Food · Tahiti · French Polynesia
What to eat in Tahiti
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Tahiti, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Poisson cru, Chao men and Ma'a Tahiti. The waterfront food trucks at Place Vaiete are the island's social dinner spot, with cheap noodles, grills and crêpes facing the harbour. Many snack bars and small restaurants close in the afternoon and on Sundays outside hotels.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Poisson cru
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Tipping is not customary in French Polynesia and is never expected, though leaving a…
- Food experiences
- 3
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10 foods to try
Dish
1.Poisson cru (Ia ota)
Tahiti's national dish: raw tuna cubed and marinated in lime juice, then mixed with coconut milk, cucumber, tomato and onion. A Chinese-influenced version adds sesame and soy.
Where: Everywhere, from roulottes and snack bars to resort restaurants and the Papeete market.
Dish
2.Chao men
Chinese-Tahitian fried noodles with pork, chicken or shrimp and vegetables, a legacy of the island's Hakka Chinese community.
Where: Roulottes at Place Vaiete and snack bars across the island.
Dish
3.Ma'a Tahiti
The traditional Sunday feast cooked in an underground oven (ahima'a): pork, fish, breadfruit, taro and fafa (taro leaves in coconut milk), wrapped in banana leaves.
Where: Prepared by families on Sundays and sold at the Papeete market early on Sunday mornings; some hotels serve it at Polynesian buffet nights.
Dessert · Vegetarian
4.Po'e
A dense, sticky pudding made from banana, papaya, pumpkin or taro thickened with starch and served with coconut cream.
Where: Market stalls and snack bars, often alongside ma'a Tahiti.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
5.Firi firi
Twisted coconut-flavoured doughnuts, often shaped like a figure eight, eaten with coffee in the morning.
Where: Snack bars and the Papeete market, usually early in the day.
Snack
6.Casse-croûte
A baguette sandwich filled with anything from ham and butter to chao men or steak and fries, an everyday Tahitian lunch.
Where: Snack bars, bakeries and supermarkets across the island.
Dish · Vegetarian
7.Breadfruit (Uru)
Starchy breadfruit, roasted whole over coals or cooked in the earth oven, is a staple served as a side, much like potato.
Where: Market stalls, family restaurants and ma'a Tahiti spreads.
Bakery · Vegetarian
8.Coconut bread (Pain coco)
A soft, slightly sweet bread made with grated coconut or coconut milk, sold in loaves for breakfast.
Where: Bakeries and the Papeete market.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Hinano beer
The local lager, brewed in Tahiti and recognisable by the vahine (Tahitian woman) on its label.
Where: Every bar, roulotte and supermarket.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Tahitian vanilla desserts
French Polynesian vanilla, grown mostly on Taha'a, has a floral aroma and flavours crèmes, ice creams and sauces for fish.
Where: Pâtisseries and restaurants in Papeete; vanilla pods are sold at the market.
Food experiences
Evening at the roulottes
The waterfront food trucks at Place Vaiete are the island's social dinner spot, with cheap noodles, grills and crêpes facing the harbour.
Sunday morning market
Papeete market is liveliest at dawn on Sunday, when ma'a Tahiti parcels, fish and flowers are sold for the family feast.
Polynesian dinner show
Some west-coast resorts host buffet nights with earth-oven food and dance performances by local troupes.
Quick bites and street food
- Firi firi — Snack bars and the Papeete market, usually early in the day.
- Casse-croûte — Snack bars, bakeries and supermarkets across the island.
- Coconut bread — Bakeries and the Papeete market.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Po'e, Firi firi, Breadfruit, Coconut bread, Hinano beer and Tahitian vanilla desserts. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Many snack bars and small restaurants close in the afternoon and on Sundays outside hotels.
- Supermarkets such as Carrefour in Punaauia and Faa'a are useful for picnic supplies given high restaurant prices.
- Menus are in French; 'poisson cru' and 'ia ota' are the same dish.
- Tap water is treated in Papeete, but many visitors drink bottled water outside the main town.
- Dinner starts early by European standards, often from about 6:30pm.
Tipping
Tipping is not customary in French Polynesia and is never expected, though leaving a little for exceptional service is appreciated.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ia ora na | Hello |
| Māuruuru | Thank you |
| Nana | Goodbye |
| Bonjour | Hello (French) |
| Merci | Thank you (French) |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Tahiti famous for?
Poisson cru, Chao men, Ma'a Tahiti and Po'e. Tahiti's national dish: raw tuna cubed and marinated in lime juice, then mixed with coconut milk, cucumber, tomato and onion.
+Is Tahiti good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Po'e, Firi firi and Breadfruit.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Tahiti?
Tipping is not customary in French Polynesia and is never expected, though leaving a little for exceptional service is appreciated.