Tables should be booked well in advance in the few restaurants and hotels. Many dishes are made using palm oil beans. There is a noticeable Portuguese influence in Angolan cuisine, particularly in the spicy seafood.

National specialities:
• Calulu (dried fish or meat layered with fresh fish or meat, onion, tomatoes, okra and sweet potato leaves).
• Chicken muamba (seasoned with palm oil hash).
• Mufete de Cacuso (fish seasoned with pepper and lemon).
• Farofa (cooked manioc flour).
 
Tipping: Where service charge is not added to the bill, 10% is acceptable, although tipping is not officially encouraged. Tipping can be in kind (eg cigarettes).

There are nightclubs and cinemas in Luanda. Angolan music is a fusion of Caribbean, Brazilian and Afro sounds. Cinema seats should be booked in advance. The Lenarius, a gallery and cafe, is situated behind the Ministry of Defence and is open until late in the evening.

Traditional handicrafts are available in the main cities. Outside of these, shopping is not easy.

Shopping hours: These can vary, but are generally Mon-Fri 0900-1700.