The Portuguese influenced the food in Nairobi, Kenya.

When they arrived they brought foods from Brazil, such as maize, bananas, pineapple, chillies, peppers, sweet potatoes and cassava (a starchy vegetable). A tribe from North Africa arrived around A.D. 1000 and introduced cattle farming. The cattle provided meat, milk and butter. When the Europeans arrived they brought potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes. Indians were brought in for labour and they cooked curries, chutneys and chapattis (a flat bread made with wheat flour).

Food in Kenya today

These days Kenya is multi-racial and this is reflected in the food, but their staple diet is mainly corn, maize, potatoes and beans. In fact if you purchase a plate of food on the streets of Kenya you will probably get a mixture of rice, beans mixed with corn, sukuma wiki (a green vegetable), cabbage with potatoes and some beef stew.

Ethiopian cuisine is also popular in Kenya. Here you can try vegetables or spicy meat dishes (wats) that are served on top of a sourdough flatbread. Tuck in with your hands for a more authentic experience.