Rarotonga; the quintessential kiwi holiday destination. While there are plenty of lovely restaurants on the island, food in Raro can add up pretty quickly. You’ll be paying in New Zealand dollars, and we felt like food prices were pretty similar to eating out in New Zealand.
Our top tip for keeping food affordable is to buy local and fresh. Most packaged food is freighted over from New Zealand, and comes with a few extra dollar signs. For example, Tim Tams were more than double the price of a packet in New Zealand. If, like us, you are coming from New Zealand, you can bring these things with you. We brought packaged foods, such as biscuits, crackers, and breakfast items.
However, you're on holiday! Part of the experience is eating local meals, in local places. Here are a few of our favourite food spots in Rarotonga, that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. We’ve included the prices from our visit, which was in July 2022.
The Mooring Fish Cafe
Opening hours: 11am - 3pm, Sunday to Thursday. Closed Friday, Saturday.
This is our favourite place to eat in Rarotonga. So much so, that we came back - not once, not twice, but THREE times during our last visit. The Mooring Fish Cafe is a container restaurant in Muri, with a collection of picnic tables and umbrellas.
Mooring Fish wasn’t the cheapest place we visited, but it was some of the freshest fish we’ve ever had. They are known best for their fish sandwiches. If you’re lucky, they might have Ika Mata on the menu as a special.
Highlights from the menu:
F.O.B Sandwich ($18.50)
Fresh battered mahi-mahi, a white flesh fish, with lime mayo. This is one of the most popular items on the menu, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Moko Sandwich ($18.50) Same as above, but with seared tuna. This was Jerry’s personal favourite!
Tacos with papaya salad ($25) An explosion of flavour - the papaya salad is something else, and the tuna is delightfully fresh. Sometimes I dream about these tacos.
Update: As of July 2023, Mooring Fish Cafe is looking for new owners. If you visit soon, let us know if the new owners have kept up the quality!
Vaiana's Bar & Bistro
Opening hours: 11am-10pm, Monday - Saturday.
Located just across the road from the airport, Vaiana’s is a great spot, right on the beach. We stopped in to share some fish and chips ($16 for one), with an extra fish serving.
Vaiana's is known for their fun, relaxed atmosphere. On Thursday nights, they have a free fire show, which we enjoyed, along with a cheap happy hour beer from the local Rarotonga Brewery. We’ve heard they’re also the place to be on Friday or Saturday nights.
Wigmore’s Takeaway
Opening hours: Honestly, no idea. The store itself is open 24 hours.
Attached to the side of Wigmore’s Superstore, we found Wigmore’s Takeaway by accident. After a delicious burger for only $6, and $5 kūmara fries, we were mighty impressed.
They also have island fries on their menu, which include a mix of root vegetables grown on the island. We tried these later on, but we’ll still cast our vote for kūmara fries every time.
Muri Night Market
Opening hours: 5-9pm, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Closed Monday, Friday, Saturday.
We’re a bit biased: When there’s a night market, we’re there. Muri Night Market offers such a range of options, you’ll surely find something that suits.
We had a BBQ plate from Spices of Rarotonga. At $21, it wasn’t super cheap, but it was BIG. We shared one, along with a nu (young drinking coconut) for $3.
Punanga Nui Market
Opening hours: Saturday 8am - 12pm (get there earlier for the fresher food!). Some stalls open on a smaller scale on weekdays.
Chances are, the Punanga Nui Market will already be on your to-do list. Follow the crowds in Avarua on a Saturday morning, and you’ll find yourself here. We grabbed a nu for $4, and wandered looking at souvenirs, but saw a range of smoothies, pastries, coffee options, and some more substantial meals as well.
The market is also a good spot to buy some fresh produce if you’re like us, and do some of your cooking and eating at your accommodation.
Quick tip: There’s a drink bottle refill station at the entrance to the market, which comes in particularly handy if it’s a hot day.
Wilson’s Beach Bar at the Castaway Restaurant
Opening hours: 2-9pm, 7 days a week. Happy hour 2-6pm everyday.
During our last trip, we stayed over in Muri to the South. While we loved it there, it did mean we were on the wrong side of the island for sunsets. This meant we needed some good spots to relax and watch the sunset over on the west. Cue our hunt for happy hours.
We didn’t try any food at Wilson’s, but they did have a couple of happy hour cocktails. We’ll admit, cocktails never feel truly affordable. It can be hard to justify a drink that costs the same as a lunch special… But a tropical beach calls for special circumstances. At $10.90, the Dreamlovers cocktail was a dessert in a drink. The atmosphere was incredible enough, it justified me buying two.
Notable mentions:
Charlie’s - We didn’t make it to Charlie’s on our last trip, as they were hit hard by a king tide, and were closed for repairs. Charlie’s is known for a fresh menu, and it is right on the beach, near a great snorkelling area.
Shipwreck Hut Bar - Another awesome spot to watch the sunset. Lovely live music, but slightly pricier drinks.
Do you have any favourite food spots in Raro? Let us know in the comments!
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