29 Best Restaurants in Fiji

Formerly third-in-command at the renowned Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, chef Sushil Chandra has brought his talents to the Bedarra Beach Inn on the "Sunset Strip." Take a seat on the balcony overlooking the pool and ocean and enjoy masterful seafood dishes at reasonable prices. Try the mahimahi in coconut milk, lemon, caper, and garlic butter or the Fijian specialty Ika Vakalolo—cooked fish in coconut milk with tomato and onion. The curries, too, are outstanding. The space is intimate, the service casual, and the cuisine well worth diving into. Reservations are essential for dinner, but for breakfast and lunch just walk in.

You get far more than you pay for at this Suva institution hidden behind shrubbery, one block east of the main drag. The menu is on a blackboard and the food is served cafeteria-style but don't be deterred: It's prepared fresh and tastes accordingly. Traditional Indian fare sits alongside local fish and vegetable dishes, all classically prepared. The staff will mix-and-match to your preference before you retreat to a booth or table and savor the city's finest. Authentic sweet dishes and cakes are served in the second room down the porch. It's a shame they're not open for dinner.

What more appropriate setting for fantastic seafood than a 35-year-old original Blue Lagoon cruise ship? The fresh catch is written up on the blackboard menu at either end of the dining room. More often than not this includes lobster, sea prawns, and fish such as Nuqa, masterfully prepared. There are smoking and no-smoking areas as well as a private dining room in the former captain's quarters with 270-degree views. Some diners come later to hear the guitarist accompanied by a slice of sticky date pudding or chocolate mud cake, but it's worth arriving in time for sunset drinks. The restaurant is engine-less and attached to the dock, so don't worry about missing the boat.

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capers, olives, and tomato sauce, and banana with rum crepes—and the prices, at F$5 for filling lunch specials, are as outdated as the colonial-style building itself.

At the end of a jetty extending into a lagoon, a sand floor and thick wooden tables furnish the setting for outstanding seafood. Among the restaurant's six types of fish, all but Coral Trout can be steamed, grilled, baked, panfried, crumbed, or battered and served with a trio of tartar sauce, soy sauce, and garlic butter. The pièce de résistance is a seafood platter for two that includes oysters, mussels, scallops, shots of lobster bisque, baby octopus, calamari, prawn cocktails, parrot fish, mahimahi, tuna, and a whole lobster, all beautifully presented on a wooden board. You can dine under the hand-carved, traditional high ceiling or alfresco and take in the views some couples choose to accompany their wedding vows.

For the tepid of palate or homesick, this multifaceted expat magnet has all the comfort foods. The American-style menu featuring everything from pizzas and pastas to burgers and steaks is served in three areas. There's a T.G.I.F.-style seating area that permits smoking and has a full bar, a café section with a coffee bar and sweets on display, and a surprisingly intimate, candlelight dining room. Drinks are half-off 5–6 pm daily and the polished bar keeps the margaritas, sangria, shots, and cocktails flowing until 11. They sell branded clothing.

After 9 pm, expats and tourists get the karaoke going at this fun seafood joint and steak house. Yet most guests come to hear the imported rib eyes and T-bones sizzle on their way from the kitchen to the beer garden. Prawn dishes and the Bounty Burger are also highly in demand, as is the steak sandwich at lunchtime. "Bula Hour" (noon–2, 5–8) sees prices on the tropical cocktail menu drop 20%. A mural of the restaurant's namesake ship plus stacked wooden barrels at the maître 'd stand and good-natured, buxom servers complete the feel-good atmosphere. It's also open for breakfast.

This establishment, a combination of the Captain's Café and Captain's Table Restaurant, might offer the most diverse menu in Fiji, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. American-style sandwiches and burgers are advertised alongside Indian and Thai curries on the board indoors, and enchiladas and fajitas are advertised on the blackboards outside. The nicely presented curries are particularly good value, served with rice, roti, or naan and a small vegetable side. The fruit salad dessert is as refreshing as the views from the rail-less deck seating, which leads you to forgive the quirky service. Oh, and they serve pizzas, too.

Cardo's would be a cliché steak house were it not for its satisfying wood-oven pizzas and casual Fijian atmosphere. The open-deck dining room means yachties can dig into their F$90 Giant Seafood Platter for two while keeping an eye on their rides. You can contemplate rib-eye fillets, aged tenderloins, and T-bones in any of three sizes while sipping beer from a properly frosted mug. A view to the flames licking the wood-fire pizzas in the open kitchen lends a touch of class. A sleek upstairs section is reserved for functions and poor weather. If this menu isn't comfort enough, there's a Hard Rock Cafe literally around the corner.

