Ghanaian cuisine is increasingly becoming part of the travel experience for people visiting the country, with several local dishes featuring prominently in recent food and travel guides.

For many first-time visitors, food offers an opportunity to experience the country beyond its tourist attractions, with dishes ranging from the familiar Ghanaian jollof to traditional meals such as fufu and banku.

Recent travel guides published in 2026 have recommended several Ghanaian dishes to visitors, pointing out the variety of rice meals, bean dishes, grilled fish, soups and other local favourites available across the country.

This GhanaWeb article highlights five Ghanaian foods that are gaining popularity among foreign visitors

1. Jollof rice

Jollof rice is arguably the most recognisable Ghanaian dish to visitors from outside the country.

The dish is prepared by cooking rice in a tomato and pepper-based sauce, with different cooks adding their own combinations of spices and other ingredients. It is commonly served with chicken, beef, fish, fried plantain or salad.

Its international profile has also been boosted by the long-running Ghana-Nigeria debate over which country makes the better version of the popular rice dish.

Recent travel guides continue to put jollof among the first Ghanaian foods visitors should try. LABUSA Travel's August 2026 food guide describes it as the dish Ghana is best known for abroad, while SankofaGo's guide for first-time visitors also lists it among the recommended starting points.

For a visitor unfamiliar with Ghanaian food, jollof can also serve as an easy introduction because its rice-based format is familiar, while the seasoning and accompaniments offer something distinctly Ghanaian.

2. Waakye

Waakye is another Ghanaian staple that frequently appears in guides aimed at visitors.

The dish combines rice and beans, traditionally cooked with sorghum leaves, and is usually served with a range of accompaniments.

Depending on where it is bought, a plate can come with shito, gari, spaghetti, fried plantain, egg, meat or fish.

A brief history of the Ghanaian delicacy, Waakye

Waakye is particularly associated with breakfast and lunch and is widely available from roadside vendors, food joints and restaurants.

SankofaGo also recommends waakye to first-time visitors, describing it as one of the dishes that can form part of an introduction to Ghanaian food.

For foreigners looking to experience an everyday Ghanaian meal rather than a dish prepared mainly for tourists, waakye offers exactly that.

3. Banku and grilled tilapia

Banku and grilled tilapia is another combination frequently recommended to people visiting Ghana.

Banku is a smooth dough made from fermented corn and cassava, while the tilapia is usually grilled and served with pepper, onions and shito.

The combination is particularly popular in the evenings and can be found at chop bars, restaurants and roadside food spots.

Recent travel guides have singled out banku with grilled tilapia as one of the classic meals visitors should try in Accra. Tour Ghana's food guide, for example, describes it as an evening staple, while Travel with Hello includes banku and grilled tilapia among the foods first-time visitors should try.

The meal also gives visitors an introduction to the way many Ghanaian dishes combine a starch with soup, stew, fish or other protein.

4. Fufu with soup

For visitors willing to go beyond rice and grilled foods, fufu with soup offers a more traditional Ghanaian dining experience.

Fufu is prepared by pounding cooked starchy ingredients, commonly cassava and plantain, into a smooth and stretchy consistency.

It is typically eaten with soups such as light soup, groundnut soup or palm-nut soup, accompanied by meat, fish or other protein.

Unlike rice dishes, fufu is traditionally eaten with the hand. A piece of the fufu is taken, shaped and dipped into the soup before being eaten.

That eating style can be unfamiliar to some foreign visitors, but recent travel guides continue to recommend the dish as part of a first-time Ghana food experience. SankofaGo includes fufu with soup among its suggested dishes, while other 2026 food guides also feature it prominently.

For many visitors, trying fufu is therefore not just about the taste but also about experiencing another part of Ghanaian food culture.

5. Gobe

Gobe, otherwise known as Red-red, is a bean-based dish made from beans cooked with palm oil, tomatoes and other seasonings and usually served with fried plantain and gari.

It is one of the Ghanaian dishes that can appeal to visitors looking for a meal without meat.

Jollof' rice name evolved from 'jelly-off' - Culinary expert

The combination of beans and sweet fried plantain gives the dish a distinctive contrast in taste and texture.


From the internationally familiar jollof rice to the more traditional fufu and soup, Ghanaian food offers visitors a wide range of flavours, textures and eating experiences.

And with recent travel guides continuing to recommend these dishes to first-time visitors, the country's food is becoming an increasingly important part of how people experience Ghana.

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