Zimbabwean culture runs deeper than the wildlife and waterfalls that draw most visitors. This is a country where food tells stories.
Long before the first map was drawn, our history was being seasoned in clay pots over open fires, preserved in the rhythmic thud of the wooden mugoti, and shared in circles where the ultimate act of unity was and still is breaking bread, or rather, moulding sadza, with your hands.
To understand Zimbabwe is to understand that food is never just sustenance; it is a cultural archive.
Every ingredient carries a legacy of resilience, celebration, and community. Consider dovi (peanut butter), which transformed simple, iron-rich leafy greens into muboora unedovi (pumpkin leaves in peanut butter sauce), or turned standard rice into the rich, velvety comfort of mupunga unedovi.
Think of the patient, slow simmering required to prepare mazondo (beef trotters) or a rich, dark oxtail stew, melting down until the meat effortlessly falls away from the bone. These are meals that demand time, respect, and a gathering of people to truly appreciate them.
As we celebrate Africa Month (Cultural Month), a beautiful renaissance is taking place right in the heart of Harare.
There is a growing desire to reconnect with these foundational flavours not just as an occasional indulgence at home, but as a centrepiece of modern hospitality.
Every single Wednesday, the air in the Harvest Garden Restaurant at Rainbow Towers Hotel (RTG) fills with an unmistakably nostalgic aroma.
It is a sensory journey designed to bring the warmth of a traditional Zimbabwean kitchen into a premium setting.
For locals, it feels like returning home; for international travellers, it is an authentic initiation into the soul of the country.
On these mid-week afternoons, the menu becomes a vibrant map of regional heritage. Guests gather around spreads featuring:
The Classics: Rich, gelatinous mazondo, tender oxtail, crispy open-fire ribs, and succulent lamb.
The Heart of the Hearth: Perfectly seasoned zvinyenze (traditional tripe pairings) and robust, slow-cooked road runner chicken stews.
Indigenous Grains & Staples: Earthy, nutrient-rich sadza rezviyo (finger millet) and mhunga (pearl millet), served alongside mutakura (a comforting mixture of beans and maize).
The Accompaniments: Sun-dried mufushwa (preserved leafy greens) simmered to perfection, and bowls of rich, velvety hodzeko (traditional soured milk).
It is a culinary celebration that honours the ancestral wisdom of utilising drought-resistant grains and organic, free-range proteins—long before the world caught on to the trends of sustainability and superfoods.
Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) will mark Africa Day on May 25 with a nationwide culinary celebration featuring traditional Zimbabwean meals across its hotel portfolio.
The celebration will run during both lunch and dinner service, with sittings scheduled from 12:30pm to 2:30pm and 6:30pm to 10:00pm.
Guests will be treated to a buffet-style menu highlighting local dishes, priced from US$28 per person.
This initiative is aimed at promoting Zimbabwean culture and cuisine and will also feature traditional welcome drinks such as maheu or chibuku.
In addition to the dining experience, attendees are encouraged to dress in African attire, with prizes set to be awarded for the best-dressed guests. Live African music performances will provide entertainment throughout the day.
Participating venues are RTG’s properties across the country, which are Rainbow Towers Hotel and Conference Centre, New Ambassador Hotel, Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre, Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Victoria Falls Rainbow Hotel, A’Zambezi River Lodge, and Montclair Resort and Conference.
Guests can choose to have their meals served in hotpots starting from US$6 as part of the offering.
Reservations are open, subject to availability.
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