3 Best Restaurants in Madagascar

Large French pastries are the main attraction, and a chocolate-filled croissant is certainly a fine accompaniment to a cup of coffee or tea. The hot cocoa here is rich enough to be a meal in itself. The range of sweets includes cake and ice cream. Real life is right outside the door—be wary of panhandlers in the street.

Clean and reasonably priced, this restaurant has fantastic terrace views of the big three: Nosy Tanikely Bay, Russes Bay, and d'Andavokotoko Bay. Malagasy dishes are available along with some traditional French and Italian offerings, including pasta and pizzas. Don’t miss the grilled shrimp skewers. Lobster and coconut-sauced seafood with rice are other options. It's also worth considering the terrace for a quick snack.

This super-casual eatery may look like a dive, but it can’t be judged by outward appearances. The lawn seating is actually charming, and once food arrives everything becomes more agreeable. The menu leans toward French bistro, with lamb chops alongside green beans, and tripe stew is made with calvados, as would be done in northern France. Grilled lobster and pan-seared tuna have a more local feel. Oysters are flown in weekly from Fort Dauphin.