Discover Mauritian street food with the locals

Discover a taste of Mauritius on this street food tour of Port Louis. We begin at 9am with a walk along the waterfront into the historic heart of the capital. Port Louis has a very rich history, with beautiful Creole architecture. Throughout the tour, I’ll point out important landmarks including the fort, theatre and statue of our nation’s father, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. You’ll also visit the Aapravasi Ghat area, a UNESCO site where Indian labourers settled when they came to work in Mauritius.

Our first food stop is Chinatown, which is especially pretty when there’s a festival on with lion dancing, lanterns and red decorations which are thought to ward off evil spirits. We’ll get to sample typical Chinese snacks which are made with a lot of glutenous rice and sugar (moon cakes are a favourite) and meet the warm, welcoming residents of Chinatown.

Next, we explore the central market, which is a feast for the eyes. There are colourful displays of fruit and vegetables, including unusual varieties like the pear-shaped christophine. There are also crafts and spices; guests often buy vanilla as a souvenir, which is grown widely in Mauritius and used for desserts and our famous vanilla chicken. You’ll get to meet the local traders and try everything from chilli bites to fried noodles, fritters and dumplings, washed down with refreshing lime or tamarind juice and coconut water.

I’d recommend this tour because it gives you a taste of our diverse culture. Over the years, Mauritius has been colonised by the Dutch, British and French and people have settled here from all over Asia. That means we have a very unique cuisine that combines all kinds of dishes and flavours. For instance, there’s a lot of fluffy basmati rice combined with pulses, a lot of vegetables, curry and fish – all presented in our own way.