Ghanaian food is bold, filling, and built around starches and stews. You will not go hungry here, and eating well is cheap if you eat where Ghanaians eat.
Fufu is the iconic dish -- pounded cassava and plantain formed into a smooth, stretchy ball, served in a bowl of soup. You tear off a piece, dip it in the soup (light soup, groundnut soup, or palm nut soup are the classics), and swallow it without chewing. Yes, without chewing. The soups are peppery and rich, often loaded with goat, fish, or chicken. Fufu spots are everywhere and a plate rarely costs more than GH₵ 25-30.
Jollof rice is the dish Ghana will fight Nigeria over. Ghanaian jollof is smoky, cooked in a tomato-based sauce with onions and spices, and served with fried chicken or grilled tilapia. Every Ghanaian has an opinion about whose jollof is best. You will be expected to agree that Ghana's version wins.
Banku and tilapia is the other national favourite -- fermented corn and cassava dough served with grilled tilapia and a fiery pepper sauce (shito). Banku has a slightly sour taste that pairs brilliantly with the smoky fish. Look for it at beachside restaurants and chop bars.
Waakye (pronounced "wah-chay") is the go-to breakfast: rice and beans cooked together, served with shito, spaghetti, fried plantain, a boiled egg, and various stews. Waakye sellers set up on street corners every morning and the portions are enormous.
Kelewele is fried plantain seasoned with ginger, chili, and spices -- a ubiquitous street snack, served in a paper bag for a few cedis. Addictive, especially late at night.
Red-red is another bean dish: black-eyed peas in a palm oil stew, served with fried plantain. Simple, cheap, and available everywhere.
Chop bars are the local restaurants where most Ghanaians eat. They serve a rotating selection of stews and starches at low prices. Point at what you want. The food is cooked fresh and the portions are generous. If a chop bar is crowded, the food is good.
For drinks, try sobolo (hibiscus tea, served cold and sweet), fresh coconut water from roadside vendors, and local Star or Club beer. Palm wine, tapped from palm trees, is mildly alcoholic and worth trying if offered, though quality varies wildly.