Ruby Refresher · Spiced Hibiscus Drink
Sobolo
Photo: KISUMAR123 / Wikimedia Commons · CC0
Nearly every vendor's recipe is different — some load theirs with ginger for heat, others go fruitier with pineapple, so the 'same' drink tastes different from cart to cart.
Sobolo is a chilled, deep-red drink brewed from dried hibiscus calyces with ginger, cloves, and often pineapple, then sweetened and served ice-cold. It's sold from coolers by street vendors weaving through Ghanaian traffic, and shows up at naming ceremonies, weddings, and funerals alike.
Why it's made this way: The same hibiscus base appears across West Africa under different names (bissap in Senegal, zobo in Nigeria), but Ghana's ginger-and-clove spin has made sobolo a distinct point of local pride.
More from Ghana
Part of World of Street Food — 690 dishes from 118 countries.
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