Seychelles Food Drinks + Restaurants

Seychelles food hasn’t yet made its way to the global stage.

You won’t likely find a Seychellois restaurant in your hometown, or a Seychelles popup making waves in your local street food scene.

But that doesn’t mean the food from this tiny archipelagic nation isn’t wonderful.

The Republic of Seychelles is an archipelago comprised of 115 islands, the largest is Mahe island. They are located in the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean next to Africa.

These tropical islands are surrounded by dense coral reefs and blessed with a plethora of spices.

It’s no surprise to see Indian and African flavours, as well as seafood dishes and spicy curries, feature prominently on the menu here.

Seychellois cuisine has been historically influenced by more than just India though.

The British, French, and Spanish also left their mark on recipes in the country, as did the Africans and Chinese.

Today you’ll find curries and dhals that make use of coconut milk and spices such as lemongrass, coriander, ginger, and tamarind.

You’ll also find unique desserts made from local cassava, plantain, and sweet potatoes.

The staple in Seychelles cuisine is still traditional meat or fish-based curry and rice dishes. But pretty much any dish concocted from the bounties of the sea near Seychelles will likely blow you away.

It is said that Seychelles has some of the best-tasting seafood in the world.And once you have one of their perfectly prepared grilled fish or delicious seafood platters, you’ll likely see why.

If you’re an angler, you’ll know that ocean fly fishing in Seychelles is world-renowned.

So perhaps you can even catch your own fish meal. Then have it cooked up at one of the local restaurants or by your guide!

I’m going to share with you the absolute best Seychellois food. Maybe outside this island, you’ll be able to find a great restaurant serving up a tasty Kari Sousouri or Ladob near you.

Otherwise, you’ll just have to visit the Republic and taste it for yourself.

Seychelles Food

Here’s a list of 10 delicious Seychelles dishes that you have to try while you’re in the country.

There isn’t really a “National Dish” of Seychelles, but if there were it would probably be a fish curry.

Despite the overwhelming number of curries found throughout the country, it’s still worth trying some of the less common dishes.

1. Pwason Griye (Grilled Fish)

You can never go wrong with a tasty grilled fish and in Seychelles. You’ll find them in restaurants, at local markets, and being cooked up on the beach.

The favourite fish for a truly local Pwason Griye is a red snapper (bourzwa) or the local rabbitfish (kordonnyen).

This is another dish that you’ll commonly find at street markets and celebrations around the island. But it’s such a simple recipe.

The fish is simply cooked over the coals of a hot fire or in a blazing hot oven. It is doused with chilies.

The Pwason Griye is notoriously a very spicy dish. So if your tastebuds can’t handle the Seychellois heat, be sure to tell the chef.

2. Rougay Sosis (Sausage Rougay)

This is a very common dish in Seychelles and is one that everyone should try. As the name suggests, this is a sausage based dish.

But what makes it so special is the high-quality coarsely cut sausage. It is commonly used with a thick, rich tomato sauce typically heavily spiced with ginger, garlic, and chilies.

The secret to a good Sosis Rougay is the sausage used. Typically there is one of two types of sausages found in a good Rougay.

Either the local Creole sausage (‘Sosis Kreol’) or a tasty Salted sausage (‘Sosis Sale’).

Both of these are quite salty sausages, so little seasoning is needed in order to really create a rich flavour.

3. Salad Zourit and Pwason Fimen (Octopus & Smoked Fish Salad)

This dish is the perfect light appetizer to enjoy on a hot day on the beach in Seychelles. It’s light, smokey, and has a fantastic crunchy texture.

It’s not as exotic as shark chutney with fresh shark meat but it is delicious.

The salad is prepared using boiled octopus or smoked fish. It is all tossed together with fresh green peppers, onions, tomato, and sometimes fresh greens.

Boiled octopus or smoked fish mixed with green peppers (capsicum), fresh tomatoes, and onions.

Like other local food, you can create your own version by adding more fresh greens if you so desire.

