WHAT’S COOKING IN KIGALI

No longer just the gateway for gorilla trekkers, Rwanda’s capital is fast becoming a hub of pan-African and global flavors

SARAH KHAN

THE MENU AT Meza Malonga, a chic fine-dining spot in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, doubles as a geography syllabus. “The philosophy is about promoting African ingredients,” says chef Dieuveil Malonga as he presents a jar of Ivorian button mushrooms alongside a hibiscus-and-beetroot-dusted beef tartare. A Burundian tree-tomato sorbet, obscured under cascades of dry ice, has a whiff of Egyptian black lemon. “Today we are receiving people from different places around the globe to learn and discover the African flavor,” he says. By the end of nine courses, the palate has mapped the continent. Born in Congo and raised in Germany and France, Malonga journeyed through 46 of Africa’s 54 countries on research trips before opening Meza Malonga in Kigali in 2020. In May he’ll open his second location, two…

You're reading a preview of

Conde Nast Traveler (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Zinio LLC. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Zinio.