country Essentials · 12 foods
Sao Tome and Principe Essentials
A considered first route through Sao Tome and Principe: the foods that carry its everyday habits, celebrations, ingredients, and memory.
Explore all Sao Tome and Principe foods →THE
ESSENTIALS
The complete shortlist
12 foods to know.
Each selection includes the reason it belongs here—so this is a guide, not just a pile of names.
Sao Tome and Principe
Calulu
Calulu de Peixe
The national dish of Sao Tome and Principe; slow-cooked ishtu of fish, prawns, okra, eggplant, and greens in palm oil; takes five hours to prepare; served with funge; a TasteAtlas-listed must-try; the heart of Santomean cuisine.
Sao Tome and Principe
Funge
Funje
Smooth, creamy starch made from cassava or plantain flour; the staple accompaniment to calulu and other stews; the carbohydrate base of most Santomean meals; the comfort food of Sao Tome.
Sao Tome and Principe
Fish Belly
Barriga de Peixe
Traditional Santomean grilled fish with tomato-onion broth; served with rice, breadfruit, or cassava; a simple but flavorful everyday meal and street food; the fish dish of the islands.
Sao Tome and Principe
Peixe Assado
Peixe Grelhado
Whole grilled fish seasoned with lime and salt; ubiquitous along the coast; snapper, barracuda, grouper, and sea bass; the most reliable meal on the islands; simple, fresh, and perfect.
Sao Tome and Principe
Santomean Bean Stew
Feijoada Santomense
Santomean bean ishtu with pork, blood sausage, and sometimes seafood; slow-cooked in tomato broth with palm oil; a creole fusion of Portuguese and African traditions; served with rice and plantains.
Sao Tome and Principe
Mashed Breadfruit
Blablá
Mashed breadfruit; a common side dish; starchy and filling; served alongside fish stews and grilled fish; a staple carbohydrate of the islands; the breadfruit mash of Sao Tome.
Sao Tome and Principe
Fried Banana
Bobofrito
Banana fried in coconut oil until crispy; palm sugar for sweetness; a popular dessert or snack; sweet, crispy, and tropical; the banana fritter of the Chocolate Islands.
Sao Tome and Principe
Sonhos de Banana
Light and airy fried banana dough balls; Portuguese-influenced dessert; crispy outside, fluffy inside; the name means banana dreams; a TasteAtlas-listed dessert; a popular festive treat.
Sao Tome and Principe
Chicken with Coffee Sauce
Frango com Molho de Café
Unique Santomean chicken in coffee, white wine, and cream sauce; a dish that showcases the islands' coffee heritage; rich, complex, and surprising; a culinary revelation found nowhere else.
Sao Tome and Principe
Cocoa Sauce
Molho de Cacau
Sao Tome is known as the Chocolate Islands; cacao beans are renowned for high quality; a primary export and identity; cocoa pulp used in molho de cacau sauce; the bean that built the nation.
Sao Tome and Principe
Banana Stew
Maqueque
Flying fish (peixe voador) is one of the most popular fish in Sao Tome; cut open and dried on beaches; both cooked and dried varieties eaten; a staple of the Santomean diet; the fish that defines island life.
Sao Tome and Principe
Sweet Bread
Pão Doce
Sweet bread flavored with coconut or cinnamon; eaten as breakfast or snack with coffee; a Portuguese-influenced bread; found at bakeries across the islands; the sweet bread of Sao Tome mornings.