How to choose the best restaurant to go to in Mauritius

One of the joys of traveling is eating the local food. This is especially true when visiting Mauritius and discovering the large selection of restaurants, cuisines and delicacies.

If it is your first visit to Mauritius, it may be a little bit difficult to eat out and find a restaurant to your taste, as it would be in any new place. What are the criteria you should follow in order to know if a restaurant is a good one? To know for sure can be quite difficult and requires some research whilst also basing your decision on reviews and recommendations.

If the restaurant is empty you should ask whether it is empty because it is very expensive or because the food is not good.

Top tips at picking out the best restaurant

Consider the criteria mentioned below as well as trust your instincts.It can make the difference between having a wonderful surprise or a bad meal.

Is the restaurant clean?

If the restaurant does not look clean, than the kitchen is probably not clean and you should definitely not eat there. However a restaurant that looks nice on the outside may be misleading. You’d better not solely rely on the exterior or the décor of a restaurant to assess the level of food and service.

Is there a good smell of food in the air?

If you don't smell the scent of food in the air, it probably means either they have excellent ventilation or in some cases you are going to be served leftovers or food that is not fresh. Follow your senses and instincts when deciding whether to eat there.

How many customers eating there?

If the restaurant is empty you should ask whether it is empty because it is very expensive or because the food is not good. If people inside only drink and do not eat anything, than maybe the food is not a good. Don’t forget to consider the time of day- you can’t expect a packed restaurant on an early Monday morning.

What does the menu offer and much variety of food is there?

Make sure to have a look at the menu displayed on the outside before going in – check the selection, the prices, the cuisine etc. If you go with a group of people, the menu should offer a variety of dishes to satisfy the tastes of everyone. It is also worth noting that speciality restaurants do not offer a variety of cuisines, ie. a steakhouse pro

bably won't serve vegetarian options or seafood.

What is the price range?

Good food does not necessarily mean breaking into your saving account at the bank and emptying out your wallet. It is easy to find good meals for decent prices in Mauritius, such as at family-owned restaurants. Expensive meals do not always mean good food.

Is there parking?

If you or your guests are arriving by car, make sure that there is parking place close by or even at the restaurant. If you won’t be driving there, it is also worth considering the location and whether it can be easily found.

Choosing a restaurant due to the popularity is one of the best criteria, however it must not be the only one!

Does the restaurant cater for special requests?

Check if the restaurant can follow your special requests - is it offering healthy dishes, low salt dishes, no monosodium glutamate, vegetarian dishes, Halal etc. This is important if you or one of your group has allergies, special dietary requests or other needs.

Should you make a reservation?

Call ahead to find out if a reservation is required and make sure you do so when needed. There’s nothing more disheartening then going out hungry and finding out that you have to wait 2 hours to get a table.

Ask the local Mauritians for their recommendations

You will often get the best advice from the locals you meet. Ask some locals for their recommendations on the best places to eat. With that, keep in mind that they may recommend local places to dine out, rather than restaurants offering international and more upscale food. You can also try and have a good look on the streets at lunch or dinner time - just observe and see where the locals are heading.

Check out the popularity of a restaurant in Mauritius

Usually a popular restaurant means that the food is good and also fresher, as it requires a daily supply. Of course this is not certain because a restaurant could be popular due to its location (this is usually applicable in Port Louis, Grand Baie, Pereybere, Flic en Flac and near tourist attractions), or if the restaurant is very cheap and focuses on low prices rather than on quality. Choosing a restaurant due to the popularity is one of the best criteria, however it must not be the only one!

Check out the Best Restaurants page

If all that seems like too much work and research for you, then you can simply check out our Best Restaurants page and see which restaurants made the list. User reviews have been validated by the Restaurants.mu Team in order to rank the best restaurants in Mauritius, based on food, service and customer satisfaction.

Following these simple criteria will increase your chances of finding a good restaurant.

So enjoy, and bon appetit :-)

Table Etiquette

Ordering food in Mauritius

If you see an unfamiliar dish on the menu, or you want some information about any food served, just ask the waiter about it. The Mauritian waiters are known for their good service and they are always willing to explain what are the main ingredients of the dishes and how they are prepared.

Traveling with children in Mauritius

In Mauritius and Rodrigues, no one really minds children fussing throughout the meal. You will often find that the parents just raise their voices accordingly to be heard over their kids or might tell their kids to quiet down.