ExploFood · Oceania
What to eat in Fiji
Five dishes to try in Fiji, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Fiji
Kokoda
Raw fish marinated in lime and coconut cream with chilli and vegetables.
How to have it: A Fijian lunch staple; town cafés and resorts often serve it in a coconut shell.
Lovo
Meat, fish and root crops wrapped in leaves and cooked in an underground oven.
How to have it: Made for feasts and Sundays; many resorts hold lovo nights for guests.
Kava Yaqona
Earthy, mildly numbing drink of ground kava root mixed with water.
How to have it: Bring kava root as a sevusevu gift when visiting a village; clap once before you drink.
Palusami
Taro leaves wrapped around coconut cream, often with corned beef, then baked.
How to have it: Often cooked in the lovo; ask for the onion-only version if you want it vegetarian.
Roti and curry
Flatbread with chicken, goat or vegetable curry from the Indo-Fijian kitchen.
How to have it: Indian cafés in Suva, Nadi and Lautoka sell roti parcels for a cheap lunch.
What to eat next door
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Questions
What food is Fiji famous for?
Kokoda (raw fish marinated in lime and coconut cream with chilli and vegetables) comes first on our list, followed by Lovo, Kava, Palusami and Roti and curry.
What is the national dish of Fiji?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Fiji is Kokoda: raw fish marinated in lime and coconut cream with chilli and vegetables. A Fijian lunch staple; town cafés and resorts often serve it in a coconut shell.
Which dishes in Fiji are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Kava. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What do people drink in Fiji?
Kava: earthy, mildly numbing drink of ground kava root mixed with water.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.