Eating Out

French Polynesia has some of the finest cooking in the world. Not only is there the traditional Polynesian food, with its abundance of fresh seafood, fruit and vegetables, but there is exquisite French cuisine, a variety of ethnic restaurants and several dishes that combine the different cooking techniques and flavours.

The tama'ara'a is a Tahitian earth oven, where food is wrapped in large leaves and gently steamed over hot rocks. The cooking often includes the flavour of coconut milk, which may be cooked or fresh.

Restaurants and cafes abound in Papeete, as well as in some of the villages and include French, Hawaiian, Italian, American, Chinese, Vietnamese Japanese and Polynesian meals. A main meal starts at US$12.