Dining out in the Seychelles can be a romantic, relaxing and exotic experience. However, it can also be a rather pricey affair, especially if you opt to eat in restaurants attached to some of the larger hotels.
That said, it is possible to find more budget-friendly restaurants and eateries if you look carefully. Wherever you choose, it's more than likely to have a great view of the sea.
When to Eat / Opening Hours
Most restaurants are open the whole day, serving both lunches and evening meals. Larger hotel restaurants are open throughout the day, from 07:30 in the morning, when breakfast is served, to 21:30, following dinner service.
Smaller dining establishments tend to open from 12:30 to 15:00 for lunch and then from 19:00 to 21:30 or 22:00 for dinner, while pool-side bars usually serve light meals or snacks from 09:00 in the morning until 18:00 in the early evening.
What to Eat
In the Seychelles, the cuisine tends to be mainly a mixture of French and Indian traditions. Curry is a staple dish - its distinctive flavour often comes from the addition of coconut milk, as well as spices such as turmeric, cumin and coriander. Other commonly used ingredients include fish and seafood, as you'd expect from an island nation.
Chicken, breadfruit and exotic fruits also frequently appear in dishes. Popular meals include 'daube', a French-influenced stew, 'carli coco', a fish and coconut milk curry and 'rougaille', which has tomatoes as the main ingredient. Most meals are accompanied by rice.
Where to Eat
The islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue offer the best choice when it comes to dining. These include resort hotel restaurants, such as the Legend within the Lémuria Resort, which has a refined atmosphere. There are also those more reasonably priced eateries that cater mainly for tourists, such as Lounge 8 on Mahé. These tend to provide a wide variety of Creole and international dishes.
Head away from restaurants in the main tourist areas of the Seychelles and you're more likely to encounter more in the way of local cuisine. Smaller hotels tend to offer a good selection of food for those with a more adventurous budget or on a modest budget. Dining menus may include Indian and traditional meals, although fast-food and snack options are also usually available. Mid-week buffets may also be an option.
Beachside dining comes into its own in the Seychelles. Here, you're more likely to find locally inspired food, particularly dishes made using freshly caught seafood. More unusual dishes include octopus and parrot fish steaks.
Dining out at restaurants located within the luxury island resorts of the Seychelles can be quite an experience. The Cerf Island Resort's '1756' Restaurant, for example, is exquisitely situated atop cliffs overlooking the sea and has a fine dining menu based on both traditional Creole and international cuisine.
