What to eat Tunisia? culinary specialties and gastronomy

Restaurants generally open from 12pm to 3pm and from 7pm to 11pm-midnight. Some serve all day long, others only in the evening. They are generally open every day. Note that during the month of Ramadan (lunar calendar), all restaurants will be closed for lunch, and some for both lunch and dinner. It's not uncommon for restaurateurs to take advantage of this period to carry out renovations.

Price ranges really vary from one place to another in Tunisia, but also according to the type of restaurant. You'll easily find a complete meal for around €10. You'll also find a few unpretentious local addresses where you can grab a bite to eat for just a few dinars. In tourist areas, prices can sometimes soar without the quality being up to scratch. Here are some indicative prices: for a meal, count on around 60 DT to 100 DT for a meal in a listed restaurant (excluding wine), 15 to 25 DT in restaurants serving standard Tunisian cuisine, 3 to 8 DT for a snack. Coffee: 1 or 2 DT in a popular café; between 2 and 5 DT in a more chic café. Pastries: around 3 DT.

Service is often smiling, so leave a small tip... which Tunisians always do! The tip is generally the equivalent of 10% of the bill.

The great Tunisian classics include couscous, as is the case throughout the Maghreb, but vegetables also have pride of place. These include chakchouka, a tomato, onion and bell pepper sauce topped with poached eggs; loubia, a white bean and tomato stew; and kefteji, a mixture of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggs and zucchini pan-fried with parsley and spices. Brick pastry, with its light, ultra-thin dough, can also be found in every restaurant. As for meat, lamb is prepared in a variety of succulent ways from the north to the south of the country, and we'll be tasting, in particular, lamb à la gargoulette cooked in an amphora for several hours in the embers, a specialty of the Douz region! On the sweet side, mint tea and pastries abound, and makroud, baklava and gazelle horns are sure to delight the sweet tooth!

If possible, we prefer to eat with the right hand. Nobody's going to tell you this, but you should know that the left hand is associated with impure acts.

Children are accepted (and appreciated) everywhere in Tunisia, especially in restaurants, which are all, without exception, "kid-friendly"! Some restaurants offer children's menus.

It is customary to smoke in restaurants, unless there is an explicit request not to smoke (which is quite rare).

As in all tourist areas of the world, some of the most popular sites for travelers hide a few unpleasant surprises. Beware of touts near restaurants, and trust your senses and the people already seated in the restaurant!

Cafés, bars and tearooms are generally open all day in Tunisia, from 8 or 9am (sometimes earlier) until 10pm or later in the evening.

Please note that during Ramadan, opening times may vary and non-touristy cafés may not be open during the day.

For a cup of tea or coffee, expect to pay around 1 DT in the medinas or city centers, and up to 3.50 DT in restaurants or hotels.

Most cafés do not sell alcohol, with the exception of international hotel bars and cafés. However, some are licensed and offer a decent selection of beer, wine and sometimes cocktails. Find out more on site. You can also sit on the terrace of a café or bakery to enjoy delicious mint teas and other pastries!

As in restaurants, smoking inside Tunisian cafés is quite common!