7 Best Restaurants in Zimbabwe

A trip to Victoria Falls isn't complete without high tea (3–5 pm) on the terrace of the Victoria Falls Hotel (don't have a big lunch beforehand). A multi-layered cake stand filled with an array of delicious treats, including cakes, tarts, and sandwiches, is served with a pot of tea or coffee. The hotel is very grand, and the view out over the gorge and onto the bridge and falls is unforgettable. Also at the hotel is the more formal Livingstone Room Restaurant, where you can make a reservation for their seven-course degustation meal.

With tables flowing out onto the deep veranda of Ilala Lodge, the Cassia has old-world grandeur with delicious modern cuisine. The lunch menu mixes light Mediterranean-style dishes with popular pub favorites such as burgers and fish-and-chips. Dinner is a more formal affair with familiar and exotic dishes, including a variety of game meat options. There's a good selection of South African wines and artisan gins from Victoria Falls Distilling Co., a local distillery. From the outside tables, you can see and hear the tumbling waters of the Falls.

Formerly known as Mama Africa, this long-standing stalwart in the center of town continues to offer a good local food experience with a menu comprising both typical Zimbabwean and other African dishes; the so-called Zim Pots are especially popular. Dishes are accompanied by either sadza (cooked cornmeal, a Zimbabwean staple), rice, fries, or mixed veg, and it's good to note that many dishes are prepared with peanuts, so if you have a severe allergy, it might be best to just enjoy the music and the colorful and celebratory atmosphere. Speaking of music, there's live jazz every Tuesday and Saturday; it's best to make a reservation for these nights.

Perched on the edge of Batoka Gorge, the popular open-air Lookout Cafe offers spectacular sweeping views of the rapids below and the iconic Victoria Falls Bridge. Open for breakfast, lunch, and monthly full-moon dinners, it serves up an eclectic and innovative menu with a strong emphasis on fresh local ingredients. Lookout Cafe is also just a short walk from the main entrance to the Falls, so it's the perfect spot for a leisurely refuel after your visit. 

Perched above a game-rich waterhole at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, a stellar view awaits diners at this memorable and popular dining spot. On offer at breakfast is a combination of both cold and hot dishes; lunch ranges from great salads to huge gourmet burgers; dinnertime guests are treated to local a cappella performers. The à la carte supper menu has quality local and international fare with dishes such as grilled fresh bream (recommended) and, if you aren't too squeamish, crocodile simmered in red curry. Service can be a bit brisk, but it's friendly and the bar is well-stocked. Though it's a bit of a drive from the town center, you would do well to find a better location for dinner anywhere on this side of the Falls.

Since its inception in 2018, this artisanal brewery, the first of its kind in town, has become a veritable Victoria Falls institution. The laid-back on-site bar and restaurant is characterized by vaulted ceilings, long wooden tables, and exposed brick walls and serves up a range of craft beers brewed from pure Zambezi water and the finest German hops as well as hearty pub grill–style food options. There are regular live music events and a pleasantly boisterous atmosphere that can often last long into the night on weekends.

This big, open, and centrally located restaurant and bar has become a popular hub for Vic Falls locals and tourists alike since it opened in 2016. Dining is a casual affair, with good wood-fired pizzas, gourmet burgers, and grilled steaks at reasonable prices the order of the day. The bar, made of an old train carriage, has a wide selection of spirits and local craft beer on tap. A beer garden at the back looks onto the railway line, where you might see the Bushtracks Express pass by. There's sometimes live music here on Friday nights, when things can get pretty lively. With a number of big screen TVs dotted around, the venue also pulls a crowd for big sporting events.