Smaller than the Nadi location, this is an equally traditional setting for the chain's signature dynamically prepared cuisine. Families in particular thrill to the sight of locally caught tuna, Australian beef, and New Zealand salmon expertly sliced, diced, and cooked before their eyes. Punctual service and a decent wine list round out the celebratory atmosphere.

The quick tableside knifework at this two-story shrine to teppan-yaki never fails to please locals and tourists alike. Nor does the succulent flavor of locally caught tuna, Australian beef, and New Zealand salmon expertly sliced, diced, and cooked before patrons' eyes. The traditional look of the restaurant and professional service make it a marvel of international cuisine in Fiji and a great experience for families. A decent wine list completes the festive atmosphere for those old enough to know not to touch the hot metal cooking surface. There's also a Suva location.

The combination of plastic flower tablecloths, red carpet, and small chandeliers of glass balls is just kitschy enough to state the emphasis is not on the decor but the food at this authentic Chinese place on the main strip. This local institution is frequented by locals and expats who come, and return, for seafood specialties such as steamed fish, deep-fried squid, and lobster served in generous, family-style portions; meat dishes are also offered. Service is good and continues to be so after 6:30 when the restaurant begins to fill up for dinner.

Both the chef and owner come from the Canton region and it appears that they brought their recipe books with them. Locally supplied seafood is whipped into the likes of steamed fish in soy sauce and steamed crab with glass noodles. Imported king prawns are put to good use in a garlic-ginger sauce. Rotating platforms at the tables make it easier to share the family-style portions amid the tasteful Asian decor. On some afternoons, there's not a seat to be had as locals pack in for the lunch specials.

Of the many branches of this Suva staple, this one's upstairs seating—open 11–3—is the most relaxing place to enjoy one of the chain's 17 kinds of vegetarian curries. The corner real estate offers a fantastic view of the impressive Sacred Heart Cathedral from comfortable, cushioned wicker chairs. The air-conditioning doesn't hurt, but there are also plenty of cream and milk shake flavors to cool you down. Curries are served cafeteria-style by friendly, hair-netted staff, and there's a large array of toffees downstairs as well as all-day, un-air-conditioned seating.

This restaurant offers a range of authentic Japanese cuisine prepared by chef Manami Suzumura. Among the highlights of the classic menu are pork cutlets and chicken teriyaki, but we recommend opting for the six-course dinner and letting the Yokohama-born chef strut his stuff. This prix-fixe option might include miso soup, fried eggplant, sashimi, very lightly fried tempura (not the crispy kind), a sushi roll, and ice cream for dessert. Service is quirky but what Ikkyu lacks in ambience it makes up for in quality fare.

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.

Diners come from around Denarau to this casual restaurant for the legendary seafood buffet Wednesday and Saturday nights. Dubbed Ika Levu (Fijian for "Great Fish"), the buffet features the restaurant's characteristic live cooking stations and artful presentation, only with an extravagant array of Fiji's freshest. Indoor and outdoor tables are well-spaced. Buffet themes on other nights include Indo-Fijian, native-Fijian, BBQ, and Asian-Pacific, and there's always a children's buffet. It's on the ground floor of the resort's main building, and you can walk up from the beach.

Hamburgers, pizzas, steaks, and the occasional seafood item prepared by local chefs are the order of the day at this cool garden café located along the famed "Sunset Strip." Swiss owner Jean Pierre Gerber, a certified chef, ran the ranges until he retired from the kitchen and began catering to Aussies visiting from the Outrigger on the Lagoon megaresort just down the beach. When Gerber isn't sailing, you might find him seated at the full bar, enjoying a pepper-steak sandwich. Stereo music and views of the ocean 60 feet (18 meters) away make this a pleasant place to vacation from the Outrigger's menu prices. There's also a Sigatoka location.

No frills here and none are needed: Mama's serves up tasty, good-value pizzas in a cool, comfortable setting on the main drag. Rock music from the past five decades pumps into the dimly lighted, wood-furnished interior and air-conditioning means there's no need for the giant, rusty fan threatening to turn overhead. Gourmet combos such as chicken, pineapple, and onion or smoked walu, red onions, capers, and chives are delivered to the table along with dressings by the friendly staff. Although the size diagram on the wall may appear a bit meager, rest assured: a "solo" makes for a filling lunch. There's a second location north of town and a third at Port Denarau.

