Like Ndola, there are plenty of take-aways around Kitwe, with reliably hygienic standards – if not haute cuisine. The most notable include the hungry lion (in the centre of town) for hamburgers and pies; the new steers (at the entrance to town coming from Ndola) for steaks and hamburgers; and after 10 (in Martindale – the 'second class trading area') for snacks, sandwiches, pizzas, curries, Chinese and even Arabian dishes. The latter, predictably given its name, stays open late. Prices range around kw4,000–10,000 for all these places.

For a good evening meal you need to look more carefully. Try the following (and note that in addition to the restaurants listed here, the Park Lane and House of Jasmine guesthouses, mentioned above, will accept non-residents for meals):

Arabian Nights
17, 9th Av, Nkana West; tel/fax: 02 226842/221097/705050. Sister restaurant to the ones in Ndola and Lusaka, Arabian Nights serves Pakistani cuisine with a sprinkling of other dishes and a few special vegetarian options. Starters around Kw7,000–10,000, main courses Kw22,000–28,000.

Mukwa Restaurant
26/28 Mpezeni Av (off President Av), PO Box 21216, Kitwe; tel: 02 224266. Part of the guesthouse of the same name, Mukwa is an elegantly stylish little restaurant serving a good variety of Indian food, as well as more usual continental fare. (It could seat about 40 diners.) Expect a three-course meal to cost around Kw50,000–60,000 each, including a few drinks.

Acropolis Taverna
Old Greek Club Premises, Wenye Way, PO Box 21416, Kitwe; tel: 02 220703; fax: 02 229329. You'll find the Acropolis by heading towards Chingola on Independence Avenue and then taking the first right after the bridge. Keep going round a bend, and then take the first right again. This is a big restaurant – it could seat over 200 – but has been rated as one of the country's best. A congenial host, George, runs it. He's the jovial chap who normally talks through the daily specials with you when you arrive. Its decor is stylish and it specialises in very high-quality Greek cuisine. 'Meze' is a real speciality here. The menus change regularly, but at about Kw70,000–90,000 for a normal three-course meal, it's not cheap.

Rack-A-Teers Restaurant
7th Av, Ek Park, Nkana West, Kitwe; tel: 02 227800
Rack-A-Teers, which is within Nkana Squash Club's premises, opened in July 1996 as a steakhouse. It gradually expanded to cover a wider range of food and has carved out a good niche for itself. The portions are substantial and children are welcome. Expect a three-course meal including service to work out at about Kw40,000–50,000.

Copper Pot Restaurant
48 Freedom Av, Parklands, Kitwe; tel: 02 230709/10; fax: 231027; email: cfields@zamnet.zm. Downstairs at Copperfields Guesthouse, this is a small restaurant that isn't only for the use of the guests.

Jubilee Restaurant
Tel: 02 230610; fax: 227033; email: cacss@zamnet.zm (also during office hours tel: 02 225008 or 230611). In the Showgrounds, this has a full à la carte menu offering well-prepared continental cuisine. The decor is rustic, and it seats about 120. Expect to pay about Kw35,000–50,000 for a three-course meal.