For a tiny island, Mauritius has incredible culinary diversity, thanks to 250 years of influence from France, Africa, India and China. The resulting gastronomic offerings range from French gourmet cuisine and spicy Indian curries with tangy chutneys, to Cantonese dim sum and flavorful Creole stews. It’s easy to find good food on the island – whether it’s curry wraps sold from the backs of motorbikes parked near the beach, or oceanside restaurants – as long as you escape the confines of your resort, where you’re only likely to find the standard international fare devoid of Mauritian local flavor.

Here’s our pick of Mauritius’ best foodie spots to help you navigate the island by taste.

Dewa & Sons

Mauritius’ unofficial national dish is dholl puri, beloved by almost everyone. This delicious but simple snack is comprised of thin Indian flat bread filled with split peas, curried beans, chutney and pickles. You can find dholl puris all over the island, but the undisputed best spot is Dewa & Sons in Rose Hill. It’s more a take away spot than a restaurant, as it only offers a few plastic chairs and tables outside, but you don’t come here for the romantic ambience: you come for the cheap-as-chips dholl puris, made to order and wrapped in paper.

The mildly-spiced curry combined with the tart pickles and nutty ground split peas is delectable. At around one dollar for a pair, you can afford to go for seconds.

 

La Table du Chateau

French restaurants are found all over the island serving things like lobster thermador and seafood gratin, and one of the most charming is at the Château de Labourdonnais, a beautifully restored grand 18th-century mansion. La Table du Chateau, which is in the grounds of the estate and has lovely views of the manor house, offers a menu of French-inspired dishes with Mauritian twists, such as pan-fried dorado on steamed bredes (leafy Mauritian vegetables), lamb curry with roasted almond and mango atchar, crispy duck leg with breadfruit gratin and coconut hear with sour cream and pan-fried scallops. The crème brulee made with locally-grown Tahitian vanilla is definitely recommended! After your meal, do a rum tasting at the shop next door – the estate’s infused rums are delicious.

Street food

Like India, from where Mauritius draws much of its culinary influence, the island is heaven for street food lovers. You can find fantastic street food all over the island, from small streetside stalls, markets and from the back of motorbikes and colorful beachside huts. Expect to eat pineapples cut into lollipop shapes and dusted with chili powder, deep-fried chilli bites, spicy Indian samosas, fried eggplant fritters, bowls of fried Chinese noodles topped with spring onions and fresh chilli, roti chauds (curry wrapped Indian flat bread), baguettes stuffed with curry (French-Indian fusion food) and bags of fruit pickled in vinegar (a hangover remedy Mauritians swear by). Don’t forget to buy green coconuts to sip on the beach!

Escale Créole

Try out traditional Mauritian Creole food at Escale Créole in the charming inland village of Moka. A friendly mother-daughter duo cook up Creole favorites such as pork and tomato stew, black lentil soup, fish vindaye (yellow curry made with mustard and curry leaves) and a slow-cooked chicken curry accompanied by stewed chou chou (pear squash) and crunchy pickles salted fish, banana tart, glacé papaya and coconut cakes to serve in their pretty garden restaurant. Buy a bottle of their homemade infused rum made with lemongrass, prunes, vanilla, orange and cinnamon and ask for their recipes to cook the dishes when you’re back home.

First Restaurant

For fabulous dim sum, head to China Town in the capital of Port Louis, where you’ll find First Restaurant. This Cantonese eatery is always busy (particularly on Sundays, so book head), luring in diners with an extensive menu of Cantonese dishes and a huge array of freshly made dim sum. Ask for a waiter’s recommendations of the best dim sum to try. Fun fact: The restaurant is called “First” because it was literally the first Chinese restaurant in Port Louis.

Food markets

Mauritius has an abundance of fresh produce, and it’s all for sale at the many markets across the island. Port Louis’ market is the most famous, and can get full of tourists, so if you want a more local experience head to Rose Hill, which has a daily market, or to the town of Flacq on the eastern side of the island on a Wednesday or Sunday, where you’ll be the only tourist at the bustling market.

Maison Eureka

Maison Eureka is an atmospheric 180-year-old wooden mansion in the lush area of Moka, backed by a green mountain. Do a tour of the mansion, which is filled with antique treasures and is preserved like a museum, to find out  what life was like in a plantation house in colonial Mauritius and hear the fascinating stories of the house’s ownership over the years. Afterwards, stop for lunch at the veranda restaurant, which overlooks the peaceful tropical garden, for a meal of authentic and beautifully presented Mauritian cuisine. Each day there’s a different menu of traditional dishes, such as chicken curry with peanut rougaille (a tangy red peanut sauce), pickles and rice.

L’Alchimiste

In a scenic valley in the southwest of the island, Rhumerie de Chamarel is one of Mauritius’ best artisanal rum distilleries, having won numerous awards for its rums matured in oak barrels and infused with flavors such as coffee and vanilla. After doing a tour of the distillery, head over to the restaurant, L’Alchimiste, which offers an excellent menu of Mauritian dishes ranging from duck breast with guava and strawberry sauce and palm heart salad to chicken and shrimp curry. The desserts here are amazing – don’t miss out on trying the crème brulee or one of the indulgent rum-infused treats such as boozy chocolate cake.

Want to discover the finer side of Africa? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.