant rice, grilled fish from the Red Sea, spiced lamb and flatbreads appear at meals, with cardamom and cumin in the air. Dishes are shared on a large platter.

National dish

Skoudehkaris

Spiced rice and lamb pot flavored with cumin and cardamom.

Staples

  • rice
  • lamb
  • fish
  • pasta
  • flatbread
  • bananas

Signature flavors

  • cardamom
  • cumin
  • cloves
  • cinnamon
  • chili
  • tomato

Main dishes

Skoudehkaris

Spiced rice and lamb pot flavored with cumin and cardamom.

Key ingredients: rice, lamb, tomato, cumin
Fah-fah
Fah-fah

Spicy boiled goat or beef soup with chili and herbs.

Key ingredients: goat, chili, cilantro
Yetakelt wot

Mixed vegetable stew served over flatbread.

Key ingredients: vegetables, tomato
Grilled red snapper

Whole Red Sea fish rubbed with spices and grilled.

Key ingredients: snapper, lemon, garlic
Lahoh

A traditional dish of Djibouti made with flour, water, yeast, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: flour, water, yeast
Mahamri

A traditional dish of Djibouti made with flour, coconut milk, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: flour, coconut milk

Breakfast

Lahoh with honey and ghee

A traditional breakfast dish of Djibouti made with flour, honey, ghee, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: flour, honey, ghee
Foul

A traditional breakfast dish of Djibouti made with fava beans, oil, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: fava beans, oil

Street food

Sambusa
Sambusa

Crisp fried pastry triangles with meat or vegetables.

Key ingredients: pastry, meat, onion
Grilled corn

A traditional street snack of Djibouti made with corn, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: corn

Desserts and sweets

Halwa
Halwa

A traditional sweet treat of Djibouti made with sugar, cornstarch, cardamom, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: sugar, cornstarch, cardamomFull guide →
Banana with honey

A traditional sweet treat of Djibouti made with banana, honey, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: banana, honey

Drinks

Spiced tea (shaah)

A traditional drink of Djibouti made with tea, cardamom, cinnamon, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: tea, cardamom, cinnamon
Jebena coffee

Coffee brewed in a clay pot.

Key ingredients: coffee
Camel milk

A traditional drink of Djibouti made with camel milk, enjoyed at home and from local vendors.

Key ingredients: camel milk

Fruits and produce

Dates
Dates

Dates is a well-loved fruit or crop in Djibouti, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: datesFull guide →
Mango
Mango

Mango is a well-loved fruit or crop in Djibouti, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: mangoFull guide →
Banana
Banana

Banana is a well-loved fruit or crop in Djibouti, eaten fresh or used in juices, snacks and home cooking.

Key ingredients: bananaFull guide →

Dish guides from Djibouti

Banana
BananaFruits
Dates
DatesFruits
Halva
HalvaDesserts and sweets
Mango
MangoFruits
Explore Djibouti on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Eastern Africa

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • Fahfah: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Samosas, snack food at Wikipedia's 16th Birthday celebration in Chittagong (01): Moheen Reeyad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Orient sweets (special halva) Samarkand, Siyab: Shuhrenataxmedov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Dates005: Nepenthes, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 14-QWSTION-BANANATEX-STRIPPING-LAUSCHSICHT: BANANATEX, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)