For added crunch, sometimes you’ll find grated cabbage in the salad as well.

4. Kari Koko Zourit (Octopus Curry)

Don’t go to Seychelles after watching “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix.

The country’s cuisine features the 8-legged mollusk in many of its best dishes. One of the best octopus meals to have here is the delicious Kari Koko Zourit.

This is a dish loved by locals and tourists alike. At a Seychellois celebration like a wedding or a national holiday, you’ll likely find this traditional Creole dish on the menu.

Octopus is cut into small chunks and then slow-cooked in rich coconut milk. It is then flavoured with a blend of local herbs and spices including garlic, curry leaves, cinnamon, fresh ginger, saffron, masala, turmeric, hot chilies, and of course curry powder.

Usually, the dish is served with fluffy basmati rice, chili relish, and papaya chutney.

5. Boulet Pwason ek Friyapen (Breadfruit Fish Balls)

I lived in Grenada in the West Indies for a few years and breadfruit is a favorite side there as well. But they don’t do anything like the delicious Boulet Pwason ek Friyapen found in Seychelles.

Breadfruit is a pretty difficult starch to explain to someone who’s never seen or tasted one before.

But basically, it’s a massive fruit that comes off of the breadfruit tree. It’s a very heavy starch that when mashed. It is very common in the Caribbean and Latin America.

It is kind of like a mix between plantain and potato.

Not only is it delicious, but also useful. It is almost always emptied out and used as bowls as well.

Boulet Pwason ek Friyapen is a truly Creole, island-life recipe. It’s a unique dish that is typically eaten with rice and a Satini Fisiter (apple chutney).

The breadfruit is mashed up and mixed with fish, herbs, and spices and then deep-fried. It makes a delicious fishball similar to the cod cakes found in Portugal and Atlantic Canada, but with a slightly different texture and taste thanks to the breadfruit.

6. Pwason Sale (Salt Fish)

Another Creole favourite, there are entire songs made after saltfish.

Of course, the history of saltfish dates back to the days before proper refrigeration. During this time the only way to preserve fish was using massive amounts of salt.

The tradition stuck and today Pwason Sale is one of the favorite dishes in Seychelles cuisine.

The fish is doused in a large amount of salt and then left to sundry for hours on end. Before cooking, the fish is soaked to rehydrate it and remove some of the excess salt.

It is used in many typical Seychelles foods including in a Rougay or in a curry.

However you get a Pwason Sale, it’s one dish you can’t miss while you’re in the country.

7. Roasted Breadfruit

The deep-fried breadfruit fish balls are probably my favorite way to eat this delicious fruit.

However, the simplest way is to simply toss full breadfruit on the embers of a fire.

This is how many people in Seychelles enjoy eating them when they’re having a beach cookout.

The thick outer skin of the fruit protects the starchy interior. When it’s sufficiently blackened and roasted, you can break it apart with your hands.

Simply take out chunks of the fluffy inside and eat it like that.

It’s best to have a bit of salt and pepper on hand. This helps really get the most out of the flavour when cooking it this way.

You can also order it done on the fire at some restaurants. It will often be served with as a side with chutney or something else to dip it in.

8. Kari Bonit (Bonito Curry)

Here’s another very spicy fish dish that you’ll find in Seychelles. But when it’s done right a Kari Bonit can be phenomenal.

Most of them are made using thick chunks of smoky bonito and a fiery blend of curry leaves, chilies, cardamom, peppercorns, curry powder, and turmeric.

9. Ladob (Banana in Coconut Milk)

If there was one national dessert in Seychelles, it would likely be Ladob.

There are around 2 dozen different species of bananas found in the archipelago. It is not surprising that they’re a key ingredient in a lot of the best Seychellois dishes.

The Ladob is likely the most iconic banana dish and it’s incredibly delicious. Take a banana, cover it generously in coconut milk and sugar. Then cook it on high heat until it becomes a hot lava of sweet banana goodness.

Trust me, you won’t want to miss a Ladob in Seychelles.

