Food & Drink

Namibia's cuisine is a fascinating result of colonial history — nowhere else in Africa will you find such a fusion of German, South African, and African culinary culture.

The German influence is omnipresent:

• Bread: Namibia has the best bread culture in Africa. Real rye bread, rolls (Semmeln), pretzels, and whole grain bread — every city has a bakery that bakes bread that would receive top marks in Germany
• Schnitzel: Wiener Schnitzel is a Namibian classic — standard on the menu in many restaurants
• Eisbein: Huge pork knuckles with sauerkraut — legendary especially at Joe's Beerhouse
• Cakes: Black Forest cake, apple strudel, cheesecake — the patisseries in Swakopmund and Windhoek are excellent

Namibia is a paradise for meat lovers — and game meat is not a delicacy but a staple. The meat comes from the country's vast game farms and is extremely lean, high in protein, and sustainable.

Biltong & Droëwors

Biltong is Namibia's (and South Africa's) answer to beef jerky — but a hundred times better. Thinly sliced strips of game or beef, marinated in vinegar and spices, air-dried. Biltong is available at every gas station and supermarket — the best snack companion for long drives. Droëwors (dried sausage) is the sausage version of it.

The Braai (barbecue) in Namibia — as in all of South Africa — is a way of life. Every campsite, farm, and house has a braai area. On weekends, grilling goes on for hours — huge steaks, Boerewors (grilled sausage), lamb chops, and corn on the cob.

The braai is not a quick affair: Real wood (not charcoal briquettes!) is used, patiently waiting for the perfect embers while drinking beer. The social aspect is just as important as the food.

Potjiekos

A Potjie (pronounced: "poiki") is a heavy cast-iron pot with three legs, placed directly on the embers. Inside, the Potjiekos (pot food) is slowly stewed — layer by layer: meat at the bottom, vegetables on top, spices in between. Cooked for hours at low heat, without stirring. The result is an incredibly tender stew that tastes of campfire and Africa.

Other Namibian Dishes

• Kapana: Street food from Katutura — grilled beef pieces with chili salsa and white bread. Cheap, hearty, delicious
• Oshifima (Pap): Cornmeal porridge, the staple food in the north — similar to polenta, eaten with meat and vegetables
• Mopane Worms: Dried caterpillars of the mopane moth — high in protein and common in northern Namibia. Taste: nutty-earthy

Namibia brews the best beer in Africa — and that's no exaggeration. The Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL), founded in 1920, brew according to the German purity law of 1516. The result is beers that would make any German brewery proud — perhaps even better, because the water comes from artesian wells in the desert.

• Windhoek Lager: The flagship — a crisp, hop-forward lager that wins international awards. For many Namibians, THE national symbol
• Windhoek Draught: The unfiltered, lighter version — perfect for hot days. Available only on tap
• Tafel Lager: Slightly milder and more drinkable than Windhoek — the after-work beer
• Windhoek Light: The calorie-conscious variant
• Camelthorn Brewing: Namibia's craft beer pioneer from Windhoek — excellent pale ale and wheat beer

Beer is affordable in Namibia (15–30 NAD / 1–2€ in supermarkets, 30–60 NAD in restaurants) and ubiquitous. The first Windhoek Lager after a long day on the gravel road is one of life's great pleasures.