The best restaurants Mauritius

On the roadside, facing the public beach, several wooden tables wait under a tin awning, like a big Creole hut open to the sea breeze. During peak hours, customers also wait and sometimes suffer from irregular service and average quality food, which is a shame because the setting is nice. Choose a dish that is not too expensive among the many Asian-Mauritian specialties on the menu: shrimp curry, sausage rougaille, seafood vindaye... And for those who don't like it, a pizza or a beef fillet.

4km from the village, open for over 30 years, it's a Chamarel institution. Clad in floor-to-ceiling wood, the room opens onto the outside in lodge style, offering an exceptional view of nature, Le Morne and a stretch of lagoon. It's a big place, often overrun by groups, so don't count on intimacy so much as "a taste for a cuisine that mirrors this island mosaic and transforms every meal into a gustatory experience", as owner José Hitié likes to say - and you'll put me down for a banana flambéed in old rum!

On the public beach of Le Morne, it's a large shaded terrace facing the sea, with several tables directly on the sand. The atmosphere is that of a large, friendly gargote, with a team of cooks whipping up fast food (paninis, burgers, fries, etc.), mixed salads, Creole and Asian specialties, including curries and grilled camarons. Yum! The prices aren't outrageously high, like the place itself, which attracts tourists from nearby luxury hotels as well as locals and kitesurfers on their lunch break.

In the open air, under large umbrellas, it is the active heart of the Ruisseau Créole shopping center: a hub of life where you can sit down at any time, between two shopping trips, for a coffee, a detox juice, a smoothie, a quick and inexpensive dish such as a croque monsieur, a panini or a mixed salad. On weekends, we come for the sports events, the regular and festive theme nights ( live music in particular) or for an aperitif before a barbecue at Medium Rare, the restaurant in the center, or a musical evening at The 21. Nice!

Firmly planted in the heart of Chinatown since 1946, this is one of the last great popular restaurants in Port Louis, run by the Lai Min family since its origins. It's Asian, which means it's huge, and not even remotely romantic. No matter! The large dining room often beats with a joyful hubbub, the local Chinese are there and all the dishes on the endless menu are prepared with care. For an immersion in local life, come on a Saturday, the night of the dinner dances - live band from 7pm and special menu.

At lunchtime, it's the perfect place for a "girl's lunch" or a quiet get-together with family and friends in the garden. We're in a residential area, in the heart of a house converted into a boutique hotel and cosy restaurant. A few tables under parasols languish in the greenery by the pool - a place, a welcome, an atmosphere and a menu of little things to nibble on or more elaborate dishes, like this Fillet of sea bream on a shellfish coulis accompanied by its risotto with beet juice or this Half cockerel stuffed with vegetables.

Quite recent, it is one of the most frequented restaurants in the area, with a room open onto a terrace on the edge of the coastal road and the sea just opposite. The place, nice, attracts locals as well as travelers who come for lunch or dinner, or just to quench their thirst with the "summer drink" (home made of course) or a small cocktail made of local fruits. The varied menu offers a wide range of Rodriguan, Indian, Chinese and international dishes with a predilection for seafood. The bar is animated until late on certain weekends.

It is the bistronomic address of the corner, convivial like a Lyon "bouchon" and full of French references, starting with the chef who comes directly from Haute Savoie. The return to our roots is apparent as soon as we cross the threshold: checkered tablecloths, benches, a collection of old posters, and a cuisine on the slate made with fresh local products revisited or directly imported from the Rungis market. So, for kidneys, snails or chocolate profiteroles, this is the place to be! Also some exotic dishes. Terrace. Parking lot.

It is the only restaurant on the coastal road to Blue Bay. Friendly, it is especially known for its delicious pizzas cooked on a wood fire, crispy as you wish. The menu also offers a choice of mixed salads, pastas, grilled meats and some Mauritian specialties such as vanilla chicken. Recently renovated, the Blue Bamboo now has its own bar open to the indoor terrace planted with bamboo, which we prefer to the main room despite its large pizza oven. Musical evenings on weekends (reservations recommended).

In the "Cheap" section, it is one of the best addresses in Mahébourg. The huge room, which opens onto the street, has a bar in the background. The welcome is friendly and the menu varied (crab, shrimp, duck, steak with creole, chicken curry, ourite vindaye, grilled fish...). It also serves the traditional fried, good and copious mines.

