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Street Food in Accra: 8 Dishes to Try and How to Order
Start exploring street food in Accra by choosing a dish, then deciding what you want with it. A plate of waakye can become a much larger order once you add meat, egg and plantain; a portion of kelewele may be all you want for a snack. This guide explains eight options, the questions to ask before paying, and a practical starting point for a food outing.
Research updated October 21, 2026, using the culinary and operator sources linked below. Confirm current vendor details, prices and availability before travelling.
What to order at a glance
| Food | What to expect | Ask before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Waakye | Rice and beans with a choice of accompaniments | Which extras are included in this price? |
| Kelewele | Spiced fried ripe plantain | Does the portion include groundnuts? |
| Banku and tilapia | Cooked fermented dough served with fish and sauce | What is the price of this fish and the full meal? |
| Kyinkyinga | Seasoned grilled meat on skewers | Which meat is it, and what is in the spice mix? |
| Kenkey and fish | Fermented maize dough with fish and pepper sauce | How many balls and which fish are included? |
| Hausa koko and koose | Millet porridge with bean fritters | Can sugar and milk be added separately? |
| Stir-fried noodles | Noodles prepared with the stall’s available additions | What is the total with egg or other extras? |
| Fried yam | Yam pieces served as a snack or with accompaniments | Is the sauce included, and what is in it? |
1. Waakye: choose your accompaniments first
Rice and beans form the base of waakye. UN Tourism’s Ghana gastronomy feature includes chef Isaac Sackey’s version with beef stew and salad, illustrating how the base becomes a full meal through its accompaniments.
At a stall, point out the additions you want and agree on the complete order before it is packed. Ask whether egg, meat or fish is included, and request pepper sauce separately if you want to control how much you use. If you are sharing, ask for separate containers. Start with a manageable portion; you can decide whether you want another dish afterwards.
2. Kelewele: a plantain snack with its own character
Kelewele is ripe plantain cut into pieces, seasoned and fried. Ginger and pepper give it a different character from plain fried plantain. Ghanaian Times’ account of kelewele describes its place in evening street-food culture.
Ask whether groundnuts come with the portion, rather than assuming they are included or absent. A small serving can work as a tasting stop before a larger meal. If you prefer less heat, ask what the vendor can offer before ordering: seasoning already mixed into the plantain cannot simply be removed afterwards.
3. Banku and tilapia: agree on the whole meal
Banku is a cooked preparation of fermented maize dough, commonly combined with cassava dough. It is smooth and has a sour flavour. The FAO’s account of African cereal fermentations provides background on banku and kenkey and the processing that distinguishes them.
For banku with tilapia, ask about the fish available and the total meal price before it is cooked or served. Confirm the number of banku portions and the accompanying sauce. If several people are sharing, settle those details together so the vendor can prepare the right order. A restaurant menu and a street stall may price the components differently; neither is a reliable price list for the other.
4. Kyinkyinga: check the meat and seasoning
Kyinkyinga, also written chichinga, is a grilled meat skewer. The BETUMI African Culinary Network’s recipe documents beef and chicken versions and a spice coating that includes peanuts. Preparations vary, so ask the seller which meat and seasoning they use.
Order by the number of skewers and confirm the price per skewer. If you want extra seasoning, check whether it can be served separately. Do not infer ingredients from the appearance of the meat: the rub, marinade and cooking oil are also part of the dish.
5. Kenkey and fish: decide on portions and sauce
Kenkey is made from fermented maize dough that is wrapped and cooked. Its firm texture and sour flavour distinguish it from banku. It can be served with fish and pepper sauce; check the available combination at the stall rather than expecting one fixed plate everywhere.
Ask for the number of balls you want, choose the fish, and confirm whether sauce is included. If this is your first serving, order a modest portion before adding more. For a shared takeaway, separate fish and sauce containers make it easier for each person to assemble their own plate.
6. Hausa koko and koose: porridge with a savoury accompaniment
Hausa koko is millet porridge, and koose are bean fritters. Channel One’s street-food reporting describes the porridge and its accompaniments, including koose, bofrot and bread.
Ask how the porridge is served and whether sugar or milk can be added separately. Specify the number of koose and confirm their cost alongside the porridge. If you are taking the meal away, choose a container you can carry without spilling and ask for the fritters separately if you want to keep them out of the porridge.
7. Stir-fried noodles: make the extras explicit
Instant noodles can become a cooked-to-order meal with vegetables, egg and other additions. Indomie’s own stir-fry recipe illustrates that the finished dish can contain much more than the noodles and seasoning packet. It is a preparation example, rather than a menu for an Accra stall.
Ask what the seller has available, select the additions you want, and agree on a total. If you order without a particular ingredient, check the sauces and stock seasoning as well. “No meat added” does not describe every ingredient in a cooked dish.
8. Fried yam: keep the order simple
Fried yam is yam cut into pieces and fried. It is different from fried plantain, so point to the food you want if the stall sells both. Ghanaian cook Fafa Gilbert documents the preparation in her October 11, 2019 yam-chips recipe.
Check the portion size and whether sauce, fish or another accompaniment costs extra. For a tasting outing, order a small portion and leave room for another stop. Ask what is in the sauce before deciding whether to have it mixed in or packed separately.
Where to start a food outing in Accra
Makola Market is one documented starting point. On its street-food tour page, Accra Food Tour advertises a guided walking route through Makola with snack and drink tastings followed by lunch. This supports Makola as a food-tour setting; it does not confirm that every dish above is available from a particular vendor on your visit.
For a first outing, choose one area and two or three foods rather than trying to cross the city for eight stops. If you use a guide, confirm the meeting point, route, inclusions and current schedule directly before booking. If you go independently, ask locally which stalls are trading that day and arrange your return transport before you settle in to eat.
For another kind of city outing, our first-time guide to Accra’s contemporary art galleries explains how to build a manageable route. Keep food and gallery stops close enough that the day remains enjoyable.
Prices, payment and food-safety checks
There is no dependable single price for “a plate of street food.” Portion size, protein, extras and the seller all affect the total. Ask for the complete price before food is served, check whether a takeaway container adds a charge, and confirm which payment methods the vendor accepts. This guide deliberately avoids a fixed budget based on unverified older prices.
The World Health Organization’s food-handling guidance emphasizes cleanliness, separating raw and cooked food, thorough cooking, safe holding temperatures, and safe water and ingredients. Look at handling practices as well as the food; a busy queue alone is not a guarantee of safe preparation.
If you have a food allergy, ask about ingredients and preparation before paying. Peanuts in a spice mix or fish in a sauce may be less obvious than the main ingredient. If the seller cannot confirm what you need to know, choose another option.
Questions before your first order
Do I need to try all eight foods in one day?
No. Choose a snack and a meal, then return another day. Asking questions and enjoying a smaller selection is more useful than rushing through a checklist.
Can I assume a dish without meat is vegetarian?
Ask about the whole preparation, including sauces, seasoning and accompaniments. Describe the ingredients you avoid rather than relying on the name of a dish.
Can this guide confirm a stall is open today?
No. Confirm trading times, location and availability directly. The named tour page is a planning reference, not a live opening-status service.
Keep exploring Ghanaian food
Continue with our guide to Ghanaian cocoa products for a different kind of local food purchase, or browse the LifestyleGH Food section. To suggest a factual correction, use our contact page and include the information and source you want us to check.
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