Mélange of Indian, Creole, and French on a granite paradise
People visit Seychelles for the breathtaking beaches. The food isn’t as amazing. It’s either generic food, like pizzas and fried chicken, or homegrown Creole food. No prizes for guessing which one is worth eating.
Seychellois Creole food is island food with Indian influences and a touch of French. In Africa, Creole refers to any person of mixed ancestry from Africa and colonial Europe. Americans may associate Creole with Louisiana, but it’s really spread out from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean.
The best place to get local food is on Mahé island because that’s where most of the population is. Unfortunately, it’s not where most tourists linger. They head to Praslin and La Digue, with more gorgeous landscapes and luxurious accommodations. So, this guide will cover those islands as well.
Creole feast at Marie Antoinette (Victoria, Mahé)
Marie Antoinette is the only upper-end Creole restaurant in Victoria, the diminutive capital of the country. Other Creole restaurants are mostly takeaways with little to encourage people to stay.
Their signature board is the thing to get. It gives a sample of different Seychellois Creole dishes. It’s too much food for one meal, so do what others do and pack home the leftovers.
Fish were prepared multiple ways. There was pan-fried tuna steak, which actually tasted like beef steak. It was smoky and marinated with soy sauce (8/10). The grilled red snapper was brushed with turmeric and sour tamarind but the meat itself was mild-tasting (7.5/10). The parrotfish and aubergine fritters was like a Seychellois fish and chips. Unfortunately, the batter had lost its crisp and had oil pooling on the dish. It could use a pinch of salt. On a postivie note, the fish flaked well and the aubergine was tender (6/10).
Thank goodness for the condiments. The creole salsa sauce was sweet with a rosemary and tomato tang. In contrast, the freshly-chopped chillies were fiery. They were multi-coloured and still seeded.
Unique to Seychelles is satini, which is a relish with grated fruits. Some versions have seafood. The one in the signature board was coconut satini. The onions, rosemary, turmeric, and grated cocount in it were a winning combination (8/10). The “local fruit chutney” was some sort of pickled onion and grated root. It was oddly gummy and crunchy. Too sour for my liking (5/10). At the other end of the spectrum, the mango salad was like ceviche: smooth, bright, with some pungent red onions (8/10).
The chicken coconut curry reminded me of a Trinidadian curry. It as mild, well-salted, and had the distinct aroma of rosemary (8/10).
Also included were pedestrian salad greens (5/10) and rice.
The signature board is advertised for two people, but they can also make it for one person for half the price. Interestingly, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Marie Antoinette made fruit bat curry (a local delicacy) on occasion.
To be honest, the taste is slightly better than takeaways selling the same food at half the price. You’re really here for the atmosphere and the chance to try hard-to-find dishes like ladob (sweet potato and banana in coconut milk). Overall, 7.5/10.
Creole buffet at Les Lauriers (Anse Volbert, Praslin)
Creole buffets offer an opportunity to try a range of dishes. However, only a handful of restaurants offer them like The Boat House Restaurant (Beau Vallon, Mahé) and Les Lauriers. Unfotunately, I didn’t manage to try the buffet at Les Lauriers. If you’re interested, they have a dinner buffet on Saturdays and maybe Wednesdays. Check ahead.
Octopus curry at La Goulue (Anse Volbert, Praslin)
Seafood curries are the food highlight of Seychelles and nothing is more Seychellois than octopus curry. Almost all tourist-oriented Creole restaurants offer them. La Goulue is a well-appointed place to try this dish. It has ample outdoor seating with beach views of Anse Volbert.
Their octopus curry came with rice, sweet potato mash, and aubergine mash.
Of course, the star was the octopus curry. Chunks of tender octopus tentacles mixed with stewed vegetables in a coconut curry (8/10). As with all Seychellois food, it was not super spicy. The mashed root vegetables were also well-done: creamy with onion and sufficient seasonings (7.5/10).
They also have generic foods like fish and chips or spaghetti bolognese, but why would you pick those over Seychellois specialties?
Packed meals at local takeaways
Takeaway restaurants offer the best value for trying Seychellois cuisine. It’s authentic everyday food at half the price of touristy beachfront restaurants. The downside is that the ingredients may not be premium and it’s up to the chefs to decide what to cook. If you have your heart set on a specific dish, it’s better to go to a tourist restaurant. But if you’re ok with whatever is on sale on that day, packed meals are a great option for a picnic on the beach or a jungle trek.
The usual format is a hot table, filled with several specials of the day. Some lingo: “full” means packed to the brim, while “half” is a smaller portion. “Mix” means two main dishes; otherwise it’s just one main dish but a larger portion. For maximum sampling, go for a “full mix”.
A unique staple of Seychellois takeaways is “lentils”. It’s mashed lentils with onion, garlic, and ginger. Simple and fragrant. Get it as one of the sides of a takeaway meal. Fast food like fried chicken and chips or rougay sosis (chopped sausages in tomato sauce) is common too.
Fish curry at Rey and Josh Takeaway (Belle Vue, La Digue)
Fish curry is ubiquitous in the Seychelles and can be considered the national dish. It’s not as fiery as Indian or Southeast Asian versions. It’s often bright yellow from the liberal use of turmeric powder. Coconut milk helps tame the moderate level of spice.
Rey and Josh Takeaway is an affordable place on La Digue island to try fish curry and other humble Seychellois dishes.
The pieces of fish were on the overdone side but the curry flavour was textbook. Coriander and turmeric powder dominated. The accompanying salad was surprisingly refreshing. 7/10.
There are five benches with parasols, so dining at the location is possible.
Reken salé (salted shark) at Coco Rouge (Baie Ste Anne, Praslin)
Salted fish is another traditional ingredient used in many Seychellois dishes. I was lucky enough to come across reken salé (salted shark) at Coco Rouge.