The dining room makes no effort to be stylish, and the service is "à la bonne franquette", but the restaurant has been around for ages, welcoming regulars and holidaymakers alike. People come here for their seafood dishes, but in reality they eat a bit of everything! Try the shrimp, crab, grilled fish, venison steak in season, one of the many beef, pork or chicken recipes... For small budgets or quick appetites, there's a choice of Chinese dishes, snacks, omelettes and salads. A few tables outside on the sidewalk.

Like its neighbor l'Empereur, this other restaurant on the eastern coastal road, popular with Mauritians and tourists alike, offers the usual panoply of Creole, Indian and Chinese dishes... in short, a bit of everything: soups, fritters, kebabs, tikka, tandoori, curries, vegetarian dishes, etc., as well as a few seafood specialties. The setting is a little neater than next door, with tablecloths and potted plants, folded napkins... but don't expect anything special all the same. Decent dishes, nothing more. Shady terrace.

Set by the sea in yacht-club style, facing the fishing boats and small marina, this is THE café of the bay, where you come to sip a coffee, quench your thirst with a fresh juice, nibble a snack or indulge in an ice-cream sundae. It's also a trattoria serving classic Italian dishes, including fresh pasta and pizzas. Open non-stop, the place is actually a large, shaded terrace on the water's edge, with a pleasantly trendy lounge decor of stretched canvas, sofas and shades of grey/white/turquoise. Always lively.

It's the oldest restaurant in the West, a haven for hunters in the pre-tourist era, a convivial place where people came to recount their exploits and feast with their rifles slung over their shoulders! From these bygone days, the establishment has retained a semblance of rustic charm, recently revitalized by local youth. While game (venison, wild boar) and/or seafood are still on offer, the courtyard is a popular venue for long aperitifs and festivities on Thursday evenings. The ancestor has the wind in his sails!

Chinese cuisine without frills and quality prepared by a Shanghainese chef, and served in a simple room with a terrace. A mile-long menu of Asian specialties based on vegetables, seafood and various meats: cream of corn with chicken, upside-down bowl, peking duck, ginger fish, etc. and some European and Creole specialties to please all taste buds: octopus salad, braised deer steak, beef stew... Recommended and frequented for years by the locals which is a good sign.

It has been full for years and enjoys an excellent reputation with the locals, such as the adjoining sign, King Dragon, which belongs to the same owner. Since its renovation, the setting, less Chinese than European, plays on a monochrome of natural tones (taupe, grey, chocolate). The menu remains mostly Asian, and the plates are as copious as the bill is light. To observe the incessant ballet of the main street, choose a table in the glass verandah on the first floor.

It is a tavern that has the soul and generosity of its name: popular, friendly, without fuss like a big family pot. The dishes are simple, the flavors local (croquettes, samoussas, fried mines, upside down bowls, pizzas, grilled fish, etc.), the prices Mauritian and the atmosphere is cheerful like that of a guinguette with notes of sega instead of the accordion. Musical on some weekends in high season, it is a table that has been around for a long time and attracts many holidaymakers staying in the North.

The strength of this restaurant, well known in the area and open for a long time, lies in its unique location: directly on the waterfront (although on the wrong side of the road), facing the entire bay of Mahébourg. If you're looking for a pleasant location, you'll have to pay a little too much for this Mediterranean and Creole-inspired cuisine. The Chef's specialty: the mangrove crab of Vieux Grand Port. When the terrace offers the view, the room displays a feminine and flowery decoration, made of big bouquets of artificial flowers.

It is one of the few restaurants on the beachfront with a terrace directly on the beach and not on the road, in the shade of the filaos. If the site is great, the whole is quite old-fashioned and suffers from great irregularities in terms of flavour, cooking and overall quality of the products. So rather choose a simple and quick dish from a menu which, apart from a steak and chips, offers mostly local Asian specialities. The house does take-away for those who would like to nibble on their napkin.

On the road leading to Pointe Coton, look for a pretty Creole hut with tables under a varangue and others scattered in the garden, next to the swing... It's there. In the plates, an honest local cuisine which varies every day according to the products of the market and the fishing: stewed crab, sausage rougaille, zourite curry, grilled lobster (when there is some, remember to ask for the price beforehand!), sausage rougaille... For real desserts or more elaborate dishes, reserve in advance. A typical address, at reasonable prices.

