Restaurants in Réunion
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A
L'Atelier de Ben
A true alchemist, the French chef here fuses French with Asian to create a cuisine that stuns and seduces. The filet de bœuf poêlé, pain perdu aux truffes, wok de légumes et noisettes torréfiées (beef fillet served with a special truffle-scented bread, wok-fried vegetables and roasted hazelnuts) is even more delicious than its poetic name suggests. The décor? Best described as 'contemporary plain'.
reviewed
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B
Kaz Vitamines
If you've reached your carri-eatinglimits, head down to this quirky den for a cold veggie soup or a salad (€5), just off the main drag.
reviewed
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Flagrant Délice
Hip Flagrant Délice is a gourmand's playpen. Be good to yourself with kangaroo fillet, salmon fillet in a vanilla sauce and luscious wines. Try to nab a seat at the 'Petit Coin Exotique' (little exotic corner), complete with cushions, by the pool.
reviewed
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La Récré
Set in a courtyard that opens onto a busy street (but a hedge of tropical plants protects you from the hustle and bustle), La Récré is a popular joint for informal dining, with a wide-ranging menu focussing on fish and meat dishes.
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D
Le Reflet des Îles
This much-lauded eatery specialising in Creole food is the perfect place to try out cuisine lontan (traditional dishes). Dip into one of 20 cracking carris (curries) and civets (stews). The menu is translated into English – a rarity in Réunion. The waiters play the tropical-island card with their snazzy shirts.
reviewed
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L'Igloo
You say you're itching for an ice-cream fix? Good, because it's hard to resist the fresh fruit sorbets and creamy delights at this iconic ice-cream parlour. Try the outstanding fruits des bois (fruits of the forest berries) and you'll imagine you're eating the pulped fruits on a cold day. Also serves up snack options and light meals, including salads and omelettes, at lunchtime.
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Le Castel Glacier
We lost all self-control at this talismanic ice-cream parlour a short waddle away from Castel Boulanger (same management). Just thinking of chocolate makes us salivate; you don't want to know what happens when we recall the fèves du Tonka (a variety of cocoa). Also serves up snack options, including salads, at lunchtime.
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L'Osteria
Mamma mia! Italian food does not always suit the tropics but this Mediterranean redoubt set in a rustic stone house fits the bill. Pasta offerings span carbonara through to tasty spaghetti with smoked swordfish, as well as pizzas dense enough to drown grandpa's dentures. Satisfying grilled meats too.
reviewed
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Le Pétrel de Barau
Cognoscenti saunter here for upper-crust French-inspired fare with a creative bent, a respectable wine list and smart service. The masterfully renovated Creole house provides the perfect setting in which to sample star-worthy dishes such as beef fillet with truffle vinegar. Room should be kept for desserts.
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Festi Viandes
In a city where fish dishes are the norm, this meat-lover's paradise, discreetly located on the 1st floor of an unremarkable building, is a happy exception. Sink your teeth into a juicy beefsteak or a succulent brochette (skewered meat). Enough proteins? Wood-fired pizzas are also available.
reviewed
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Le Flamboyant
In this staunchly Creole classic, blow your tastebuds (and your arteries) with one of 15 hearty carris. Be brave and try the carri pat' cochon (pig's trotter carri). You might surprise yourself. Sample the whole thing on the terrace in the shade of a stately flamboyant tree.
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K
Ti Chou Chou
This small restaurant with its appealing colourful facade on the main drag is run by a friendly young team. Herbivores will opt for the assiette ti chouchou, which offers a combination of chouchou, cresson and capucine (all local vegetables). There's a shady terrace at the back.
reviewed
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L
Le DCP
If you have a weakness for ultrafresh fish, Le DCP is the place to indulge. The decor is another clincher: it occupies a restored Creole building with an agreeable terrace. Inside, aquatic murals and shades of blue and white create a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea–like ambience.
reviewed
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Le Roland Garros
Oh la la, this heavenly place has the feel of a true Parisian bistro – packed, buzzing and full of attitude. You can't really go wrong – everything is pretty good – but if you want a recommendation, go for the tartare d'espadon (tuna tartare).
reviewed
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Le Rétro
Of all the things you might not expect to see on the seafront, an 'authentic' Parisian brasserie ranks quite highly. But that's exactly what this is, except that serveurs are less surly than in the City of Light. Pastas, salads, seafood and meat dishes grace the menu.
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Le Massalé
This teeny outlet tempts you with its colourful array of Indian snacks and sweets to eat in or take away. Perennial favourites include samosas as well as candy-pink or apple-green balfi. Wash it down with a glass of cardamom tea.
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Le Carpe Diem
Another dash of culinary flair in cosy surrounds (parquet floors and teak furniture), the Carpe Diem offers ambitious French-inspired dishes with a twist, from souris d'agneau au thym (a choice piece of lamb flavoured with thyme) to skewered duck with banana.
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Q
Aloha
There is an argument for skipping dessert wherever you lunch or dine and heading straight to this drool-inducing ice-cream parlour instead. Amid a mind-boggling array of flavours, the electric purple pitaya screams 'try me'. Lip-smackingly good pancakes too.
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La Cardamome
With its dramatic pink-and-green interior (no chubby Buddha by the door!), this little Indian joint has to be St-Denis' kookiest spot. Nothing beats its buffet featuring about 10 Indian offerings, a steal at around €8 at lunchtime. Takeaways available.
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Snack Le Grand Îlet – Chez Serge
This economical, neon-lit eatery set in a modern house by the main road is worth stopping at for its copious daily dishes (beef or chicken with vegetables, sausage rougail).
reviewed
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La Détente
No culinary acrobatics in this few-frills haunt overlooking a parking lot, just keep-the-faith Creole staples, including a very affordable carri bichiques (a curry made from tiny sprat-like fish; around €15) in season.
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Le Marin Bleu
This immutable seafood favourite in the Terre Sainte district gets the thumbs up for its choice of fish dishes.
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Le Castel Boulanger
Hands down the best bakery-deli in St-Denis, with such a tantalising array of brioches, croissants, macatias (a variety of bun) and sandwiches that we almost made ourselves a nuisance here. Excellent breakfasts too (from €8).
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Belo Horizonte
Walls saturated in cheery coloured accents – baby pink, citrus, apple green – and other fancy decorative touches set the tone of this zinging joint where you can tuck into salads, hot tarts and pasta dishes. Excellent homemade desserts, too.
reviewed
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Clos St-Jacques
Subdued lighting, elegant furnishings and a smattering of fancy decorative touches, including colourful posters and quirky replicas of cicadas hanging on the walls, provide the perfect setting for a romantic dinner. A neoclassical French menu puts the emphasis on Provençal cuisine with the addition of Réunion-grown (or fished) ingredients.
reviewed