What to eat Mayotte? culinary specialties and gastronomy

Most restaurants only open at lunchtime for workers, especially in Mamoudzou, so always phone ahead if you are going to a remote area. Lunchtime services start early, around 11am, either on the spot or to take away, and there is often not much left after 12.30pm except in the tourist restaurants less frequented by locals. You will notice that at 2pm no one serves you anymore, and the same goes for the evening, try to eat between 6pm and 8pm otherwise you will not have any choice.

Since most restaurants are frequented by expatriates or transient workers who generally earn a good salary, the quality/price ratio is not always optimal. Expect to pay around €15-20 for a dish. Those on a tight budget will turn to street vendors, mamas brochettis or markets, where you can find meat brochettes and starchy foods (manioc, breadfruit, green bananas) for a few euros. Beware, very few restaurants accept credit cards, so remember to have cash on hand when leaving Mamoudzou.

Tipping is not common in Mayotte, but you can innovate!

The locals, mainly men, like to meet around the mamas brochettis at dusk on the roadside. Despite the absence of public lighting, these informal meeting places are easily found by the light of the small brazier on which the mbawas crackle.

The sanitary conditions on the island are not always equal to those in mainland France. To avoid intestinal disturbances, avoid drinking tap water after heavy rains or during cyclones (or at any time if you are sensitive). Last minute information on possible warnings can be found on the website or Facebook page of the Prefecture.

Mayotte could be called the island of children, they are everywhere and very independent. You will see children as tall as three apples walking alone, hitchhiking, going to buy food, on the beach, on the stadiums. Youth is everywhere, and for good reason the average age on the archipelago is 23 years. Your children will be welcomed everywhere on the island, and can even be an icebreaker to start a conversation with strangers.

Very few people smoke in Mayotte, so be careful not to disturb your non-smoking table neighbours.

Bakeries, pastry shops and snack bars open early, often around 6 or 7 in the morning, as it is common to have breakfast on the terrace before starting a working day. Consequently, they also close early, around 4 or 5 pm, and very few are open in the evening. Be prepared.

The prices of pastries and desserts are the same as in mainland France but there are fewer addresses, especially as the local cuisine is more salty than sweet. Think about cash when you are outside Mamoudzou. More and more entrepreneurs are starting to create cafés or tea rooms with Anglo-Saxon influences with cookies, cupcakes or muffins. We like it.

The regulations for the sale of alcohol are the same as in mainland France. Note that Mayotte is a Muslim country, so alcohol is less present than in mainland France, especially on the public highway. Be sure to behave in a respectful way.

The advantage of an island is that (almost) everywhere you are, the sunset will be magnificent. If you are in the west, you will have the pleasure of seeing the orange disc disappear under the surface of the water and, everywhere else, you will see the sky and by echo the surface of the sea tinted with a thousand colors. Every evening the show repeats itself, always slightly different, and always as captivating. The restaurateurs know this and most of the seaside snack bars and restaurants offer cocktail-dinner packages at sunset to enjoy the view. A must.

Children are accepted in all establishments.

The prices of drinks and aperitifs are often higher than in mainland France, so we tend to drink less, but the view and the decor often make the bill much more pleasant.