Cantina
A Lusaka restaurant fusing Mexican cooking with an African spirit: vegan-friendly plates, contemporary design and excellent cocktails.
Cantina pulls off an unexpected fusion: Mexican cooking, served with a distinctly African spirit, in the heart of Lusaka. It is one of the best places to eat in Zambia, and the room sets the tone: hanging bulbs and green pot plants give it a contemporary, fresh feel that matches the food.
The plates are as good to look at as they are to eat, though, the kitchen would happily admit, better to eat. The cooking draws on classic Mexican dishes, so expect plenty of nachos, tacos, guacamole and corn, all rendered with care.
Cantina is not an exclusively vegan restaurant, but it is among the best spots in Zambia for plant-forward diners. The beetroot pakora with house ranch and salsa verde is a particular highlight; the vegetable nachos make for genuine comfort food; and the cauliflower and butternut-squash dishes are reliable favourites.
The drinks deserve their own mention. Cantina serves some of the best cocktails in the city, which is reason enough to treat a visit as a full evening rather than a quick meal.
What gives the restaurant its character is the confidence of the fusion: two food cultures held together without either losing its voice.
For a traveller in Lusaka who wants a lively, vegan-friendly dinner with real personality, Cantina is a warm recommendation. Order the beetroot pakora, settle in with a cocktail, and make a night of it.
