Visiting Seychelles in itself is as we have said a million times on this blog- the adventure of a lifetime. The islands, located perfectly in the Southern Hemisphere for you to enjoy a mild weather all year round with the warm sun and sandy white beaches creating a paradisiacal atmosphere with some great hotels in Seychelles. Being of such great diversity, visiting the Seychelles affords you to visit volcanic and granitic islands through island hopping. Not only that but Seychelles is also home to many endemic species which it covets such as the coco de mer or the commonly known long-necked tortoise. But honestly, your visit is never complete without the complete experience of the Seychellois gastronomy with its varied menus and cuisines from around the world.
La Grande Maison
Located in Takamaka Bay, this is one of the best places you could go to for a fine dining experience. It is modern with a beautiful setting and you can even eat on the veranda if you feel like it. The menu varies according to the Chef who is Christine. She is a well renowned figure around the area for her exquisite cuisine. So, prepare yourself for one great experience. The restaurant is so well admired that all of its reviews so far on its facebook page has been 5* ratings! People rave about how positive their dining experience end up being at La Grande Maison and you definitely don’t want to miss out on anything! The Chef is also often complimented on her good wine choosing skills- this is the one place in Seychelles where you can leave everything up to the chef and be assured that you will be leaving the restaurant with a more than satisfied tummy and a smile of satisfaction. We recommend that you book before going as the servers will make special arrangements at no cost and even welcome you and your companions with a special Takamaka drink, courtesy of the chef! You will not even need to worry about the food quality. Rest assured, it is definitely top notch- with organic and local ingredients, Chef Christine seeks to dazzle you with a modern cuisine with a twist!
The restaurant is known to add local specialties such as lime and bilimbi to add some zest to the dish and wow your palate since bilimbi is an exotic taste that you have to try for yourself. You will most certainly love it. The restaurant is also proud of its friendly and welcoming atmosphere, catering to many locals and expats who drop in for a casual lunch which you can be part of or a classy lunch to woo your significant other- La Grande Maison has everything you need. Whether it’s date night or just another day, this is where you will want to return again and again for excellent wine choice and fabulous service. While we suggest trying to have a meal at every good restaurant you can find, most people end up returning there several times during their holidays, recognising the height of fine cuisine in good old Seychelles! The restaurant of course has its special menus, the dishes from which are always available irrespective of what the chef has chosen for the day due to how much customers adore old classics like the Creole Bouillabaisse or seafood au coco- yes, this is seafood served in a coconut. Don’t believe this is legit? Check it out yourself on your next visit to the Seychelles!
Cafe des Arts
Cafe des Arts defines its cuisine as international, serving a fusion of Seychelles’ all times favourites in a fusion of inspirational dishes from all around the world to present a mouthwatering end product to its customers. Located near the beach in Praslin, le Cafe des Arts is more than often cited as the best culinary experiences the island has to offer. Not only does it have good food but lunch is served right on the beach itself with a rooftop area for those who want to relax with a scotch or one of the restaurant’s impressive cocktails. It is after all more than just a feast for your palate but an island adventure on its own! The service is described by most as irreproachable and one of the friendliest place on the island to eat at. The waiters and waitresses hardly ever refuse to small talk with customers, happy to discuss lively, making sure that the patrons of the day have an unforgettable time at this gem of a place. If not for the music which is always tasteful if not slightly corny and romantic at times, you can even hear the faraway waves, This place is dream worthy. Even if you are a fussy diner, le Cafe des Arts promises to meet and even exceed your expectations with its wide choice of seafood cooked in the most inventive and inspired way to please your palate. The catch is fresh, what else can you expect from a beachside restaurant in Seychelles? Expect the freshest fish and octopus on your plate whether you want an octopus gratin with pumpkin or a smoked fish smelling of freshly squeezed lemon juice with green herbs- you are guaranteed a good meal.
The menu varies of course to suit the availability of local produce. This ensures that you have some new things to taste if you are enamoured enough to become a regular. Not only the main menus but even the sauces and dips are impressive enough to appear on famous bloggers’ reviews of their time in the Seychelles- especially Cafe des Arts’ garlic and olive oil dip which has astounded many. As many would say though, don’t fill up with the mightily impressive food on your plate, Cafe des Arts has more coming. The restaurant takes great pride in its succulent selection of dessert, decadent cakes which will make your mouth water from a slight whiff of its sweet aroma as it’s brought to your table! Tell us what you think of it when you go to visit!
BoatHouse
Boathouse in Seychelles is what you are looking for if you love food and a lot of it as well! A buffet style restaurant, with self service- this is heaven for food lovers. On an average evening, the restaurant offers around or more than 20 classic creole dishes which are bound to seduce you. What’s not to adore about discovering new food? The food area is a little bit darker than most expect so prepare yourself for that but worry not, you will still be able to see what you are putting on your plate. It is simply that the place goes for a mostly rustic look to match the menus which are favourites to-go meals of the locals who also mightily love the Boathouse as a great place for family time dining. For the person who is unashamed to eat more than meagre portions, the restaurant is a good economic choice as well as it provides more than just value for money in such a case. Given how it’s self serve, you are free to determine how much you will want on your plate.
