Mzuzu has a small but respectable selection of restaurants, mostly clustered around the centre of town and the few hotels along the main road. Expect Malawian staples — nsima with relish, grilled chambo fish, beef stew — with a smattering of Indian and continental options.
Mzuzu Hotel has a long-running restaurant that does a reliable buffet at lunch and a decent dinner menu; the gardens are pleasant in the cool of the evening. Sombrero does proper wood-fired pizza in a small dining room near the main road, often with live music at weekends. Mufasa Eco Lodge at the edge of town has a kitchen serving Malawian food on a deck overlooking the bush — popular with NGO staff. For something quick and cheap, the Indian-run Sunbird Bakery does samosas, pies, and pastries to take away.
The Mzuzu Coffee Den (see Things to Do) is the obvious all-day option for a sandwich, a salad, and decent coffee.