You definitely won’t go hungry in Rarotonga.
There are bakeries, cafés, restaurants, markets and roadside food stalls all around the island, with everything from fresh local fish and Cook Islands dishes to burgers, wraps and international food.
But we’ll be upfront about one thing: eating out in Rarotonga isn’t cheap.
We’ve noticed food prices increase considerably since our earlier visits, and on our most recent trip we found some meals double, and occasionally close to triple, what we remembered paying before Covid.
Our Favourite Local Breakfast – Maroro Tunutunu @ Punanga Nui Market
If there’s one breakfast Toni looks forward to in Rarotonga, it’s Maroro Tunutunu at Punanga Nui Market.
Tunutunu means grilled or barbecued, and this little spot serves freshly grilled maroro (flying fish) for breakfast. It’s cooked simply over the grill and served hot, making it a very local way to start the day.
It’s:
- Simple and local
- Freshly cooked
- Full of flavour
- Very popular, so get there early
They can sell out by around 8am, so this isn’t the morning to have a leisurely sleep-in.
Toni loves it. I enjoyed the flavour too, although picking my way through all those little fish bones wasn’t quite my idea of breakfast fun. 😂
Punanga Nui Market – So Much Choice
If you’re in Rarotonga on a Saturday morning, Punanga Nui Market is one of our favourite places to wander around and eat.
You’ll find plenty to choose from, including:
- Cook Islands food
- Fresh fruit and produce
- Grilled fish
- Fried rice and cooked breakfasts
- Smoothies and cold drinks
- Donuts and sweet treats
Go hungry because there’s plenty to tempt you.
It’s also much more than somewhere to eat, so give yourself plenty of time to wander through the market rather than just grabbing breakfast and leaving. There’s great free entertainment, plenty of local atmosphere, and it’s a brilliant place to pick up locally made souvenirs and gifts while you’re there.
Muri Night Market – Go Early
Muri Night Market is one of those places almost everyone hears about before visiting Rarotonga.
You’ll find lots of different choices, from local dishes and seafood to curries, BBQ meats and international food.
But we have a couple of tips from our experience.
- Arrive around 4.30pm and have a look at what’s available
- Decide what you want and get into line around 5pm
- Popular stalls can sell out by 7pm
- By around 6pm, some queues can be very long and you can wait up to an hour for your meal.
- Take cash so you’re not caught out
And we’ll say something that probably won’t appear in every tourism brochure: we found some of the market food quite expensive for the portion sizes.
We still think Muri Night Market is worth experiencing. We just wouldn’t automatically assume that because it’s a market, it’s going to be your cheapest dinner.
Charlie’s – We Keep Going Back
One place we do keep returning to is Charlie’s in Tikioki.
It’s right on the beach, the atmosphere is relaxed, we’ve always enjoyed the service, and there’s often entertainment.
But there’s one thing we go back for:
The fish burgers.
They’re what Charlie’s is known for and, for us, well worth the visit.
Grab some food, sit near the beach and settle in. This is exactly the sort of relaxed island meal we enjoy.
The Falafel Shack – Sunset and Seriously Good Wraps
The Falafel Shack in Arorangi is another place we’d happily recommend.
It’s not traditional Cook Islands food, but the wraps we had were absolutely delicious.
What made it even better was the setting. We sat at the beachfront tables eating our wraps while watching the sun go down.
Sometimes a meal isn’t just about what’s on the plate, and this was one of those times.
Good food, beachfront tables and a Rarotonga sunset. We’d go back.
Saigon Shack – Food That Fills the Soul
And then there’s Saigon Shack.
No, it’s not Cook Islands cuisine, but not every meal has to be.
The Vietnamese-inspired food is fresh and full of flavour, and this is another little place that’s become special to us because our good friend Hao is behind Saigon Shack, so there’s always that personal connection when we visit.
If you’re craving something fresh and tasty after days of island food, Saigon Shack is well worth adding to your list.
Trader Jacks – Where We Celebrated Our 50th
Trader Jacks in Avarua has a special memory attached to it for us because this is where we celebrated our 50th birthdays with our whānau and friends.
We had a long wait for our meals that night — over an hour — but we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
The waterfront setting was beautiful, the service was good and, when you’re celebrating something pretty special surrounded by people you love, you’re not exactly watching the clock.
For us, Trader Jacks will probably always be connected with that birthday celebration in Rarotonga.
Vaiana’s – Worth Stopping for the Setting
We didn’t have a meal at Vaiana’s Bistro & Bar, so we’re not going to pretend we can review the food.
What we can tell you is that we stopped there for a cocktail while catching up with friends and the beachfront setting is stunning.
It’s near the airport and a lovely spot to sit with a drink and enjoy the view.
We’d happily return and try the food next time.
Palace Burgers – Our Son’s Verdict
We didn’t eat at Palace Burgers ourselves, so again, we won’t pretend we did.
Our son gave Palace Burgers a try, but by the time they reached the front of the queue, the wait for the bigger burgers was so long they decided to grab something quicker instead.
What they did have was tasty but fairly basic. It was certainly popular though, and if you’re after a quick, easy burger rather than a restaurant meal, it’s another option to have on your radar.
Don’t Miss a Cook Islands Cultural Feast
If you want to try a wider range of traditional Cook Islands food, another option is to combine dinner with a cultural night.
We experienced Te Vara Nui Village, where the evening included an impressive buffet with local dishes alongside the cultural performance.
I wouldn’t say much more here because we’re going to have a separate blog about the cultural night experience.
I’d simply finish with:
Come hungry. The buffet is part of the experience.
Our Best Advice for Eating in Rarotonga
You don’t need to eat at a restaurant every night to enjoy the food in Rarotonga.
In fact, our preferred way is to mix it up:
- Cook some meals ourselves
- Have breakfast at the Saturday market
- Try local food and roadside stalls
- Pick a few restaurants we really want to experience
- Have at least one evening wandering around Muri Night Market
- Save some money for the places we know are worth it
Food can become a big part of your Rarotonga holiday budget, particularly if you’re travelling as a family or group.
So rather than eating out simply because you’re on holiday, we’d spend the money on the meals and experiences you’ll actually remember.
“The best meals aren’t always fancy, they’re the ones you remember.”
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