Open Travel Guide
Restaurants in Sudan

Best Restaurants in Sudan 2026

Where to eat in Sudan: the dishes that define the place and the rooms that serve them best.

The short answer: start with Assaha Lebanese Restaurant, Al Shazly Restaurant and Quick Bite Sandwiches. This guide profiles 42+ restaurants and places to eat in Sudan, with prices, timing, and the practical notes that decide whether each one earns a place in your plan.

Sudan offers an extraordinary journey through ancient Nubian civilization, home to more pyramids than Egypt. From the UNESCO-listed Pyramids of Meroe to the confluence of the Blue and White Nile in Khartoum, Sudan presents a unique blend of archaeological wonders and vibrant Sudanese culture.

Sudanese cuisine reflects the country's diverse ethnic groups and its position at the crossroads of Africa and the Arab world. Staple dishes center on ful medames (spiced fava beans), kisra (fermented sorghum flatbread), and slow-cooked meat stews featuring lamb and beef. Heavy on legumes, grains, and spiced meats, Sudanese food is filling and honest, with Arabic, Egyptian, and sub-Saharan African influences creating a distinct culinary identity. Fresh Nile fish is excellent in riverside communities, and the Sudanese tea culture centered on cinnamon-spiced tea from street-side tea ladies is central to social life.

Must-try dishes

Iconic dishes that define Sudan.

Must try

Ful Medames

Sudan's national breakfast of slow-cooked fava beans seasoned with cumin, lime juice, and chili. Served with fresh-baked bread and sometimes a fried egg on top, eaten communally from a large pot. The most important culinary experience in Sudan.

Where to try: Any street food stall or local restaurant at breakfast

Price: $1-3

Must try

Kisra

Thin fermented sorghum flatbread with a slightly sour flavor, used as an edible utensil to scoop stews and dips. Made by fermenting sorghum dough for 24 hours then cooking on a clay griddle, it is the fundamental starch of Sudanese cooking.

Where to try: Traditional restaurants and home cooking throughout Sudan

Price: $0.50-1

Must try

Asida

Thick sorghum or millet porridge similar to fufu, eaten with okra stew (bamia), meat sauce, or yogurt. A filling staple that forms the basis of most traditional Sudanese meals outside the capital.

Where to try: Traditional Sudanese restaurants, particularly outside Khartoum

Price: $2-5

Must try

Shawarma Sudanese Style

Sudan's adaptation of Lebanese shawarma featuring seasoned chicken or lamb wrapped in flatbread with tahini, pickles, and tomato. Street shawarma in Khartoum and Omdurman has developed its own local character with Sudanese spices.

Where to try: Street vendors throughout Khartoum, Omdurman shawarma carts

Price: $2-4

Must try

Karkadeh

Vibrant crimson hibiscus flower drink served hot or cold, tart and refreshing with natural sweetness. Sudan's beloved national beverage and perhaps the most iconic Sudanese culinary experience available at every market and restaurant.

Where to try: Everywhere - markets, restaurants, tea stalls

Price: $0.50-2

Top restaurants

Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.

Lebanese

Assaha Lebanese Restaurant

$$$4.6/5

Upscale Lebanese dining featuring extensive buffet with live cooking stations and traditional mezze. Live music creates elegant atmosphere with authentic flavors and excellent service in beautiful setting.

Riyadh, Khartoum, Sudan

Sudanese

Al Shazly Restaurant

$$4.2/5

Popular local restaurant serving authentic Sudanese cuisine including ful, tamiya, and grilled meats. Casual atmosphere with generous portions and affordable prices attracting locals and travelers.

Souq al-Arabi, Khartoum, Sudan

Sandwiches/Fast Food

Quick Bite Sandwiches

$3.8/5

Popular sandwich shop offering shawarma, burgers, and quick meals. Clean, fast service with good value for casual dining and takeaway.

Souq al-Arabi, Khartoum, Sudan

Sudanese Breakfast

Souq al-Arabi Ful Stand

$4.4/5

Famous street stall serving traditional ful medames and tamiya from early morning. Local favorite for authentic cheap breakfast.

Souq al-Arabi Market, Khartoum

International Café

Ozone Café

$$4.4/5

Top Khartoum café offering sandwiches, pastas, salads, cakes, waffles, and ice cream. Modern atmosphere with free WiFi, popular with young professionals and expats.

Airport Road, Khartoum, Sudan

Sudanese/International

Al Nuba Restaurant

$$$4.7/5

Khartoum's finest restaurant offering buffet with live cooking, featuring both traditional Sudanese and international cuisine. Clean, serene atmosphere with vegetarian options and impeccable presentation.

Africa Road, Khartoum, Sudan

Chinese

Mandarin Chinese Restaurant

$$4.0/5

Well-established Chinese restaurant offering familiar favorites and authentic Sichuan dishes. Comfortable setting with extensive menu pleasing to various tastes.

Africa Street, Khartoum, Sudan

Sudanese Home Cooking

Mama's Kitchen

$4.3/5

Small family restaurant serving homestyle Sudanese meals. Authentic flavors, generous portions, and motherly hospitality in simple setting.

Omdurman, Khartoum State, Sudan

Restaurants by cuisine

Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.