The restaurant is housed in a former warehouse, on the edge of a landing stage from which sugar-laden boats once set sail. The place is part of Mauritius's heritage, and was home to hundreds of slaves... Atypical, the setting exudes an old-fashioned je-ne-sais-quoi that some will find too old-fashioned, while others will find wonderfully old-fashioned. The long menu features fish and seafood dishes, Creole specialties, meats and grilled meats, and more. Unfortunately, the quality is uneven. Large, sheltered terrace on the water's edge.

Much larger than the average, designed to accommodate groups as well as individual clients, this table d'hôtes serves daily dishes of Indo-Mauritian cuisine in a room as large as the owners' ambitions. Even if it is not our favorite setting, the same family has been running the business for 20 years, a guarantee of a certain form of regularity and quality. On the menu: curries accompanied by rice, faratas and achards, spicy fish served with local vegetables, deer curry in season, etc.

In a simple room, on the first floor of a small building frequented mainly by the locals, it is a ndaxté where you eat fast, well and cheap. Multi-entry and multiple-fare extensions (but not desserts!): dim sum, soups, fried mines, boiled mines, skipped bowls… and chicken dishes, fish, beef…

Perched atop the promontory overlooking the beach of Saint François, this cozy table is a refreshing stop on the famous Eastern Coastal Trail. We stop for a coffee, a beer, a lemonade, or to taste the local cuisine. No real menu, Dana concocts every day a few home-made dishes with the products of the market and of the fishery: salad or cary of octopus, chicken and French fries, shrimps... Two tables are sleeping under a small veranda, three others under straw huts in the sea air. Superb panorama.

Very simple but clean as a new penny and very local, frequented almost exclusively by locals, here is a popular canteen where you can enjoy a briani, a kebab or a sandwich - and not bad with that since the whole of Mahebourg is rushing there! No menu or table service. You go in, get your drink from the fridge, head to the kitchen at the back to choose and take your plate out, sit down, tell yourself it's good, and so copious, and so cheap... And there you go!

The only Thai restaurant on the West Coast. As tradition dictates, guests are encouraged to share their dishes and accompany them with rice and noodles, as well as a bowl of soup. In starters, chicken satay, spring rolls, dim sum, etc. In dishes, pleasant shrimp green curry green curry or roasted duck roasted with oyster sauce… To accompany everything, choose noodles, rice, vegetables cooked with spices, coconut, tofu… and in dessert, the original chataîgne of water with sweet coconut milk. A typical Asian style. Choose the tables outside, installed on the pontoon surrounded by water from the Pavillon des Dreams.

Located at the beginning of the street, close to the river, here is a small hut with a few tables that makes roast chicken aficionados happy! To take away or to taste on the spot, the poultry, golden brown, is cooked and juicy. The service is simple and efficient, with a little chat and little waiting. We also stop there to have a drink or to buy/swallow a small homemade sandwich ("varied choice" as the sign says) before going to survey the streets of the capital. A nice place to stop if you are in a hurry or if you don't want to be hungry.

This restaurant, which was considered the best in Anse-aux-Anglais, changed owners and since then it's been a yo-yo in terms of reviews. The table remains friendly, with a room dominated by wood and wicker and a terrace right on the coastal road, which is a bit busy at certain times of the day. However, the place is often full, rather lively on weekends, and one can drink good cocktails before tasting the ourites and other small local dishes made of fresh and spicy products. Also a choice of pizzas.

It's great to explore the green heart of Mauritius and, without necessarily taking part in any activity, to recharge your batteries in the forest, preferably beside a river or waterfall! At Bel Ombre Nature Reserve, picnic spots have been set up (but not too many) to offer a time of immersion that's both disconnecting, exclusive (privatized site for 2 to 10 people) and upmarket. Quality of service, quality of food, quality of the picnic pod - a brilliant innovative concept that we'll let you discover...

In the heart of the Mythic Suites & Villas Resort, this restaurant offers a culinary and human experience. Welcomed as if in a friend's home, one can enjoy the calm of the estate, the kindness of the team and a cuisine based on fresh products carefully selected from local producers. The typical dishes are revisited with elegance - special mention for the delicious fresh sea bream vindaye. BBQ brunches are organized on some Sundays, with live music. Plus: cocktail bar and wine cellar, vegetarian and halal options, kids corner.

