Your Food Guide with M Travel and Tours Burundi

Burundi offers warm hospitality, fresh ingredients, and simple but flavorful dishes that make every meal enjoyable. Whether you’re staying in a hotel in Bujumbura or trying a local restaurant upcountry, here is what you can expect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during your stay.

🥐 BREAKFAST IN BURUNDI – WHAT TO EXPECT

Breakfast in Burundi is usually light, fresh, and very European-style in hotels, mixed with a few local touches.

Typical Hotel Breakfast Includes:

Bread & Pastries
Fresh baguette, croissants, donuts, pancakes.
Eggs
Scrambled, omelette, fried, or boiled.
Fruit
Seasonal fruits like pineapple, watermelon, papaya, banana, and passion fruit.
Tea & Coffee
Burundi has excellent local tea and strong, rich coffee.
Juice
Fresh passion fruit, mango, pineapple, or tamarind juice.
Butter & Jam
Often homemade.
Sausages or Beef Strips (depending on hotel)

Local Breakfast Options (if you want to try local):

Chapati
Mandazi (East African doughnuts)
Sweet potatoes
Porridge (bouillie de sorgho or maize porridge)

Hotels like Club du Lac, Best Outlook, and Tropitel Hotel Gitega normally serve a combination of international and local breakfast options.

🍛 LUNCH IN BURUNDI – WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE

Lunch in Burundi is the main meal of the day and restaurants usually serve generous portions.

Typical Lunch Dishes:

Rice
Beans (a staple Burundian dish)
Fried plantain (ibitoke)
Fish from Lake Tanganyika – grilled, fried, or in coconut sauce
Goat brochettes (skewers)
Chicken (fried or in tomato sauce)
Beef with vegetables
Ugali (cornmeal, similar to polenta)
Fresh salads (avocado, tomatoes, onions)

Where You Will Eat on Tour

Depending on the itinerary, lunch may be:

In a local restaurant
In a hotel restaurant
Or picnic-style (e.g., at Karera Falls, Source of Nile, Teza)

Meals are freshly cooked, simple, and always served with generosity.

🍽️ DINNER IN BURUNDI – WHAT TO EXPECT

Dinner is usually lighter than lunch, but hotels and restaurants offer good options.

Typical Dinner Offerings:

Grilled Tilapia or Captain Fish from Lake Tanganyika
Chicken & chips
Goat brochettes
Spaghetti bolognese (common in hotels)
Beef steak
Vegetable plates (spinach, beans, potatoes, mixed vegetables)
Soups – tomato or vegetable soups in hotels
Chapati or rice

National Favorite:

Brochettes + Fries + Salad
This is the classic Burundian evening meal.

Hotel Dinner Experience

Hotels like Club du Lac and Best Outlook often prepare:

Set menus
Fresh fish
Grilled meats
Soups
Homemade desserts

☕ Drinks You Will See Everywhere:

Amstel, Primus, and Heineken beers
Fresh juices (passion, pineapple, mango)
Local coffee & tea
Soft drinks (Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite)
Lemon ginger tea (common in the mountains)

Why Tourists Love Eating in Burundi

Fresh ingredients
Big portions
Organic fruits and vegetables
Wild-caught fish from Lake Tanganyika
Delicious grilled meats
Friendly service everywhere you go

With M Travel and Tours Burundi, every meal is an opportunity to taste the real flavors of the country, whether in a hotel, a local restaurant, or during a scenic picnic.