These are the Equatorial Guinea Foods You Didn’t Know You Need to Try

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If you’re thinking of visiting Equatorial Guinea, you’ll know that it is a small ex-colony of Spain in the “armpit” of Africa, between Cameroon and Gabon. And if you haven’t thought of visiting yet, perhaps now is the time to do so. Granted, Equatorial Guinea has had a fairly dictator-like president for 30 years, and, despite their high GDP (due to oil riches), the general population remains poor.

But when it comes to culture and nature, Equatorial Guinea is worth the exploration. The local Fang culture has its own customs, and Spanish influence is also still strong. The country has amazing biodiversity, and of course, there is a rich food culture.

The food culture of Equatoguineans is strongly shaped by the availability of local ingredients. The jungles are a source of seeds, fruits, as well as meat and fish. Most people also have little backyard gardens – indeed, household farming and fishing are the main livelihoods in the country.

Cassava, plantain, peanuts, and chilies are just some of the common plants grown here, and these plants form the basis of traditional Equatorial Guinean cooking.

For me, what I enjoy greatly in Equatorial Guinea is the availability of fresh, local food, such as freshly picked bananas, coconuts, and mangoes. And I love that street food is a big thing in Equatorial Guinea.

Getting there and getting around

If you’re flying to Equatorial Guinea, you’ll likely land first in the capital Malabo, on Bioko island. Bioko has amazing sights to see, from nature areas and diverse wildlife to the historic attractions of the capital city. However, if you’re heading on to explore the mainland, you’ll probably take another flight from Malabo to Bata, on mainland Equatorial Guinea.

From Bata, you can explore the rest of the country by local mini buses, motorbike taxis, or a rental vehicle. Just keep your wits about you; although most people you’ll meet are friendly and helpful, theft does occur – due to the relative poverty levels.

If you’re traveling overland, there are several entry points into Equatorial Guinea. The main land crossing point between Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon, is located at Equatorial Guinea’s north-easternmost corner, at Kye-Ossi.

Equatoguinean police and gendarmerie love enforcing (real or made-up) rules and stopping foreigners to ask what business they’re on. Be sure to always have your paperwork at hand, as well as good humor, politeness, and some patience, too. Sometimes border crossings can take their time.

Local tip: When flying in or out of Malabo, be sure to be on the lookout for views towards the nearby Mount Cameroon on mainland Cameroon – one of the highest mountains in Africa.

Infrastructure

In the cities, you’ll find major supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, and guesthouses. Small hotels do exist in smaller towns as well. But, in the smallest villages, there usually are no guesthouses.

Having said that, if you strike up a conversation with the locals, or express a need for a place to stay overnight, someone is usually more than happy to put you up for the night. This could be in exchange for some stories, food, or sometimes, a small payment.

Infrastructure otherwise is very unevenly distributed. On one hand, there is fancy construction happening across the country – big roads, apartment blocks, university buildings, and more. At the same time, toilets, for example, may be almost non-existent or rather unhygienic in places, and it’s good to be prepared with a camping-attitude.

Of course, if you’re just visiting the bigger cities, you can find beautiful hotels and great infrastructure. The beaches and waterfront promenades are stunning, and you can really enjoy a colorful, relaxing holiday in Equatorial Guinea – as well as a more adventurous one, if you so desire.

Travel tip: As is the case with other central African countries, malaria does occur in Equatorial Guinea.

It is best to take suitable anti-malarial medication; check in with your doctor before you travel. It is also best to sleep under a mosquito net, and just generally exercise caution with regards to mosquitoes – they are usually most active at night time.

Equatorial Guinea foods and dishes to try

Bambucha

This is a traditional meal of the largest ethnic group of Equatorial Guinea, the Fang culture. Bambucha is a green sauce made out of cassava (yuca) leaves, local palm seed oil, and picante (chili). It is usually served with cooked cassava or fermented yuca “rolls”, or plantain (cooking bananas).

I find bambucha to be a rather exotic dish, and it certainly is one of the loveliest foods to try in Equatorial Guinea. You could find this meal, or other tasty, traditional as well as international meals, at for example Tope restaurant in the capital Malabo. If you get to visit some locals, they’ll likely also make their own variations of this delicious dish.

Local tip: If you have a chance, observing how yuca “rolls” are made is real fun – and you could even have a try at it yourself.

Yuca rolls are traditionally made by letting ripe cassava roots soak in river water for a few days – this helps get rid of the cyanogenic components present in the roots (cassava ought not to be consumed raw). Afterwards, the roots are dried, ground into powder, and then formed into long rolls inside banana leaves.

This is one of the most traditional way of preparing, transporting, and selling cassava in Equatorial Guinea and other central African countries. And it certainly makes cassava roots taste unique.

Pescado asado (grilled fish)

Due to the closeness of the sea, dishes with fish are, indeed, one of the most popular things to eat in Equatorial Guinea. I greatly enjoy the various grilled fish, pescade asado, that you can order at small roadside restaurants or street stalls.

Pescado asado usually means a whole fish, served with some compliments, such as chopped onions, lemon, picante/pimento (chili sauce), or olive oil. It also sometimes comes with starches such as rice or yuca.

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Hot from the grill, with a cold San Miguel (the Spanish beer that is highly popular in Equatorial Guinea), this is definitely one of the loveliest foods to try in Equatorial Guinea. Similar dishes exist in the surrounding central African countries.

