The street food markets in Mauritius are probably some of the most special you’ll come across. The reason being the amount of Mauritian street food on offer will blow your mind.
They form a big part of traditional Mauritius food, and it’s close to impossible to narrow it down to the best ones. The huge diverse blend of Chinese, Indian, European, Creole, and African cuisine will leave you spoilt for choices! But here are 10 of the most popular street food in Mauritius you can try.
Gajaks In Mauritius
Tuna Pate

Tuna pate is a hot Mauritius snack packaged in a fried pastry crust. It would come under the umbrella term ‘gajak’ meaning the item has been deep-fried.
The filling of the dish is made with tuna, onions, and various spices such as turmeric, coriander, garlic, and cumin. Once fried, the exterior is lovely and crispy, with a warm, tasty tuna stuffing inside.
Different fillings can be made for this dish substituting tuna for potatoes or chicken for example. It is almost like a hot pocket but way more fulfilling and delicious.
You can pair this dish with a hot sauce, as the filling itself isn’t too spicy.
Gateaux Piments
Gateuax Piments is a very popular Mauritian street food and is sometimes called the ‘Mauritian falafel’. This dish is very healthy and made from soaked yellow split peas, spring onions, turmeric, and chili. They are also rolled into balls like falafel and are finger-licking good.
These delish balls are crunchy and crispy on the outside, but soft and flaky on the inside. A great way to enjoy gateaux piments is to have stuff inside a buttered baguette with a layer of chili sauce or even a cucumber raita (yogurt).
That’s bound to make a filling and satisfying meal.
Gato Fruit A Pain
The breadfruit is called a ‘Madegone’ in Mauritius and is harvested from a tree. The history of the fruit is that it would be cooked over a woodfire to feed the whole family. It can also be used as an ingredient for cooking.
Today in Mauritius, thick slices of breadfruit in the street markets are deep-fried with a coating of chickpea flour.
Gato fruit a pain (or deep-fried breadfruit) is quite a popular snack in Mauritius. The texture of the fruit when cooked is similar to potatoes or chestnuts, but slightly sweeter.
Gateau Arouille (Taro Fritters)
You may or may not have heard of the tropical root plant called ‘taro’. Regardless, you are in for a treat.
The leaves and the root of the plant are part of the vegetable; they are generally used for cooking purposes. The root can be found across different cuisines such as Southeast Asian, African, Indian, and Mauritian cuisines.
Taro fritters are a common dish you will see in Mauritian street food. The dish is prepared by grating taro and mixing it with herbs and spices to form cakes.
Taro fritters are very tasty with a subtle hint of vanilla-like sweetness and also a nutty flavor. The fritters are crisp on the outside with a soft center. This dish goes really well with tomato and chili chutney.
Fish Fritters
Fish fritters (sometimes referred to as fish gajaks) are deep-fried snacks sometimes thought of as a croquette. This can be a homemade dish but is often seen in street markets, cooked in huge fryers.
The fritter is normally made from different types of seafood, most likely whichever fishes are available locally. It’s often mixed with a potato patty case, covered in a breadcrumb mix, and deep fried.
Fish fritters are often dipped in tomato and chili chutney for an extra layer of taste. Mauritians also typically enjoy gajaks with an alcoholic drink.
Indian-Influenced Street Food In Mauritius
Dholl Puri Or Dhal Puri
An unmissable street food in Mauritius would be the nationally loved dholl puri. This dish is popular amongst locals, tourists, and natives.
You may have heard of the Indian dish called ‘rot’i or ‘paratha’. Well this is the Mauritian take on those two delicacies.
The main difference is that the Mauritian version of the dish has the dhal and bean curry in the middle of the flat puri and folded into sorta a wrap. Whereas in the Indian paratha, the stuffing is placed in the middle of an open flatbread.
It’s not an exaggeration that you’ll pretty much find a dholl puri vendor on almost every street in the markets. The dish is very cheap, and it would cost you just $0.45 in most cases for one!
The dholl puri is just a dish that is well-loved and enjoyed on its own.
The puri is so light and thin, then the bean curry and dhal add all the flavor. This Mauritian snack can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Pani Puri
Snacks in Mauritius as frequently mentioned have a rich influence from Indian cuisine. Pani puri is originally an Indian street food dish but is also found in the markets of Port Louis or in Indian restaurants.
This is a small crispy fried puri where a hole is made on top. Inside the pani puri, a mix of potatoes and chickpeas is filled. The dish has various chutneys added over such as tamarind, yogurt, and chili sauce.
Pani puri is a very delicious street food in Mauritius. The puri is thin but crispy, and the potatoes with chickpeas are not seasoned. However, the binding of the dish comes from the sharp chutneys drizzled over it. Pani puri is quite literally an explosion of flavor in just one bite!
Atchars
In Mauritius, atchar is a spicy pickle of vegetables usually unripened mango and chili.
Originally, this name and pickle came from Indian and South African cuisine, where it’s called ‘Achar’ which simply means ‘pickle’. In all instances, the spicy pickle is normally a condiment that Mauritians would have with curry.
When roaming through Mauritian food streets, there are often vendors in the markets selling jars of atchars. Some of them even offer bite-size samplers for you to try.
Street markets aren’t always Mauritian snacks that are eaten on the go. There are plenty of items such as atchar that can be bought and taken home with you to last.
It goes extremely well with curry just to add some spice, but it’s also eaten for breakfast in Mauritius on some buttered bread. Atchar is not only a staple of street food, but also a cupboard essential.
Roti
Roti is a savory dish very popular among Mauritian street food. Originally roti comes from Indian cuisine but is also a staple in other countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Fiji, and many more.
In Mauritius, roti was introduced in the 19th century by Indian migrants and has since become a common staple in the cuisine.
Roti is like flatbread or paratha made from wheat flour and water and rolled out quite thin and round.
It’s cooked over a hot stove and sometimes with either butter/ghee over the top. Roti can be eaten on its own for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in Mauritius.
Typically, you would find street food stalls serving roti with some traditional Mauritian curries and spicy pickles.
Moolkoo
Mauritian moolkoo is a cross between a salty and savory snack in Mauritius.
You may have heard of the Indian snack called ‘Chakkri’ or Sri Lankan snack called ‘Murukku’. Well, this is similar in nature but with a twist of Mauritian cuisine. But essentially these variations are all one of the same dishes originating from Asia.
Moolkoo may also be made in bulk in preparation for festivals like Diwali and given to friends and family as a gift.
The ingredients are the same but Mauritian moolkoo tends to use ground cumin, turmeric, and salt in the dish. Moolkoo is made from flour, oil, and besan combined into a firm dough mix. It is then deep-fried into a spiral shape.
Moolkoo is an incredibly tasty and crunchy snack in Mauritius that goes well with a cup of tea or coffee. It’s great to munch on and is regularly sold in big bags on the street markets. You will also find that it is widely available in supermarkets as well as online shopping stores.
Discovering Mauritian Street Food
Street food in Mauritius has no end, as they are scattered all over the island inviting you to try the best and most flavorful dishes in the area. These delectable foods on offer are one of the many facts about Mauritius that you definitely want to know about.
You can pick up so many different things in the street markets from Mauritian desserts, cakes, gajaks, and cari’s. Make sure to try out some of these Mauritius food once you visit!