Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The best places to eat throughout the country tend to be
tables d'hôtes
, privately hosted
meals often given by people who run guesthouses as well, but just as often offered alone.
These give you a unique insight into local life, as you'll usually dine with the host couple
and often their children, plus any other travellers who've arranged to come by (or people
staying in the guesthouse). It's nearly always necessary to book a
table d'hôte
, preferably
a day in advance, although it's always worth asking - bigger operations will sometimes be
able to accommodate last-minute additions.
Opening hours tend to be quite flexible (and unpredictable in smaller places!), although
as a rule it's good not to leave eating too late - even though many places are officially
open until 11pm, if they're empty by 10pm there's a chance they'll shut early. Port Louis
is a ghost town for everything, including eating, in the evening as the middle classes tend
to live out of town, so it's usually the Caudan Waterfront or nothing after dark.
QUICK EATS
Places to enjoy eats on the run are in plentiful supply in Mauritius. Street vendors are at
every bus station and town square, and takeaway shops can be found in numerous shop-
ping centres and markets; both offer inexpensive local treats, including Indian, French and
Chinese delicacies. Almost all restaurants, except the most upmarket, will do takeaway.
Roadside food stalls serving dinner dishes such as
biryani
(curried rice), Indian rotis and
farattas
(unleavened flaky flour pancakes) are popular. Street eats cost around Rs 5 to Rs
10 for snacks like rotis,
dhal puris
(Indian snacks) and
boulettes
(meatballs) served at
markets, along public beaches and in the capital.
The atmospheric markets are worth visiting for the popular
gâteaux piments
(deep-fried
balls of lentils and chilli), which are cooked on the spot. You should also try the delicious
dhal puris
, rotis, samosas and
bhajas
(fried balls of besan dough with herbs or onion).
Indian and Chinese restaurants offer quick and inexpensive meals and snacks. Remem-
ber to buy some Indian savouries such as
caca pigeon
(an Indian nibble) or the famous
Chinese
char siu
(barbecue pork).
Vegetarians & Vegans
Vegetarians will fare well in Mauritius, although they may be disappointed by the lack of
variety. Indian restaurants tend to offer the best choice, but often this is limited to a vari-
ation on the theme of
carri de légumes
(vegetable curry). Chinese restaurants are also
good for vegetarians, while Creole and French places are much more limiting. That said,
