Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) is a West African nation on the Gulf of Guinea, known for the skyscraper skyline of Abidjan, the vast man-made basilica of Yamoussoukro, the colonial-era beach town of Grand-Bassam, and a coastline of lagoons and palm-lined beaches stretching from Ghana to Liberia. It is the world's largest cocoa producer and West Africa's economic engine, blending a modern commercial capital with rainforest national parks, Sahelian towns in the north, and dozens of distinct ethnic cultures.
Ivorian cuisine is anchored in cassava, plantain, rice, and fresh coastal or lagoon fish, seasoned with chili, onion, and tomato. Attiéké (grated fermented cassava couscous) is the national side dish, paired with grilled fish, chicken, or the beloved garba (fried tuna with attiéké). Kedjenou, chicken or guinea fowl slow-steamed in a sealed clay pot with vegetables, is the signature stew, alongside foutou (pounded plantain or cassava) served with peanut, eggplant, or okra sauce. Alloco, fried ripe plantain, is a ubiquitous street snack. Abidjan's large Lebanese community has made shawarma, mezze, and grilled meats a genuine second strand of the city's food scene, while French colonial influence lingers in bistro classics, patisseries, and wine lists across the Plateau and Cocody districts. Maquis, the open-air neighborhood grill-restaurants serving braised fish, chicken, and attiéké over beers and music, are the backbone of everyday eating and nightlife across the city.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Ivory Coast.
Attiéké au Poisson Braisé
Grated fermented cassava couscous served alongside a whole grilled fish, usually tilapia or carp, with onion-tomato sauce and chili
Where to try: Maquis across Abidjan; Vridi Canal grilled fish stalls
Price: 1,500-4,000 XOF (approx USD 2.62-7.00)
Garba
Fried tuna chunks served over attiéké with onions, tomatoes, and pepper, invented in Abidjan and sold from small street stalls called garbadromes
Where to try: Adjamé garbadromes; stalls citywide
Price: 300-1,000 XOF (approx USD 0.52-1.75)
Kedjenou de Poulet
Chicken slow-steamed in a sealed clay or aluminum pot with tomato, onion, and pepper, traditionally cooked over low coals without added liquid
Where to try: Maquis and Ivorian restaurants nationwide
Price: 2,500-6,000 XOF (approx USD 4.37-10.49)
Foutou Banane et Sauce Graine
Pounded plantain or cassava dough served with a rich, oily palm-nut sauce, often with fish, beef, or bushmeat
Where to try: Ivorian maquis and family-style restaurants
Price: 2,000-5,500 XOF (approx USD 3.50-9.62)
Alloco
Ripe plantain slices fried in palm or vegetable oil, sold as a street snack or side, often with a spicy onion-tomato sauce and grilled fish or eggs
Where to try: Street vendors and markets citywide
Price: 500-1,500 XOF (approx USD 0.87-2.62)
Sauce Graine
Palm-nut cream sauce simmered with smoked fish or meat, served over rice, one of the richest and most widely eaten sauces in the country
Where to try: Maquis and home-style restaurants
Price: 2,000-5,000 XOF (approx USD 3.50-8.74)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Lebanese
Ivorian
French
Ivorian Grill
Seafood
Ivorian Street Food
International
Ivorian Traditional
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Garba
Fried tuna and attiéké eaten at plastic tables set up beside the stall, the emblematic quick meal of Abidjan's youth
Find it at: Adjamé garbadromes and stalls citywide
Alloco
Fried plantain sold hot in paper cones from roadside braziers, often topped with a hard-boiled egg or grilled fish
Find it at: Street corners across Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, and San-Pédro
Poisson Braisé
Whole fish grilled over charcoal at open-air stalls, served with attiéké and a fiery pepper-tomato sauce
Find it at: Vridi Canal, Port-Bouët; grill strips in every commune
Brochettes
Skewered grilled beef or chicken sold by street vendors in the evening, a common pairing with cold beer
Find it at: Maquis strips in Marcory, Cocody, and Yopougon
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Marché de Cocody
Neighborhood market in Cocody with produce, spices, dried fish, and cooked-food stalls serving attiéké, alloco, and sauces
Hours: Daily roughly 6AM-7PM
Marché de Treichville
One of Abidjan's largest and oldest markets, spanning produce, textiles, and a dense cluster of food stalls and maquis
Hours: Daily roughly 6AM-8PM
Marché d'Adjamé
Sprawling wholesale and retail market north of the Plateau, home to the garbadromes that popularized garba in the 1990s
Hours: Daily roughly 5AM-8PM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Maquis meals are typically eaten with the hands or with a spoon for sauces; hand-washing basins are usually provided at the table
Lunch service peaks around 12:30-2PM and dinner from about 7:30PM, with maquis often busiest and liveliest after 9PM
A 5-10% tip is appreciated in sit-down restaurants; it is not expected at street stalls or garbadromes
Bottled or sachet water is the safer choice; ice in drinks at street stalls is best avoided by those unused to local water
- Vegetarian
- Limited but workable; alloco, attiéké plain, rice with vegetable sauce, and bean dishes (kablan) can be requested without meat or fish
- Halal
- Widely available; much of Abidjan's meat supply is halal-slaughtered and Lebanese-run grills typically serve halal meat
- Gluten free
- Naturally strong, since cassava (attiéké, foutou) and plantain form the base of most staple dishes
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | 1,000-3,000 XOF (approx USD 1.75-5.24) per meal | Garba, alloco, or a maquis plate of grilled fish and attiéké eaten at a street stall or market table |
| Mid-range | 5,000-15,000 XOF (approx USD 8.74-26.22) per meal | Sit-down maquis or casual restaurant meal with kedjenou, foutou, or grilled fish, plus a drink |
| Upscale | 25,000 XOF and up (approx USD 43.71+) per meal | Fine dining at Plateau and Cocody hotel restaurants, or seafood dinners on the Grand-Bassam or San-Pédro coast |