The Islands of Tahiti Food and Drink

Modern Tahitian food is a blend of Chinese, French and Polynesian influence. Soy sauce and coconut milk are often added to local dishes. Traditional meals tend to encompass pork, fresh fish, coconut milk and uru. Uru (breadfruit) is a large fruit, which is commonly used as a substitute for flour and can be prepared in different ways - baked, roasted, boiled or steamed.

All the classified hotels have good restaurants where visitors will find Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese and Vietnamese food being served, as well as the Polynesian specialities. Tahitian food can be found in some hotels, while Les Roulottes – trucks or lunch wagons parked on the waterfront at Papeete – sell steak, chips, chicken and shish kebabs. Red meat and poultry are typically imported from New Zealand, but many local dishes make good use of the abundance of seafood and exotic fruits, and local cooks are famed for their delicate sauces, often made with homegrown vanilla and coconut.

A full range of alcoholic drinks is available, and the local brand of beer, Hinano is sold everywhere, along with an array of foreign beers. Red and white wine, imported from France, can be bought from local supermarkets. Alcohol is very affordable in restaurants as the tax is reduced. Fresh fruits juices are also popular as well as coconut water.