It's not so much what you get on your plate that counts (international-style cuisine based on local produce, burgers, ribs, curries...) as the setting, as the restaurant is one of the few to be located on the seafront, right on the water. So you can savor the view and the cool, friendly atmosphere, packed to the rafters on evenings when sports are broadcast on a giant screen. The covered terrace overlooks the bay, and just above it, on the upper floor, a VIP lounge area allows you to relax in cocktail-tapas mode in the gentle twilight. Live music on selected weekends.

Well-known to the small world of night owls and very popular at weekends, this large pub-resto-nightclub is not only a festive place crowded on the evenings of sporting events. It is also a friendly restaurant where you can sit indoors in an ethnic-inspired setting or, better still, on the terrace in the garden, next to the long bar and the children's playground. If meat is one of the specialities of the table, the varied menu wanders between several regions. There is a choice of snacks and tapas if you are more in the mood to drink and feast.

In the beautiful old planter's house of Saint Aubin, some tasty dishes of traditional Creole cuisine are served under the veranda in a "Mauritius of the past" atmosphere. On the menu: cocktail and fritters, palm salad with smoked marlin, vanilla chicken, pineapple flambéed with Saint Aubin rum... The products are fresh and come mostly from the Domaine. Lunch begins or continues with a visit to the many cultural sights of the area.

On the seafront, at the foot of the Montagne du Lion, on the site from which the French general staff once watched Napoleon's only naval victory over the English, the beautiful Falaise Rouge overlooks the historic bay of Vieux Grand Port. It welcomes hikers from the Vallée de Ferney and strollers from the East. Here, you'll find the same ecological approach as at La Vallée, using seasonal produce sourced from nearby farms to create fresh, tasty dishes from kitchen garden to plate. Beautiful terrace. A place to be.

Barachois is the Creole word for "fishpond". This rustic place, with small thatched dry stone houses, has 16 rooms on stilts with simple but correct comfort (air conditioning and private bathroom) and a restaurant open on the water at the edge of a 42-acre barachois. The pond abounds with fish, shrimp and crabs that are offered on the menu after the day's fishing. There are even fresh oysters part of the year and some meat and game dishes. As a digestive stroll, discover the mangrove. Swimming pool.

On the site of the Geopark, this small fast food restaurant is especially noteworthy for its beautiful panoramic location overlooking the copper-colored sheep. A few wooden tables placed under thatched huts allow you to take a drink break (fresh juice, local coffee, homemade iced tea, etc.) and/or to have a snack - choice of sandwiches, paninis, grills, pastries, ice cream... Taste the freshly squeezed cane juice, the flavor of the islands. And also the Chamarel Coffee, an Arabica grown on volcanic soil that gives it a unique taste.

Alongside the Dragon Vert, which belongs to the same owner, this is the other Chinese restaurant in the area, with a more classic, typical and darker setting, with walls covered in glazed wood panels. We stroll and wander through the usual mile-long menu of Asian dishes and their varied sauces and seasonings. Overall, it's tasty and served in generous portions. The seafood specialties are particularly popular, so don't hesitate to try the steamed crab and the 5 Merveilles prawns.

Situated beside the coastal road, just a few meters from its eternal neighbor and main competitor (Symon's), this popular eatery is the Chinois of the eastern seaside and tourist section: a restaurant with terrace where you can enjoy a range of decent Asian and local dishes, based on shrimps, squid, fish, chicken, etc., not forgetting the fried noodles. No particular attention is paid to the setting, but the children's corner stands out. Affordable prices and takeaway.

A few years ago, this historic downtown restaurant relocated to the green, next to the Corson factory, opposite the tea plantations. Nature takes center stage even in the industrial, plant-based dining room, as well as on the menu, where vegetarian dishes feature prominently, such as green tagliatelle with spinach and caripoulé pesto. Otherwise, all the house classics are there: palm soufflé and shrimps in red sauce, crab gratin, beef dry curry, Bougrement bon and its vanilla cream... A sure bet.

Held by two chefs from the traditional Indian school, an authentic Indian restaurant serving dishes cooked in tandoor (this terracotta oven heated by charcoal). Several specialities of roasted dishes, such as the murg murg (épices chicken thigh, lemon and yoghurt, cooked in tandoor) and also large classics, to be tasted according to its preference: soft, medium or spicy. The curious and picoreurs gastronomes will try to test the rich Tandoor plateaus, offering for 700 Rs (16 €) a selection of several meat dishes, poultry, fish and seafood, or vegetarian dishes. On the floor, a small lounge where to smoke a shisha after the meal.

