Ouaga eats well by Sahelian standards. The local kitchen is dominated by tô (millet porridge eaten with sauces), riz gras (rice cooked in tomato and meat broth), grilled chicken and brochettes — sold by street vendors all over the city. French colonial influence persists in a handful of restaurants offering steak frites, baguettes and patisserie alongside Lebanese and Vietnamese kitchens that arrived with mid-century immigrants.
The best places to graze are around the central market and along the boulevard Charles de Gaulle, particularly after dark when the heat softens and the makeshift terraces fill up. Expect prices well below West African capitals like Dakar or Abidjan.