WHERE TO EAT ?
HELPFUL ADDRESSES ON ISLE OF PINES

(Note : Prices are a guide only. Please check them when you arrive or make a reservation.)

One of the delights of a holiday is to discover new dishes and flavours, in sometimes memorable settings. Isle of Pines is no exception. You can try a range of food from snacks in simple surroundings to sumptuous, fine French cuisine in equally sumptuous settings.

Or you might decide to do-it-yourself and camp, in which case check out our ‘services section’ for details of the bakery and general stores. There’s also a small market for fruit and vegetables twice a week, early in the morning (7-8.30am) in the village square in Vao. Be sure to take a carry-bag and mostly coins or small notes.

• THE MÉRIDIEN HOTEL & OURÉ HOTEL

The island’s two ‘top-of-the-range’ hotels seek to provide elaborate French cuisine, mainly for their in-house guests. However, depending on availability and providing you are suitably dressed, both the Méridien and Ouré may accept outside customers.

The Méridien : Buffet lunch; Dinner (set menu)

Tel.: (+687) 46 15 15

Ouré Hotel : lunch and dinner à la carte. Snack lunch (no booking needed) from 2pm.

Tel.: (+687) 43 13 15

• KOU-BUGNY HOTEL, Kuto

• GITE or LODGE NATAIWATCH, Kanumera

• KOU-GNY RESTAURANT, Oro Bay

A dreamy spot on the water’s edge at Oro. Sift the sand through your toes, listen to the waves breaking on the reef in the distance and lunch on island treats - lobster or Popinets (like a Balmain bug or Spanish lobster). While these are luxury dishes, you can also eat less expensively - various salad bowls are on the menu, as well as Paninis to take away.

Kou-Gny is one of the few places on the island to sell refreshing green coconuts to drink.

Open 11.30am - 2.30pm every day except Wed and Thurs. Open seven days a week during holiday times.

Bookings: Tel. (687) 95 65 62

A salad bowl (squid and lobster) Kou-Gny

Lobster speciality at Kou-Gny

• KUBERKA RESORT, Kuto

• SNACK  KAA-MÉA, North Kuto

A take-away snack bar is almost hidden, on the rise above the road going North, next to the General Store, Curios Maliska. It’s open from 9.30am to 3pm every day except Monday. 
Mireille has a choice of sandwiches, quiches, burgers, sea-food salads and fish ’n chips. She also sells her home-made cakes and small tarts.

Tel: (687) 86 99 12

• SNACK KOHU

Looking for somewhere welcoming and reasonably-priced to eat during the day ? Jean-Marc runs a delightful snack bar on the edge of Vao village as the road heads north to Oro. Milk-shakes, toasted sandwiches/croque monsieur, coffee and ‘dish of the day’/plat du jour are available at covered tables in a charming setting.

Open from 8.30 am to 2 pm every day except Sunday.

• TABLE D’HOTE CHEZ LYLONE / JEAN KAATEU

A delightful spot for a special lunch is hidden away, about 300 metres off the road Kuto-Vao.
Professional cook, Jean Kaateu and his wife, Estelle, propose local produce : fish, lobster, Isle of Pines’ snails. Dessert and coffee are included.
A place to take your time, then wander down to the long beach below.
Bookings necessary the day before or up to 9am the same day.

Tel. (687) 98 40 15