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In Mahé you can indulge in the luxury of an ever-growing stable of true restaurants (not associated with a hotel), many of which are clustered in the Beau Vallon area, with a few also found around Anse Royale in the south. A few hotel restaurants are included here because of their exceptional food and willingness to accommodate outside guests; however, always call ahead to dine at hotel restaurants.
If you're craving something different, this Thai restaurant at the Banyan Tree Hotel is a treat. In a simply elegant dining room of crimson hues and graced with sea views to gorgeous Anse Intendance, Saffron serves up delicious and authentic Thai food, including a seafood glass noodle salad, a fabulous red curry duck with lychees, and delicately steamed red snapper in a chili lime sauce. The Thai chef and availability of locally grown Thai produce are no doubt behind the authentic flavors.
Enjoying spectacular ocean- and sunset views from its hillside perch above Petite Anse beach, the Four Season's fine-dining venue Zez is a romantic dinner venue serving perfectly executed international cuisine. Set the tone for a gorgeous meal with starters like the warm lobster and artichoke salad tossed in a sherry vinaigrette, or foie gras with apple tarte tatin. The chef's skills come out in dishes like the crab fettucine, a perfectly balanced dish of homemade pasta, crispy soft-shelled crab, fresh chili, parsley, and lemon. If you're after something more substantial, the lobster risotto or lamb fillet will satisfy. An excellent if pricey wine list, and great service accompany the meal. Elegant dark-wood interiors and romantic lighting allow the stunning view to take center stage.
A popular toes-in-the-sand, small, family-run, open-air restaurant on one of Mahé's most beautiful beaches, the café serves delicious Creole dishes with an emphasis on seafood, and some meat-and-fries options. The café does a hopping lunch business and can remain busy through dinner (last order at 7.30pm). Meals are served family style (big platters of whatever you've ordered to suit your numbers), and casual is king. Service is known to be erratic, so order ahead of your hunger if you've built up an appetite swimming and sunning all day long.
This large and lively open-air institution across the street from popular Beau Vallon beach serves a tasty Creole buffet with more than 20 dishes every night, casual lunches, and breakfasts daily. The choice of salads is great, with flavorful renditions of the mango, papaya, and starfruit dishes that you may have become familiar with from other buffets. A chef grills fresh fish and chicken to order, and the curries are also delicious. It's an all-you-can-eat prix fixe, so come hungry. Plans of adding a sushi bar to this casual beach earty are in the works.
With soaring views through steep forested hills down to a turquoise slice of Anse Royale, this quaint, open-air restaurant serves very good Creole fare. Delicious salads of papaya, golden apple, and mango accompany perfectly grilled fish, subtly spiced curries, and fragrant basmati rice. Crepes, sandwiches, a few vegetarian options, and the homemade ice creams are also great. Come on Sunday from noon to 3 for the Lunch Planteur, a Creole feast that includes all the salads, chutneys, and extras you might expect at a huge family potluck with the home-style cooking to match for Rs325. Reservations essential in season.
Gleaming warm wooden tones and screens of metal cutout flowers adorn this elegant yet casual pool-side restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner daily. Lunch menus focus on lighter international fare, like excellent salads, pastas, seafood dishes, and wood-oven baked pizzas. Dinners flaunt the chef's Creole and international skills, with exquisite renditions of dishes such as a grilled octopus salad, Singapore style noodles, and heavenly curries served with local chutneys, such as the Creole fish curry. Nonhotel guests should be sure to book ahead.
Serving classically simple Italian fare in a beautiful white house atop granite rocks, this is one of Mahé's oldest and beloved restaurants. The Italian chef-owner is also a fisherman, and in season, his catch of the day is the freshest you'll find. Pastas are largely homemade, and dishes like the tagliatelle with smoked sailfish or ravioli with fish are recommended. Front of the house is managed by the chef's wife, a charming lady who runs a tight ship. With sea breezes wafting through from the tranquil Bel Ombre, the mood is romantic and old world, making this a place to linger.
Sitting on the beachfront facing beautiful Anse Royale, this casual yet elegant restaurant serves excellent Creole and international fare, as well as a locally popular Sunday lunch buffet. The smoked fish and mango salad is the perfect balance of tart, sweet, and smokey, and the ginger crab curry is amazingly fragrant. Attentive owner-managed service makes this a romantic dinner option, but with the beautiful beach view and shady outdoor seating option, it's also a winner in the day. Cocktails are tasty and potent, and there's a great wine list. Don't miss the incredible homemade ice cream. And there's free Wi-Fi!
Not only is Maria's Rock built in, among, and from the huge granite boulders that define Mahé, but this themed restaurant also lets you cook your meal on that very same granite. With only one culinary option—seafood or meat grilled on a hot rock at your table, and served with rice and salad—this place isn't for everyone. But if you like some DIY in your food experience (reminiscent of Korean BBQ) and don't mind the sweat that it may inspire, the place is charming, and the grill items, from fish fillets to prawns to beef, delicious and fresh. Kids will love the Fred Flinstone meets Pirate of the Caribbean Disney–ride atmosphere, heightened by the pirate ship and other structures they can play on.
Housed in a charming old Creole-style wooden abode on a hill overlooking Victoria, Marie Antoinette has been serving the same "traditional" Creole set menu for over 30 years. You'll find fish prepared in four different styles, chicken curry, aubergine (eggplant) fritters, rice, and delicious assorted Creole "salads" (also referred to as chutneys) on the menu. A few simple local desserts sweeten the end. A pen of giant tortoises, a wall of business cards from patrons hailing worldwide, and rustic, homey decor add to the restaurant's charm. Reservations are essential during high season and on weekends.
Set in a lovely old wooden house just on the edge of Victoria, this charming café serves a refreshingly simple menu of gourmet sandwiches, wraps, and salads. The panko-crumbed chicken wrap with coriander and mango is both light and tasty, and the nicoise salad is a favorite. For the very hungry, the Aussie cheeseburger will hit the spot. Homemade desserts, including several cheescakes that are becoming deservedly legendary, are also a draw. A lush garden setting and friendly staff further enhance the oasis atmosphere of this little gem. There's also a kid's menu.
This friendly joint, located in a wild and secluded spot just before the southeastern road ends at Anse Forbans, is a convenient place to enjoy a snack while watching local surfers catch waves. The octopus salad is deliciously tart, and fish dishes are popular. Located right next to the beach under coconut trees and with nothing but the waves and white sand, it's a peaceful place, not to mention the only restaurant in the immediate vicinity; they do a rollicking take-away business (pizza snobs will want to skip the pies here, which tend towards doughy). This local favorite is a great spot for surfers and au naturel hipsters to enjoy a drink or three.
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