Though if you are new to the creole cuisine, there are servers who will be happy to guide you at your leisure. The staff is reputed for its friendliness and they serve with a smile, adding a nice touch to your dining experience. You are recommended to dress casual smart. Be classy but be comfy! The restaurant’s buffet is only open for dinner though- a fact to keep in mind but lunchers even stragglers are welcomed all day long to admire the view while enjoying a cocktail! Don’t miss out on their grilled fish specialty though! Most of the time it is tuna but on the good days, you might find yourself enjoying a nice red snapper with some fabulous sauces on the side! It is located on Beau Vallon Bay, much like Cafe des Arts, it is a beach side restaurant. The Boathouse even has a semi open dining area which keeps the place aerated with the marina breeze. If your hotel in Mahe is nearby, you can drop in for a light breakfast after having watched the sun rise during your morning walk. It has a wide selection of breakfast items ranging from full English breakfasts to crepes including less common flavours such as honey with nuts, banana and cinnamon or even ice cream. In my honest opinion, nothing can beat ice cream for breakfast so there you are, if you don’t try it at least once, it’s definitely going to be one major regret.
Chez Jules Restaurant
Chez Jules Restaurant started out small a few years back, owned by Jules who is also the Chef with his family helping out in the restaurant, it has now expanded having built a loyal and loving clientele which is the product of being served good food at relatively affordable prices. La Digue doesn’t have the most active of night life of all the Seychelles Islands, and Chez Jules is also quite far back- so if you are one of the few who decided to dine there, do not expect a big crowd. It is a quiet place with Jules the Chef serving his no menu items in the evening. So basically you are automatically signing up for a surprise by the chef. Well, it is very unlikely that you will be disappointed given the glowing reputation the restaurant has since its very conception! So, dive it, enjoy the traditional creole food prepared specially by the chef, somehow taking customers on great culinary adventures, a far contrast to the usual bland restaurants you may find with overpriced menus. Chez Jules welcomes children as well, unlike certain restaurants like Cafe des Arts which doesn’t allow children under 5 years old. Here your children can run around to play after dinner while you enjoy a nice coffee.
It is a very family friendly environment and very safe for everyone. Lunch is the time to go if you want the fancy eating parts with a choice between buffet lunch or a la carte menus. Chez Jules Restaurant prides itself in accommodating its customers and ensuring that they leave as happy and satisfied ones who will endeavour to come again. Traditional plates such as grilled fish with creole sauce with the zing of bilimbi as quasi all good restaurants like to put in the spotlight are among the beloved items of regulars. The chef also encourages customers to try new things which are unique to Seychelles or relatively unusual to foreigners such as his papaya smoothie or fresh mango juice among other crazy things that Jules comes up with which end up baffling most who do fall in love with these innovative menus. Many will miss the restaurant once they leave the island, it does grow on you. The food is fresh and delectable, octopus salad anyone? And the Chef is always happy to replace dishes which do not satisfy customers, so feel free to explore the menu. You will leave there pleasantly surprised!
Read more about the Seychellois Cuisine on our blog!
Lambousir Restaurant
You can’t pronounce the name? Don’t worry, most visitors can’t do that either! However, irrespective of confusing name or not, it is definitely the place to go if you desire some fantastic seafood. While most restaurants will feature seafood on their menus by default given its high availability and ease to acquire fresh seafood on a frequent basis, Lambousir Restaurant has made this part of the Seychelles Islands its speciality. Unpronounceable name and all, this is the place to be when it comes to great seafood dishes which will remain forever engraved in your memories. If you hadn’t guessed yet, it’s a lot of fish or octopus or shrimp or calamari, what ever floats your boat really! The usual entree would be a nice calamari crouistillant or deep fried until crispy fish depending on what is available on the day’s menu. Next you may move on to anything you want, soups or main course items such as tender grilled fish with spicy sauce doused on top. It is in all a great culinary experience, bringing you closer to Seychelles culture with such typically Seychellois food items. Seafood after all is the staple for most locals. Lambousir creates new twists to old dishes. Expect the delicious unexpected at Lambousir! Even the setting is design to take your breath away.
Lambousir Restaurant is found within the Union Estate and hence has a mesmerising sea view which can almost distract you from what’s on your plate! If you don’t feel like experimenting with some dish with a bizarre name, you can stick to a basic burger with chips on the side and maybe a salad to keep the appearance of being healthy! It is strongly recommended to remain on the seafood side of the menu given how that is in fact the speciality of the restaurant and thus other menus such as chicken sometimes do not satisfy the picky customer. Lambousir has found its way to please with its great view and great seafood dishes, let it mesmerise you as well. After that satisfying lunch, you can go rest or take a walk on the beach. Anse L’Argent is withing walking distance and you simply cannot leave Seychelles without having visited the most photographed beach on the planet to your heart’s content! And as usual, take a lot of pictures to bring home- it is not for nothing that Seychelles is known for being a little paradise, you definitely want to keep tangible memories of your time here!
