Food of Mauritius

Food in Mauritius comes from a diverse blend of cultural backgrounds. This African island situated in the Indian Ocean has a wide range of cultures from Chinese, Indian, French, and African. As a result of the diversity, the food comes with influential flavors from those regions. Rich in exotic spices and seasonings, the food in Mauritius is excellent. We found some of the best food not at a restaurant, but from the popular street vendors throughout the island.

Fried Noodles

Street food can range from vendors in food trucks, small stalls or storefronts along the street. Some have just a couple of snacks to choose from, while others have full menus. The best part about trying street food is how cheap the food is. Food costs 10 Rs to 30 Rs for snacks and 60 Rs to 100 Rs for meals ($0.50 – $2.75). In restaurants, the prices are two to six times higher and lacking the flavors which the street food vendors excelled at.

Octopus Curry

Where to Find Street Food

Typically street food is available at all public beaches or on the main street in each town. Several of these were inside small storefronts, often called the first name of the owner followed by snacks, such as “Bobby Snacks.” During the day, several small vendors would set up temporary stands or food trucks.

Typical Snacks

What Are Typical Street Food Options

With fresh seafood available, there were excellent fish and seafood curries at most street vendors. Some examples of typical street food with prices are:

• Samosa and fried snacks from 2 Rs to 4 Rs per piece

• Dumplings from 5 Rs to 10 Rs per piece

• Roti with sauces from 10 Rs to 15 Rs

• Roti with curry (fish, chicken, beef, chicken liver, octopus) from 20 Rs to 30Rs

• Sandwich with curry from 50 Rs to 75 Rs

• Steamed noodles from 60 Rs to 90 Rs

• Fried noodles from 80 Rs to 110 Rs

• Fried rice (chicken and egg) 70 Rs to 100 Rs

Chinese Dumplings

BBQ

Not common on the island, the barbecue is excellent when it is available. It was popular on the east coast, with the best options near Centre de Flacq. BBQ options and typical price are:

• Hot dog – 10 Rs per piece

• Chicken wing – 25 Rs per piece

• 1/2 chicken – 100 Rs per piece

• Lamb – 150 Rs per piece

Grilled Meat

Restaurants in Mauritius

Restaurants can be found all over the island especially in the larger beach towns. Most restaurants specialize in one style of food, whether it is Chinese, Malay, or European/French. They often range in prices from 150 Rs up to 500 Rs per dish.

Buying Your Own Ingredients

If you have an AirBnB or can cook yourself, there are supermarkets in each of the bigger towns. Winners and SuperU are the two main supermarkets and there are some smaller grocery stores located throughout the island. Supermarket prices can be expensive as most items are imported. The best and cheapest option for produce are the fresh fruit and vegetable stalls throughout the island.

Fresh Fruit and Produce Stall

Beer

There are a few options for beer in Mauritius, the go-to beer is Phoenix Beer. Beer costs 57 Rs to 60 Rs for the large bottle. However, there is a bottle deposit (typically 18 Rs) that is paid in addition to the cost of the beer. Return the empty bottles to a liquor store and they will give a cash refund. 

EDITORS TOP PICKS

Best Street Food Store: Fried noodles from Bobby Snacks in Chemin Grenier

Best Street Food Outdoor Vendor: Fried fish sandwich and octopus salad on highway B28 next to the intersection of B28 and B59 across from Indian Petrol in Bel Air

Best BBQ:  La Gare Snack and Grill on B23 driving from Poste de Flaq to Centre de Flaq. There is a section with many restaurants and several BBQ places, with La Gare in the center of it all.

Best Restaurant: Face a La Mer cost 800 Rs per person and comes with an enormous 4-course meal and welcome drink. The meal is seafood based and comes with a small snack, appetizers, fresh seafood entree, side dishes, and finished with a desert. This unique dining experience will be one to remember.

Check out these other articles on Mauritius

• Beaches of Mauritius

• Mauritius on a Budget

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