Each region of Tunisia has its speciality, shaped by climate, land and sea. Cap Bon dries its chillies in the sun, the Sahel and the Sfax region live to the rhythm of the olive groves, the Jerid oases produce dates famous worldwide, and the coastal ports bring in their catch every day. Following this flavours route is a different way to discover the country: through its markets, its harvests and the recipes handed down from generation to generation.
Harissa from Cap Bon
Around Nabeul, late summer sees terraces and rooftops covered with red chillies laid out to dry. Pounded with garlic, caraway, coriander, salt and olive oil, they become harissa, the country's emblematic condiment. The knowledge and culinary practices linked to harissa have been on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2022. At the Nabeul market, you will find it alongside spices and strings of dried chillies. Every family jealously guards its own recipe, passed down through the generations.
NabeulOlive oil from the Sahel
From the outskirts of Sousse to Sfax, olive groves stretching as far as the eye can see form a strikingly regular landscape. Tunisia is one of the world's leading olive oil producers, and olive growing has been practised here since Antiquity, as Roman mosaics bear witness. The harvest runs from November to January: the best time to watch families beating the trees and to smell the fresh new oil. Taste it simply, drizzled on warm bread, to appreciate its full flavour.
SfaxDates from the Jerid
In the palm groves of Tozeur and Nefta, the Deglet Nour, or "finger of light", reigns supreme. Translucent and honey-like, this date is harvested in autumn, from October to December, when climbers scale the palms to cut the bunches. The oases cultivate their gardens on three levels: palm trees, fruit trees, then vegetables on the ground. The dates then find their way into pastries such as Kairouan's makroud, a small semolina diamond filled with date paste and soaked in honey.
TozeurFish from Mahdia and sweets from the coast
An active fishing port, Mahdia is renowned for its fish and seafood, simply grilled or served as fish couscous, a speciality of the coast. In the morning, the return of the boats and the fish auction bring the harbour to life, a sight not to be missed. To end the meal, Tunisia offers a wide range of pastries: baklava with nuts, kaak warka scented with orange blossom water, or bambalouni, a sugar-dusted doughnut enjoyed in Sidi Bou Said overlooking the sea.
Mahdia
