---
type: "Article"
title: "Off the Beaten Path: Ugali and Blue Turaco, Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania"
description: "Most countries have a national cuisine or dish that visitors are told they must try. It is often the highlight of a trip. From escargot in Paris to freshly made naan in India, I have loved trying new dishes while traveling. By Liz Yin."
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/tanzania/off-beaten-path-food-blue-turaco-mto-wa-mbu-tanzania"
author: "Walter Schaerer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 1
tags: ["Contributions", "Tanzania"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/india"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/restaurant"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/experience-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/luxury-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/safari"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2026-07-04T13:55:13+00:00 }
verified:
  - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2012-08-03T19:19:18+00:00 }
timestamp: 2026-07-04T13:55:13+00:00
---

# Off the Beaten Path: Ugali and Blue Turaco, Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania

> Mto Wa Mbu is a small Tanzanian town where the local diet revolves around ugali and barbecued goat, but a standout surprise is Blue Turaco, a native-run restaurant serving Napoli-style pizza with locally sourced cheese.

## Destination
Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania

## What to do
- **Eat at Blue Turaco** — A native-run restaurant serving Napoli-style pizza made with 'Arusha' cheese from a nearby city, best enjoyed with a cold Kilimanjaro beer.
- **Eat ugali with locals** — The Tanzanian national dish — a bland maize starch used to scoop up stews — eaten at roadside plastic tables where locals dine.
- **Try barbecued goat** — A flavorful but very stringy local staple available throughout Mto Wa Mbu.

## Good to know
Red Coca-Cola plastic tables at street-side eateries are generally considered safe to eat at and offer an authentic local dining experience. Basic Swahili is helpful when eating with locals.