3 Best Restaurants in Lomaiviti Group, Fiji

Levuka's best restaurant has a sense of humor—its kitchen is in a thatched roof "bure" within the restaurant. Seashells daintily line the shelves on one wall, a small collection of books rests on another and perhaps serves more than just decor as visitors spend a lot of time here once they've tasted the dishes. The menu is inexplicably international—Walu steak, pasta with capers, olives, and tomato sauce, and banana with rum crepes—and the prices, at F$5 for filling lunch specials, are as outdated as the colonial-style building itself.

Great views over Levuka harbor from its second-floor porch seating and decent Cantonese food make a visit to this restaurant worthwhile as part of a longer stay in the area. The owners are Cantonese, their menu a classic combination of proteins, including fish and prawns, available in a range of sauces, as well as curries and vegetarian options. The five-spice chicken is a standout, if the owner's there to make it. Stately black-and-white portraits of Fijian chiefs on one wall are juxtaposed with equally grave portraits of Fijian rugby stars on another, and American country music plays in the background.

A soothing breeze, bamboo ceilings, and fresh frangipani and hibiscus create a cozy, tropical setting for excellent curries across the road from the beach. The blackboard menu changes depending on what's in town but you can always bet on the curries. Prawn and crab are the chef's picks and all are served with roti, rice, chips, or local root vegetables. Traditional Fijian dishes will be cooked on request, sandwiches are offered at lunchtime, and everything is made-to-order. There's a full bar and, at night, the lights are turned low, the R&B up. The restaurant is about a 20-minute drive out of town.