Envueltos – especially fufu; one of the loveliest, and most unique, of Equatorial Guinea foods

Envueltos are small dishes wrapped up in banana leaves. They are like small “secrets of the jungle”. These pockets come with various fillings; peanut sauce, manioc, or meat being just some of them. Envueltos generally combine traditional Equatoguinean ingredients in a healthy, tasty, natural package.

Bollo de pescado, or fufu, is one kind of envuelto, prepared by combining cassava, ground fish, and spices into a mush and forming fist-size “dumplings” out of it. These dumplings are then wrapped in banana leaves and, traditionally, cooked on the fire.

I’ve tried this dish in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, and have found it to be one of the most special, tasty things I’ve ever eaten. It is lovely when served with fried plantain (cooking banana).

Paella

Paella is of course not original to Equatorial Guinea – it is an import from Spain. However, I’d still highly recommend trying some paella, Equatoguinean style. In Equatorial Guinea, you’ll often find paella in the bigger restaurants, and many locals also know the secrets of preparing this dish.

Often in Equatorial Guinea, paella is made with chicken or forest guinea fowl, or for example shrimps. Sometimes beans or peas are added, and the food is spiced rather strongly. I had a lovely birthday party once, where a local neighbor prepared a huge, delicious paella that served the entire party crowd.

Sopa de pescado, or pepesup – one of the loveliest (and spiciest) of Equatorial Guinea foods

This is a spicy, warming soup, usually made with fresh fish, onions, peppers, tasty spices, and herbs. Sopa de pescado can come in many forms, though, depending on the region and the maker. Because of the closeness of the sea and fishing being one of the most common livelihoods in the country, sopa de pescado is a common dish all around Equatorial Guinea.

You can also order it in many restaurants, such as the seafood restaurant Restaurante Miramar in Bata, on the beautiful Paseo Maritimo facing the ocean.

Salsa de cacahuete (con pollo o pescado) – peanut sauce with chicken or fish

This is definitely one of my favorite foods in Equatorial Guinea. A delicious sauce is prepared by frying onions and tomatoes, and adding locally prepared, hearty peanut butter to the sauce. Chicken or fish is then slowly cooked in the sauce, and chili or other spices are added. This mouthwatering dish is best, I find, when you eat it with plantain or cassava.

Desserts

Buñuelos

If you’re walking along the streets of the villages or towns in Equatorial Guinea, you’ll be sure to see small tables or stalls carrying buckets or trays of these little, brown balls. These are (semi-)sweet buñuelos, little deep-fried balls of dough. They’re a sort of a street snack that is often taken along for the journey in small, clear plastic bags.

They seem to be a thing in central African countries – in Cameroon, they’re called beignets, due to French influence. The origin of buñuelos is probably Spanish, but these similar kinds of round, deep-fried sweets are also popular in many other countries around the world. I personally like buñuelos best when they’re fresh and warm; it actually makes for a nice, quick breakfast, or a sweet dessert.

Other desserts

Equatorial Guinea itself doesn’t seem to have deep traditions in sweet, baked goods. Rather, you’ll find some cakes and baked goods at cafés and restaurants of Malabo, Bata, and other cities. The cakes are likely inspired by the traditions of the Spanish colonial times, and also, these days, internationally influenced. For example, you can buy croissants and crème-filled doughnuts in many cafés.

Other than baked goods, it is common to just eat fruit for dessert in Equatorial Guinea. And why not – nothing tastes better than a freshly harvested papaya, ripened by the Equatorial sun. Or a sweet, small central African mango, common to these areas, full of taste and healthy vitamins. Or a freshly cracked coconut… This delicious list could go on for a while.

Vino de palma, or topé (palm wine) is also among the loveliest drinks to try in Equatorial Guinea

This cream-colored beverage is actually a favorite in many parts of the tropical world. It is made by extracting the sap of palm trees, or seeds, and fermenting it. In Equatorial Guinea, palm wine is generally called topé. It is slightly alcoholic, quite popular, and many people even in the smallest of villages know the craft of making it.

Topé tastes the best fresh in the jungle, along with an African sunset and the serenade of cicadas and frogs in the background. I can recommend trying some, if you get the chance.

A note on wild meat

In all parts of Africa, hunting and eating wild animals has been a traditional practice since time immemorial. However, in the past 100 years and especially the last few decades, hunting of “bushmeat” has become increasingly unsustainable in many parts of Africa, Asia, and South America. This is due to pressures of human development and demand for wild meat or its parts from overseas (rhino horn is just one of countless examples). Furthermore, bushmeat constitutes a health risk due to zoonotic disease transmission.

I was working on a bushmeat alternatives project in Equatorial Guinea, looking at various sustainable sources of protein and discussing the pros and cons of each with the local communities. I was sad to see, first-hand, the “empty forest syndrome” where the surroundings of cities are getting quiet, with many wildlife species on the decline due to human-induced pressures.

Of course, consumption of wild animals also carries important cultural meanings in many places. Still, on the whole, I would recommend that you do not consume wild meats found on the roadside or in restaurants. You can choose other alternatives these days, such as cultivated fish or vegetarian foods.

Bushmeat hunting is likely to always remain one source of subsistence for the local populations, but as a visitor, you can get informed about the local context and consider what you consume. By your choices, you may contribute to survival of species and biocultural diversity.

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