Port Harcourt's food scene divides roughly into Nigerian cooking — dominated by the flavours of the Niger Delta — and the international restaurants that have grown up around the oil industry's expatriate community. The city has Lebanese, Chinese, and Continental restaurants at the upper end, and an excellent range of Nigerian food at the street and chop-house level.
The Niger Delta culinary tradition is the most important thing to try: banga soup with starch, fresh fish pepper soup, and ofe akwu are the dishes that define this part of Nigeria. Seek them out at local buka restaurants rather than the formal establishments. Asia Town in Old GRA is the best-known option for Chinese and Asian food. The Ice Cream Bar in Woji is a good spot for gelato and sweet things in the afternoon heat.
For street food and suya, head to the roadsides around Trans Amadi and Rumuola after dark, where charcoal fires and queuing crowds mark the best stalls.