Food in Maldives 

In the Maldives, local food is characterised by fresh fish, coconut and tropical ingredients. The cuisine is simple but full of flavour and heavily influenced by South Indian, Sri Lankan and Arabic food traditions. Here are some typical local dishes:

Mas Huni

A popular breakfast dish made from grated tuna (often smoked), coconut, onion and chilli. It is usually served with roshi (a local flatbread) and a cup of black tea.

Fihunu Mas

Grilled fish, typically marinated with chilli, lime and spices before being grilled over an open fire. It's a delicious and spicy dish often served with rice or flatbread.

Roshi & Mashuni Combo

A classic combination of Maldivian flatbread (roshi) and the popular tuna and coconut mix, mashuni, eaten for breakfast or a light lunch.

Pani Puri

Consisting of a small shell with mashed potatoes, chickpeas, onions, nuts and a very spicy sauce. All this is to be savoured in one bite. (See the first picture)

Maldivian food is often mildly spicy, but with fresh ingredients that give it a unique flavour. The food is often both tasty and budget-friendly. At resorts, it's often buffet style, which is also possible at some of the hotels on Maafushi. However, we won't have a buffet at our hotel as we want to minimise food waste and make delicious dishes ✨🇲🇻

We tried Pani Puri for the first time in the Maldives in 2024, when the local ladies were selling them on the streets of Maafushi. There was a football tournament and a lot of different stalls selling local items, food, water, snacks, etc. the other times we have tasted Maldivian food has been when we have been invited to lunch/dinner by the locals, have been sunset fishing or tried it a few times in restaurants.

However, there are also some other dishes (that most of us know) in the form of; burgers, pasta, pizza etc. 😍

In the pictures below, you see a lot of different food that we have tasted in the Maldives. Both at various events, such as football matches or at home with the locals.