This is no ordinary restaurant, but a private home with a courtyard and small garden. This is the home of the German Madame Müller, who concocts gourmet drinks just like back home (chocolate or coffee shakes, smoothies...) and home-cooked dishes based on fresh produce with a healthy twist (mixed salads, crêpes...). Apart from the Saturday breakfast buffet (8am-11am), you can drop in at any hour on Thursday or Friday to swap books with the locals, as the cosy, friendly place doubles as a library.

In a popular atmosphere, a wide range of dishes from Rodriguan, Mauritian, Chinese and European cuisines are prepared and served: fish, seafood, shellfish, lobster, etc., in all sauces and ways. The establishment has a good reputation among the locals even if the room is not really crazy. Very local atmosphere on game nights (flat screen TV) and musical entertainment (band) once a month. Also a bar with a nice cocktail menu.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, accessible in a minute by boat as if to materialize the break, it is, within the most design hotel of Port Louis, a superb terrace-lounge at the water's edge extended by a marine style restaurant. Equipped with a live cooking station and an oyster and sushi bar, the place surfs on the latest trends and offers a palette of dishes from here and elsewhere, vegetarian dishes and a beautiful seafood menu - with even fresh lobsters making their prayers in an aquarium! Children's menu, quick service.

In the heart of the business and embassy district, it is a charming stone house with several cosy rooms upstairs and a flowery patio where a fountain sings. In the calm of this elegant setting, a gentle symphony of fresh and noble products, mixed with local and French flavors, is played out: heart of palm and seafood gratin, chicken stuffed with foie gras and chestnuts, whole lobster and rice, passion fruit crème brûlé... A sommelier is available for the matching of food and wine.

In France, this would be the local truck stop: popular, established there forever, open 6 days a week, easy to get to by the roadside, simple in terms of decor but generous in the plates, with no nasty surprises. A mile-long menu of European, Chinese and Creole dishes... in other words, everything and nothing, which doesn't really matter when you want to eat fast, well and cheap! Lots of fish and seafood prepared directly from the open kitchen, but also fried mines (Chinese noodles), grilled meats, pasta and even French fries! Fast service.

Run by Majo and her daughter Marie-Christine who receive guests in their home, this is one of the rare tables d'hôtes in Mauritius. Even on busy days, the atmosphere remains local, as Mauritians love the place. One sits in the garden or on the terrace to discover a 100% Creole cuisine concocted and served as at home: first the aperitif, then the manzé Lacaze (rougaille, vindaye...) and the dessert of the day. No menu, but a choice of menus composed of varied and typical dishes which Marie-Christine likes to share. An address with character!

A typical setting haloes this traditional Creole table whose tables are set under the varangue of Eureka, an ancient colonial residence open on a park with majestic trees. The dishes are prepared in the old-fashioned way in the kitchen of yesteryear, which, as was customary at the time, stands next to and not in the house to avoid the possible spread of a fire under the pots and pans. These ladies simmer local recipes that they serve in fine dishes and also some quicker dishes for those who are hungry. Charming.

In the depths of its valley, this restaurant stands out for the beauty of its natural environment, the care taken in the decoration, the charm of the garden, the immediate warmth of the room dressed in wood and carved stones. To offer a "farm to fork" experience, the products come from the farmyard and the pesticide-free vegetable garden, the aquaponics greenhouse or from sourced local suppliers. Everything is homemade, even the smoked fish, with a bias for healthy dishes, bold pairings and wood-fired cooking that exudes flavor.

In an area where many South Africans reside, here is a pure local product that will not disappoint carnivores. All the classics are on the menu: chicken livers in Péri Péri sauce, T-Bone, filet, rump steak, ribs, garlic bread, burgers... and send in the fries and baked potatoes! For the ladies: smoked salmon terrine, grilled fish of the day, calamari... Nice wine list, nice setting and this commendable highlighting of local artistic production by the exhibition of paintings to look at and/or buy.

Lagoon, swimming pool, landscaped beach, nautical hut and, under an open structure topped with thatch, in a large VIP robinsonnade version, the C Beach restaurant, a bohemian club: sand, decks, swings, a coolissime atmosphere and a menu as sunny as the ocean under the zenith - mixed salads, wood-fired pizzas, catch of the day, candied papaya... and on Sunday lunchtimes: large buffet! There are also 2 bars, the Chill and the Coast, where you can sip cocktails and mocktails at any time, by the indigo blue pool or in the cosy lounge.