10. Bat Curry

When I first saw bat curry on a menu, I thought it was a spin on Dahl Bat from Nepal or something.

I couldn’t have imagined that it was an actual fruit bat cooked into a curry dish.

If you’ve seen the Hollywood Movie Anchorman 2, then you’ll know that Champ Kind calls them “the chicken of the cave”.

I’m not sure I agree with that sentiment. But if you’re looking to try something truly bizarre to western taste, then give this popular delicacy a go.

Seychelles Drinks

Not surprisingly, there are some fantastic cocktails and tasty refreshments found throughout the country.

Most of the alcoholic drinks will feature rum. But there are some other great drinks to try while you’re in Seychelles.

Enjoy a cocktail or non-alcoholic drink at sunset while listening to live music using some of Seychelle’s traditional instruments, like the violin and the banjo.

Palm Wine

Palm Wine or Calou is a very traditional drink on the islands.

If Bat Curry is the most loved dish amongst the Seychellois, then likely Calou is the favourite drink.

If you’re ever walking around the country and you notice a bottle or two hanging high in a palm tree.

It’s not there by accident. This is being used to make palm wine.

If you want to try some Palm Wine in a controlled setting, head to the Praslin Museum on Praslin island.

Rum

Takamaka Rum is one of the main rum brands on the islands. It has been distilled and blended at the Trois Frères Distillery on Mahé island since 2002.

You’ll find many Seychelles drinks throughout the country featuring rum.

SeyBrew Beer

This is the most popular brand of beer on the island. You’ll find it in bottles and cans in pretty much every restaurant, grocery store, and small corner store in the country.

Fresh Juices

115 islands blessed with so many tropical fruits including mangoes, coconuts, papayas, guavas, passion fruits, melons, jackfruit, starfruit, soursop, pineapples, oranges, grapefruits, and more than 20 types of bananas…

It’s really no surprise that Seychelles has fantastic fresh juices.

If you’re looking to hydrate in a healthy way, order these at the local restaurants, hotel or guest house.

Coconut Water

Need to tend to a hangover after a long night of drinking rum and palm wine?

Order yourself a fresh coconut and enjoy the magical hydration of nature.

Coconuts and coco water are found on most menus and in many stores around the country.

Best Restaurants in Seychelles

Well, we’ve listed a huge variety of dishes already in this post, including some that may not be to everyone’s taste.

Some that are so spicy they may leave you with no taste buds left, but where do you find these incredible dishes?

Here’s a list of some of the best restaurants in Seychelles to taste some of these unique and delicious meals.

Marie Antoinette

If you’re really in the market for a bat curry, then this will likely be the restaurant you want to visit.

But don’t worry, Marie Antoinette Restaurant also serves up some more palatable dishes like eggplant fritters and tangy mango salad.

Les Rochers

For fresh local seafood dishes, you can’t miss this non-descript hot spot on Praslin Island.

The restaurant itself was built using only traditional island methods and materials and the food comes out the same way.

Les Laurier

Probably the single best Creole-style buffet restaurant in the country, Les Laurier is located on Praslin Island in an eco-resort by the same name.

Friendly Edwin heads the grill here and serves customers consistently delicious seafood dishes using local ingredients.

Don’t miss the grilled red snapper and get your filling on the tasty Creole-influenced side salads.

Bonbon Plume

If you’re looking for a world-class restaurant on a world-class beach ]this place is located on Anse Lazio, arguably the nicest beach on Earth.

This is another spot that serves up delicious local Creole-inspired dishes. The spicy curries are to die for and so is the location.

Final Thoughts: Food in Seychelles

The beaches in Seychelles will take your breath away. But the food can take you on a cultural journey through the history and international influence that this island nation has endured and persevered.

Food is a big part of how the people of Seychelles socialize, celebrate and spend time with family. This will make it a big part of your trip to the island.

You’ll have a better appreciation and understanding of not just the cuisine here, but the culture as well. Enjoy!