Tunisian food: a tourist's guide to the dishes you must try in 2026

Tunisian food sits at a delicious crossroads. It has the olive oil and tomatoes of Italy, the spice cabinets of Algeria and Morocco, the breads of the Levant and the seafood of the central Mediterranean. The result is a cuisine that is simple at first taste and very deep underneath.

Dishes you must try

• Brik à l'œuf, a thin pastry triangle filled with egg, tuna, capers and parsley, deep-fried and eaten by hand.
• Couscous au poisson, the coastal version of couscous with sea bream or grouper.
• Lablabi, a hot chickpea soup with cumin, harissa and bread, the Tunisian breakfast.
• Ojja, eggs poached in a spicy tomato and pepper sauce, often with merguez.
• Mloukhia, a slow-cooked green stew with beef, particularly loved in Tunis.

What to drink

Mint tea is the national drink, brewed strong and sweet, often with pine nuts. Try it after a meal in any medina café. Tunisian wines are surprising, look for Magon, Domaine Neferis and the rosés of Mornag, served by the glass in many restaurants. For a local non-alcoholic option, ask for a citronnade or rose-water lemonade in summer.

Sweets

Kairouan is the country's pastry capital. The makroudh, a semolina pastry filled with date paste, is the classic. Also try assida zgougou, a Sicilian-pine nut pudding traditionally made for Mawlid, and zlebia, deep-fried dough soaked in honey.

Tips for tourists

Most restaurants outside of resorts only accept cash. Service tax is included; a small tip (5-10%) is a nice gesture. Vegetarian travellers can eat well, ask for couscous boumaalek (with vegetables) or salade méchouia (grilled vegetable salad). Spice-averse diners should ask for harissa on the side.

If you only learn three Arabic words for Tunisian food, learn brik, harissa and shukran. The first will become your favourite, the second is everywhere, and the third opens every door.

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