Snacks

Grilled Corn Vendors

$

Sweet Potato Cart

$

Sambusa Vendors

$

Sudanese

Al Shazly Restaurant

$$

Al Jameela Sudanese Kitchen

$$

Turkish

Istanbul Turkish Cuisine

$$

Topkapi Restaurant

$$$

Asian Fusion

Rickshaw Pan-Asian

$$$

Bakery/Café

Sweet Treats Bakery Café

$

Beverages/Juices

Fresh Juice Stands

$

Burgers

Nile Burger

$

Café

Nile View Café

$

Café/Light Meals

Garden Café

$

Café/Shisha

Shisha Lounge Café

$

Chinese

Mandarin Chinese Restaurant

$$

Coffee Chain

Coffee Republic

$$

Coffee Shop

Caffeine Corner

$$

Egyptian

Shandaweel Egyptian Restaurant

$$

Grilled Chicken

Al Tahrir Rotisserie

$

Indian

Taste of India

$$

International

Nile Terrace Fine Dining

$$$

International Café

Ozone Café

$$

Lebanese

Assaha Lebanese Restaurant

$$$

Lebanese Fast Food

Saj Express

$

Lebanese/Mediterranean

Al Wadi Al Akhdar

$$$

Lebanese/Steakhouse

Cedars Restaurant

$$$

Lebanese/Sudanese

Al Fakher Restaurant

$$

Middle Eastern

Petra Restaurant

$$

Pizza/Italian

Pizza House Khartoum

$

Salads/Health Food

Fresh & Healthy

$

Sandwiches/Fast Food

Quick Bite Sandwiches

$

Seafood/International

Nile River Restaurant

$$

Shawarma

Omdurman Shawarma Cart

$

Steakhouse

Burgundy Steakhouse

$$$

Sudanese BBQ

Sudani Grill House

$

Sudanese Breakfast

Souq al-Arabi Ful Stand

$

Sudanese Home Cooking

Mama's Kitchen

$

Sudanese/Eritrean

Al Mawasim Restaurant

$$

Sudanese/International

Al Nuba Restaurant

$$$

Tea House

Tea House Traditional

$

Traditional Dessert

Asida Cart

$

Traditional Sudanese

Kisra and Sauce Ladies

$

Street food

Local flavours at affordable prices.

Street food

Ful and Tamiya Stalls

Early morning street vendors serving ful medames (spiced fava beans) and tamiya (falafel-style bean patties) alongside fresh-baked bread. These stalls are the lifeblood of Sudanese morning culture, often serving hundreds of customers before noon.

Find it at: Souq al-Arabi area, Omdurman Souq perimeter, near bus terminals throughout Khartoum

Street food

Nile Fish Grills

Riverside fish vendors grilling fresh Nile perch, tilapia, and catfish over charcoal, served simply with flatbread and onion salad. The freshest and most authentic fish experience in Sudan, right beside the river where it was caught.

Find it at: Nile corniche restaurants, Tuti Island restaurants, riverfront areas in Khartoum

Street food

Tea Ladies (Sittaat al-Shay)

Women running traditional tea stalls are perhaps the most iconic image of Sudanese street food culture. Strong cinnamon and ginger tea served in small glasses at tiny stools beside busy roads - an essential social institution that operates from dawn to midnight.

Find it at: Every neighborhood throughout Khartoum, Omdurman, and across Sudan

Food markets

Where locals shop and graze.

Omdurman Souq Food Section

The sprawling Omdurman market includes extensive food sections selling spices freshly ground to order, dried fish, sorghum, millet, and every ingredient of traditional Sudanese cooking. The spice pyramids piled in colorful mounds are a photographer's paradise.

Hours: Daily 7am-8pm

Souq al-Arabi Central Market

Central Khartoum's main market featuring fresh produce, live animals, and street food vendors. More accessible to visitors than Omdurman with similar selection of Sudanese daily ingredients and street food stalls.

Hours: Daily 6am-7pm

Khartoum North Fresh Produce Market

Large wholesale and retail fresh produce market supplying much of Khartoum's restaurants and households with vegetables, fruit, and grains. Best prices for fresh produce and an authentic view of Sudanese food supply chains.

Hours: Daily 5am-2pm

Dining etiquette & tips

Navigate the local food scene confidently.

Tip

Lunch (1-3pm) is the main meal of the day in Sudan - restaurants are busiest at this time and food is freshest

Tip

Most Sudanese restaurants are unlicensed, cash-only, and have no written menu - point to dishes you see others eating or ask what is available today

Tip

Hotels charge 2-5x the price of local restaurants for equivalent quality - eat local for authentic food at fraction of the cost

Tip

Ramadan completely changes restaurant hours - all eateries close from dawn to sunset and only open after iftar; food is most elaborate during this period

Food budget guide

What to expect at different price points.

Level Price Description
Budget $3-8/meal Street food stalls and local Sudanese restaurants serving ful, asida, and rice dishes
Mid-range $12-25/meal Mid-range restaurants like Al Shazly or Lebanese places including soft drink
Upscale $30-50+/meal Hotel restaurants like Assaha Lebanese or Corinthia Hotel dining