One of the most exciting aspects about travelling to a new destination is experiencing its local cuisine, something that I am always looking forward to. I find that it is much easier to understand the social fabric of a place through its food. You taste the food and begin to connect the dots between the ‘why,’ ‘where,’ and ‘how’ of its history, influences, and traditions.
Mauritius is not only a tropical paradise, but also a smorgasbord of cultures and ethnicities from around the world, each adding its own unique flavour to the country’s heritage. Not surprisingly, elements of Creole, Indian, Chinese, and French have found their way into the country’s food. Familiar, yet with an exquisite Mauritian spin.
I was aware of Mauritius’s Indian connection, which dates back to colonial times, primarily through the presence of Indian indentured labourers brought by the British to work on sugar plantations. So, I quite naturally expected to see people of Indian descent, along with a generous serving of Indian cuisine on the menu.
Of the many popular Mauritian dishes I had the chance to taste, here are my top five picks:
Dholl puri at Ramsahye Maraz, Port Louis
Ask any Mauritian what his/her favourite snack would be, and pat comes the reply – dholl puri.
“You mean dal puri?” I asked, convinced that the accent was playing tricks on my hearing.
“No,” replied our Mauritian host, patiently. “It is our dholl puri.”
Indeed, that was exactly what was written on the name board above the shop selling it in Port Louis. Dholl puri is essentially a flavourful, soft parantha (Indian flatbread) stuffed with spiced ground yellow split peas and served with curries, typically made of butter beans. Paranthas, on the other hand, are known as farata here.
At the busy Ram Sahye Maraz (derived from Ram Sahay Maharaj?), the vendor skilfully layered two dholl puris with a curry before wrapping them up and handing them over to the customer. (Check out the Instagram reel at the of the post to see how it is done.) While we managed to secure a table in the small dining space within the shop, many people packed their puris and enjoyed the meal right outside the market, soaking in the bustling atmosphere of Port Louis.
Best place to have dholl puri in Port Louis
Dholl puri
Looking at me happily devouring the dholl puri, our host was encouraged to order a portion of gateau piment – lentil fritters similar to our Indian vadas, made from yellow split peas and deep-fried. The crunchy fritters paired well with the melt-in-the-mouth deliciousness of the dholl puris.
Gateau piment
There are several shops selling dholl puris across Mauritius, but in case you are in Port Louis, do stop by at Ram Sahye Maraz and have your fill of this delicious Mauritian snack.
Alouda at Alouda Pillay’s, Port Louis
It was a hot, muggy day at Port Louis, and we had done a fair bit of walking, following the long strides of our host. We had reached the Central Market when he stopped in front of a shop.
“The best refreshment here,” he announced. “Alouda!”
A beloved Mauritian drink similar to Falooda, Alouda is made with sweetened milk flavoured with vanilla essence, basil seeds, agar-agar jelly, and often topped with ice cream. The most popular place to enjoy the chilled drink was at Alouda Pillay’s at Port Louis, an iconic shop serving its signature Alouda since 1930. Interestingly, we could hear the vendor throatily calling out his fare even before we reached the shop. Packed with tourists and locals, all drawn in by the vendor’s enthusiastic calls, this shop is not to be missed!
Alouda Pillay’s at Port Louis
Mine bouilli at Tamarin beach
While strolling through the beautiful Tamarin beach at lunchtime, we came upon a long queue of people in front of a small stall selling what looked like noodle bowls. Intrigued, and hungry, we joined in as well. Soon, a board came into view and using Google translate and observing the diners, we decoded the meal that we were about to have.
Mine bouilli stall at Tamarin beach
The stall was selling Mine Bouilli – a popular Mauritian dish of boiled noodles topped with your choice of cooked meat or seafood, steamed dumplings, tofu, eggs, vegetables and other ingredients. It is seasoned with various condiments and sauces, including a dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and garlic sauce, giving it a rich, savoury flavour.
We chose our ingredients, each with their own price tag, and sat down in one of the benches placed conveniently in the shade near the beach. It was definitely a nourishing bowl of soul food. Look out for this tiny stall when you are in the Tamarin beach area – you will be thanking me later.
Mine Bouilli
Curries at Wapalam Island Eatery, near Le Morne Beach
We were frequently suggested Indian food by our host in Mauritius whenever we asked him what we could have for lunch/dinner.
“But we are Indians!” we’d scoff.
“Yes, but we make the best Indian food,” he’d reply with a knowing smile.
After tasting our way through several eateries, we had to admit—he wasn’t wrong. Every Indian dish that we had in Mauritius was absolutely delightful. If you are someone who craves home food while abroad, this country is the perfect place to be.
One restaurant that stood out on our way back from Le Morne Beach was Wapalam Island Eatery, which served the biggest and freshest fried calamari I had ever tasted. The prawn curry was irresistibly delicious, too. Highly recommended!
Prawn curry meal at Wapalam Island Eatery
Biryani and grilled chicken at Nayaz Briyani
I am someone who usually avoids having biryani abroad, since we have enough of our own in Bengaluru. Not another biryani, please. Even today I am baffled yet grudgingly pleased at how I ended up having that in Mauritius!
We were running late for the airport to catch our return flight but still wanted to have a quick lunch outside and not in the airport. Local food till the end – was my motto! Our driver suggested a restaurant serving biryani that was located just a few minutes away from the airport.
“Would their service be fast?”
At that point I didn’t care much for the biryani.
As it turned out, not only was the service at Nayaz Briyani fast, but it also served an amazing chicken biryani and some truly finger-licking grilled chicken. Parcels of food were flying off the counter, as the manager rattled off orders to the kitchen. The scene was not much different from back home—I realized that biryani lovers are a serious bunch everywhere.
Grilled chicken
Chicken biryani at Nayaz
If you prefer dining close to the airport, stress-free, this place could be that.
More cool things worth knowing
We noticed that at almost every meal we were served a small bowl of green chutney. A dash of it with our food and its bold, tangy taste completely changed the flavour profile, elevating it manifold. Known as Piment Crazé, this condiment is basically a crushed green chili paste made with fresh green chilies, garlic, salt, and a whole lemon (or lime). Its taste was unlike anything I had ever experienced, yet it felt oddly familiar — you could identify the ingredients, but it wasn’t something we had back home. I was incredibly tempted to bring a bottle of this piquant accompaniment with me, but the fear of it breaking or leaking in my luggage held me back.
A spicy, zesty bowl of Piment Crazé
Another fun experience that you shouldn’t miss while in Mauritius is enjoying ice cream from its colourful beachside trucks. We found it wonderfully refreshing to treat ourselves with an ice-cream when the sun cranked up its voltage. Compared to restaurant desserts, these ice creams were budget-friendly and came in a variety of flavours, from classic vanilla and chocolate to tropical delights like coconut and mango. So, when you are on the beach there, do get an ice cream from one of these cute trucks.
Chocolate ice-cream from one of the beachside ice-cream trucks
And there you have it — my favourite foods in Mauritius! Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the island’s vast culinary landscape. With each culture leaving its own delicious imprint, there is something to satisfy every palate. One thing is for sure—you will be treated to some of the most sumptuous food in Mauritius. Enjoy!
PS: I paid with my credit card at most places, except for the ice-cream trucks.
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