There are severe food and drink shortages at present. Tables should be booked well in advance in the few restaurants and hotels.

National specialities:
• Palm oil beans.
• Calulu (dried fish or dried meat layered with fresh fish or fresh meat, onion, tomatoes, okra and sweet potato leaves).
• Chicken muamba (seasoned with palm oil hash).
• Mufete de Cacuso.
• Farofa (cooked with manioc flour).

Tipping: Where service charge is not added to the bill, 10% is acceptable, although tipping is not officially encouraged. Tipping can be in kind (eg cigarettes).

There are some nightclubs and cinemas in Luanda. Cinema seats should be booked in advance. The Lenarius, a gallery and cafe, is situated behind the Ministry of Defence and is open from 1600 until late in the evening.

Traditional handicrafts are sold in the city; shopping is not easy outside the main cities.

Shopping hours: These can vary, but are generally Mon-Fri 0900-1700.