Coco Rouge is actually known for their grilled seafood. The grill is placed in front of the restaurant, to attract drivers and passers-by on the main road.
They had kari koko reken salé (coconut curry of salted shark) when I visited.
The shark meat was firm and the curry was what I had come to expect from Seychellois fish curries: mild, runny, and with lots of turmeric and coriander. 7.5/10. Coco Rouge also bakes sweet treats like banana bread and coconut cookies.
Koson salé (salted pork) at Gala Takeaway (La Réunion, La Digue)
Continuing on the theme of salted meats, some places even have koson salé (salted pork). I suppose preserved meats are a staple because being small islands far away from the mainland, it’s critical to ensure a steady food supply.
When I visited Gala Takeaway in La Digue, the special of the day happened to be salted pork curry.
It tasted like regular pork, just tougher. The curry had the same flavour profile as fish curries. 6.5/10.
Gala Takeaway is one of the popular takeaways that’s patronized by locals and tourists. Perhaps it’s because it has a larger menu than others and features local cuisine.
Roasts and stir-frys at Papagalo (Victoria, Mahé)
Papagalo is the nicest looking takeaway in Victoria. It’s popular with the lunchtime crowd from nearby government offices.
Their food is standard: roast chicken, chilli fish (battered fish pieces covered in mildly spicy sauce), chow mein, and the like. 6/10.
Lentils at Eve Restaurant (Baie Ste Anne, Praslin)
Off the main road traversed by tourists, Eve Restaurant caters to residents of Praslin. There were only 4 dishes when I visited, which isn’t unusual for takeaways. The honey pork was slightly overcooked but tasted fine. The best part were the smooth and savoury lentils, one of the best I’ve had on this trip. 6.5/10.
This takeaway is a hole-in-the-wall but they have a spiffy indoor dining area and a verandah for outdoor dining.
Creole breads at Lailam Bakery (Victoria, Mahé)
Lailam Bakery is a venerable bakery established in 1952. It closed for 10 years in 2011 but has since reopened. Good thing because it’s surprisingly difficult to find Creole baked goods elsewhere in Seychelles.
The bakery was founded by Cantonese immigrants, which may explain why the buns look and taste like those from Hong Kong bakeries. But with a Seychellois twist, like the mafelicie, a dinner roll topped with pink grated coconut and sugar (6.5/10). The danishes are popular here, but don’t expect authentic European ones. They don’t have many layers in the pastry, so think of them as adapted danishes.
Where to get Seychellois food in Toronto
There are no Seychellois restaurants in Toronto. In fact, it’s almost impossible to find Seychellois restaurants outside the Seychelles. The closest cuisine is South Indian.
Conclusion
Local cuisine exists in the Seychelles but you have to make the effort to seek them out over French, Italian, and generic American food geared towards tourists. Seychellois cuisine is not a standout compared to other world cuisines. However, if you’re already in the country, it’s still worth it to try fish curries and go to a takeaway to experience local life.
Practical information
Marie Antoinette
- Rating
- 7.5/10
- Prices
- Signature board for one person: 450 SCR
- Address
- Western end of Revolution Avenue, Victoria, Mahé. 500m walk from the city’s clock tower.
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday: 1200h – 1500h; 1800h – 2200h
- Date of visit
- May 2022
Les Lauriers
- Address
- Middle of Cote d’Or Esplanade, Anse Volbert, Praslin.
- Hours
- 1230h – 2230h; Wednesday from 1930h
- Date of visit
- May 2022
La Goulue
- Rating
- 8/10
- Prices
- Octopus curry: 300 SCR
- Address
- Opposite Cote d’Or bus stop, Anse Volbert, Praslin.
- Hours
- Tuesday to Sunday: 0900h – 1430h; 1800h – 2130h
- Date of visit
- May 2022
Rey and Josh Takeaway
- Rating
- 7/10
- Prices
- Fish curry: 70 SCR
- Address
- Before the turn-off uphill to Belle Vue, La Digue. Past the eastern end of Veuve Nature Reserve.
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday: 1200h – 2000h
- Date of visit
- May 2022
Coco Rouge
- Rating
- 7.5/10
- Prices
- Kari koko reken salé: 95 SCR
- Address
- On the coastal road before the turn-off to Vallée de Mai, Baie Ste Anne, Praslin.
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday: 1130h – 2100h
- Date of visit
- May 2022
Gala Takeaway
- Rating
- 6.5/10
- Prices
- Full mix of salted pork curry and vegetable curry: 90 SCR
- Address
- At the western end of Veuve Nature Reserve, La Réunion, La Digue.
- Hours
- Monday to Saturday: 0900h – 2000h
- Date of visit
- May 2022
Papagalo
- Rating
- 6/10
- Prices
- Half mix of chicken oyster and chilli fish: 75 SCR
- Address
- Francis Rachel Street, Victoria, Mahé. 100m south of the city’s clock tower.
- Hours
- Monday to Thursday: 0730h – 2130h
Friday to Saturday: 0730h – 2230h - Date of visit
- May 2022
Eve Restaurant
- Rating
- 6.5/10
- Prices
- Half mix of honey pork and lentils: 75 SCR
- Address
- Eve Island, Baie Ste Anne, Praslin. 300m southeast from the bridge to the island.
- Hours
- 1130h – 1500h; 1800h – 2130h
- Date of visit
- May 2022
Lailam Bakery
- Rating
- 6.5/10
- Prices
- Mafelicie: 7 SCR
- Address
- Benezet Street midway between Market Street and Revolution Avenue, Victoria, Mahé.
- Hours
- Monday to Friday: 0630h – 1730h
Saturday: 0630h – 1400h - Date of visit
- May 2022