Food in Gedaref is straightforward Sudanese fare: ful medames (stewed brown beans with oil, cheese, and bread for breakfast), grilled mutton and goat, kisra flatbread, and asida porridge served with peanut or okra stew. The city's history as a crossroads shows up in small touches — Ethiopian injera and tibs in a couple of corner restaurants near the bus station, Yemeni bread bakeries, and the occasional Greek-era recipe surviving in family kitchens.
Eat where the truckers eat. The cluster of grills around the central market opens early and serves until late, charging next to nothing for skewered mutton, fresh bread, and a glass of sweet tea. For something more comfortable, the hotel restaurants along the Khartoum road do a passable kebab and the only cold drinks in town.