Its minimalist, open-plan dining room and imported Italian chairs make this Suva's slickest Indian restaurant. And while the scene may be Sydney-esque, the cuisine is classic Indian. Highlights include the spicy Kadai chicken—pieces on the bone cooked with capsicum, tomato, and onions in an array of spices—and Bhindido Pyaja—okra (Lady's Fingers) cooked in an aromatic sauce with spices, mushroom, and onions. You may even find a crowd around the central, shiny rectangular bar early on a Friday or Saturday.

Whole fish and prawns (and we do mean whole fish and prawns) are among the specialties at this picturesque and authentic Fijian restaurant. Some may consider the fish overcooked (so order a sizzling stir-fry) while others will enjoy the flavor of char-grilled walu or Naqu (catch of the day) dipped in bowls of coconut milk and lemon-chili sauce. All traditional dishes are served with local vegetables. Deck seating overlooks the water at Port Denarau.

Here's one globe-spanning restaurant where you shouldn't settle on a curry simply by default. The Chinese dishes are good, large, and best enjoyed family-style. Second prize goes to the range of traditionally prepared seafood such as lobster, prawns, and fish cooked in lolo (coconut milk). The strange wood canopies with rope netting over most of the tables are even stranger in light of the honest attempt at Asian decor made by illustrated tapestries. Avoid weekend afternoons, when locals crowd the bar and many of the tables with tall bottles of Fiji Bitter. To find it, look for the big sign on a building across from the bus station.

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.

Raj's isn't much to look at with its iron gate, but it's a local favorite for good reason: Kamlesh Lata and her husband have been making delicious curries here for more than a decade. There's a disconcerting mix of Chinese and fast-food options geared to the quick-lunch local trade, but you should take a seat in the air-conditioned, dimly lighted room and skip right to the seafood curries. The plastic placemats don't do much for the atmosphere, but let your tastebuds judge. The restaurant is beside the first roundabout in town if coming from Nadi.

Just across the street from the harbor, Sea salt Restaurant is the best place for steak in Suva. Fan-folded napkins (even if they are paper) and a few ol' boys' club–style booths set the tone for succulent cuts, a traditional English-style roast, and a renowned burger. The Chef's Nightmare (the steak of the day) is also popular as is the aptly named Death by Chocolate, the smaller size of which will satiate two. The service is professional—the way expats like it—and the restaurant's setting conveys a luxurious sense of space.

A favorite among 9–5'ers for its spicy, cafeteria-style south Indian fare, some luck may be required to find a seat here at lunch hour. Spices from Singapore and India give the curries a more authentic flavor than much of the competition. Food is served cafeteria-style and the intense reds of the booths and yellows of the walls are in line with the hotter dishes. The patrons' sink, complete with liquid soap and paper towel dispensers, is beside a booth in the dining room, but it's all part of the fun—at least for you, who doesn't have to be back at work in 45 minutes. There's a second location in the Morris Hedstrom City Center mall.

A dock overlooking beautiful Savusavu Bay is the setting for Savusavu's best nonresort dining experience. The chef, a former Cousteau Resort executive chef, visits the local market each day in order to select the fish for that day's specials. This might include seared ahi tuna with garlic mash dressed with wasabi and lime cream and topped with a cucumber relish. The pièce de résistance, however, is a F$50 six-course menu the chef prepares before guests using stoves on wheels. It includes lobster, steak, and prawn dishes and must be requested in advance. Homemade ice cream hits the spot for dessert, and there's an excellent brunch on Sunday.

On the cliff-edge at a bend in the road, this small open-air restaurant and bar has views to rival any of its resort neighbors. The furnishings are simple but with the breeze blowing in at night and your food illuminated by lantern, who needs decor? Skip the pizzas and instead order fish, which is served up a number of ways but usually also available with chips (french fries). Thursday is a grill night featuring chicken, fish, and lobster; and Saturday is an all-day barbecue. Happy hour is 5–7 pm. A 15-minute walk from the airport, this place can get crowded.

The Sofitel's signature restaurant does not disappoint as it uses local produce in contemporary, French-influenced cuisine. Popular local crab may take the form of crab cakes with coriander, chile jam, and meyer lemon soubise, while Nadi bay prawns might be flambéed with French brandy, garlic, and chive butter. Well-spaced tables and comfortable leather-upholstered chairs exclude stuffiness, and desserts such as green tea iced soufflé with berry compote are equally light. Private beach dining from a set menu can be arranged and executive chef Brendon Coffey anticipates having an optional set menu in the dining room.