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What to eat in Mauritius

Five dishes to try in Mauritius, the most typical first. Three are vegetarian.

Five dishes to try in Mauritius

  1. Dholl puri

    Street foodVegetarian

    Thin flatbread stuffed with ground split peas, rolled around bean curry and chutney.

    How to have it: The island's favourite street food; buy a pair at Port Louis market stalls in the morning.

    Read about Dholl puri on Wikipedia

  2. Rougaille

    Main dish

    Creole tomato sauce with garlic, thyme and chilli, cooked with sausage, fish or salt fish.

    How to have it: A home-cooking staple served with rice, lentils and chutney.

    Read about Rougaille on Wikipedia

  3. Briani

    Main dish

    Spiced rice layered with potatoes and chicken, beef or mutton.

    How to have it: Cooked in huge pots for weddings; local snack bars sell it by the plate at lunch.

    Read about Briani on Wikipedia

  4. Gateau piment

    SnackVegetarian

    Small fried balls of split peas, chilli and herbs.

    How to have it: Sold hot by street vendors, often stuffed into a buttered baguette as a cheap snack.

    Read about Gateau piment on Wikipedia

  5. Alouda

    DrinkVegetarian

    Sweet cold milk drink with basil seeds, agar jelly and vanilla.

    How to have it: Get a glass at Port Louis central market; ask for an ice cream topping.

    Read about Alouda on Wikipedia

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Questions

What food is Mauritius famous for?

Dholl puri (thin flatbread stuffed with ground split peas, rolled around bean curry and chutney) comes first on our list, followed by Rougaille, Briani, Gateau piment and Alouda.

What is the national dish of Mauritius?

Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Mauritius is Dholl puri: thin flatbread stuffed with ground split peas, rolled around bean curry and chutney. The island's favourite street food; buy a pair at Port Louis market stalls in the morning.

Which dishes in Mauritius are vegetarian?

Three of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Dholl puri, Gateau piment and Alouda. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.

What street food should I try in Mauritius?

Dholl puri (thin flatbread stuffed with ground split peas, rolled around bean curry and chutney).

What do people drink in Mauritius?

Alouda: sweet cold milk drink with basil seeds, agar jelly and vanilla.

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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Dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.