8 Best Restaurants in Moorea: A Foodie Traveler’s Guide

Ok, I’ll start first with the obvious choice, Snack Mahana.

This family-owned restaurant is a Moorea foodie institution!

It has the trifecta … incredibly flavorful food, fantastic seaside ambiance, and very friendly staff.

After having a wonderful morning snorkeling with blacktip sharks and rays with Alex Lagoon Tours, we drove to Snack Mahana for a delicious lunch.

We arrived around 12:15 pm, and the place was packed. If you want to sit at the tables along the water’s edge to watch the fish, you’ll need to arrive at opening time.

Fellow travelers said to order the poisson cru and the breaded mahi with coconut milk.

The poisson cru, which is tuna marinated with coconut milk, was delicious. It comes out in a heaping pile you can barely see over. Very generous portions.

They were out of breaded mahi, so we went with the seared tuna instead. I am so glad they had no more mahi because the seared tuna was our FAVORITE dish!

Wow. The tuna was cooked perfectly and literally felt like butter in my mouth. I will remember that dish for years to come.

We asked our Vrbo host where to eat, and he said “definitely” eat at Le Lezard Jaune Cafe and Casa Vincenzo (which is next on my list). With such a strong recommendation, expectations were high.

Fun fact. Le Lezard Jaune means yellow lizard in French. I discovered Moorea also means yellow lizard but in Tahitian. Very appropriate restaurant name!

What stands out about Le Lezard Jaune (besides the incredible food) is the warm service. The owners, Dominique and Philippe, were very welcoming. Our wonderful server thoroughly explained the menu and gave some great recommendations.

We had the Chef’s Special Poisson Cru with Thai rice, which was beautifully prepared.

Very light and fresh. Kinda like ceviche. I ordered it as a meal instead of a starter.

The hubby ordered the half-cooked red tuna, which is prepared using a style called a la plancha. The tuna is seared using high heat, which keeps the tuna super tender inside. So delicious!

You can pick your sides. My husband picked taro, which we had never had before.

Taro is known as the Polynesian potato. It was incredible. I need more taro in my life. Order this side if it’s available!

Everyone goes to Allo Pizza, but the pizza at Casa Vincenzo knocks it out of the park!

Their pizza oven is imported from Italy, and they offer legit Neapolitan pizza cooked in 90 seconds at 460°C!

The only catch is you have to make a reservation because they prepare their dough 48 hours in advance specifically for you. 

Pizzas are massive. Toppings are generous.

We both ordered a Burrata pizza, which offered so much cheesy-goodness. I am amazed something this delicious exists on a remote island in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean!

By the way, leftovers taste amazing the next day.

Casa Vicenzo also offers fresh homemade pasta, but the real reason you go is for the pizza.

This charming island-chic food shack was a great find.

After snorkeling all morning on our Sea Scooter Tour (which is one of our favorite things to do in Moorea!), we had worked up an appetite.

Restaurant La Grand Voile was the perfect lunch spot.

They offer burgers (fish and steak), but the real reason you come here is for the super tasty poke bowls. My husband and I both ordered the Ahi Poke Bowl, which came with rice and a cole slaw-like salad.

Delicious. Fresh. Healthy.

They also have various specials of the day. For example, they were offering a truffle burger with brie cheese and mushroom ravioli with truffles when we went. 

The space is small with limited parking and can fill up quickly.

It’s a one-man shop (who is super nice!), so there may be a wait if there’s a crowd. You can’t rush fresh delicious food.

Coco Beach is a destination in itself.

It does require a short boat ride to a private motu and a reservation.

This is another incredible Moorea restaurant that gets points for all three: food, ambiance, and service.

We were seated seaside with beautiful views and fresh breezes. Lunch is fresh and flavorful.

I ordered the Tuna Duo, which gave me the option to pick 2 tuna preparations (tuna sashimi, tuna tartar, or tuna carpaccio).

I picked the tuna sashimi and carpaccio, which was so fresh and delicious.

The tuna carpaccio had an interesting mix of toppings which included ginger, tomatoes, cilantro, capers, and parmesan. Yep, parmesan. Gotta love the French and their love for cheese!

Coco Beach also had a nice wine and cocktail list. Order a pitcher of Ti’ punches.

Don’t forget to snorkel in the coral gardens next to Coco Beach, so bring your snorkeling gear!

Check out my Coco Beach Guide for all the details.

Alright, I know this is not a restaurant, but I had to include this wonderful boulangerie. It’s truly a foodie gem!

Coco et Banana is run by the sweetest lady, and she offers a wide array of pastries, croissants, baguettes, and delicious bread.

My husband and I enjoyed a delicious croissant, a chocolate brioche with coconut flakes, and a well-made baguette. We had to hike Magic Mountain to work off all that good food, but the calories were so worth it! 

The shop owner posts all the delicious things she bakes on her Facebook page, so check it out for current offerings. 

Les Sorbets De Moorea is another foodie gem not to be missed.

We went back multiple times. They offer multiple sorbet and ice cream flavors including oreo, hazelnut, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, praline, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, and ginger.

The ladies that run the shop are very friendly.

I strongly recommend combining a scoop of coconut and a scoop of chocolate ice cream. Great combination!

You can enjoy your yummy ice cream with a bubble waffle. I forget they offered that as an option, but the photos look super enticing.

Do not miss this foodie spot! 

NY Bagel was a surprisingly (good!) find. On our way to the airport, we picked up a bagel sandwich to-go.

It’s located at Moorea Beach Cafe.

Bagels are made fresh daily and include options such as plain, sesame, cinnamon raisin, and poppy.

After you pick your bagel type, then choose your sandwich. 

I enjoyed a sesame bagel with Paris ham, Beaufort cheese, cream cheese, salad, tomato, and onion.

The bagel reminded me more of a pretzel. It wasn’t the same style as a true NY bagel (which we’ve had) but delicious nonetheless.

You can also enjoy your bagel sandwich seaside at one of the many tables to take in those ocean breezes.

If you’re short on time or don’t have a rental car, a food tour is a great option.

My husband and I have done quite a few food tours over the years — usually in larger cities like Hong Kong or Lima, Peru — and they’ve always been a fun way to connect with the local culture through its cuisine.

On Moorea, we had our eyes on the highly-rated Moorea Street Food Tour run by local Chef Heimata. Sadly, we couldn’t squeeze it into our itinerary (too busy snorkeling Moorea’s gorgeous reefs!), but it’s at the top of our list for next time!

If you are short on time or do not have a rental car, consider joining a food tour.

French Polynesia has a distinct foodie identity due to the French, Chinese, and Polynesian cultures.

For example, a unique offering on the Moorea Street Food Tour (which we tried on our own) is the chow mein sandwich from Golden Lake Restaurant.

It’s a unique combination of flavors and textures but weirdly works. The noodles, cabbage, carrots and BBQ sauce are piled on a fresh delicious baguette.

Try it to understand it.

Golden Lake also offers a delicious fluffy coconut bread that goes down way too easily.

Do not just stay at your resort and eat hotel food, which I’m sure is great, but Moorea has a lot to offer even for the pickiest of eaters! 

I hope sharing some of our favorite foodie spots helps you answer the all-important question when you are on vacation … Where are we going to eat?  

Bon appétit!

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Questions about our favorite restaurants in Moorea?

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