Libyan food is very similar to that of other countries in North Africa, with the base of many meals being either rice or couscous, served with either lamb or chicken. Many of the dishes will be served with a red tomato-based sauce that has very North African flavours such as harissa and ras el hanout.
Some of the famous Libyan dishes you will want to try will be:
Rishta (Libyan pasta) – dry starchy noodles with a red sauce and often either lamb or chicken.
Seafood – a common Libyan way to eat seafood is to make pasta. Libyan seafood pasta will be served with a mix of fish and calamari and a tomato-based sauce that is often quite spicy. You can also get all kinds of grilled seafood, which will be very fresh and cheap!
Bazin – this is a special kind of unleavened bread served in a red sauce. Often the bread is very soft and squishy and is served with meat, eggs and vegetables. This dish is very hearty and filling.
Breakfasts in Libya are often very sweet. Honey is very common with foods in the morning and it is common to stop by a bakery and grab a smoothie or a croissant, both usually filled with honey, banana and almonds.
In addition to these Libyan foods, Tripoli has a great food scene with restaurants showcasing other cuisines of the Middle East (such as Lebanon – because every city needs a good Lebanese restaurant!).
You can also find a heavy Italian influence on foods with pasta and pizza widely available. Ice-cream in Tripoli is also fantastic and could even rival places in Italy!
For drinking, alcohol is illegal, so most people turn to the next best thing – coffee! Libyan coffee culture is very Italian and is generally of a very high quality. You won’t find milk alternatives, but their espressos and cappuccinos are strong and will leave you satisfied if you’re looking for a caffeine hit.
