Good news: Mauritius is one of the rare places where "eating cheap" does not mean "eating badly". With a Rs 100 note — roughly two euros — you can have a proper lunch anywhere on the island, provided you eat where Mauritians eat: on the street, at a snack, at the edge of the market. Street lunch here is not a quaint experience packaged for visitors: it is the everyday routine of thousands of people, every single noon, in every village and town on the island. Here is an honest guide to cheap Mauritian street food. It covers everyone, not just us — because this food belongs to the whole island.
Dholl puri, the undisputed king
There is nowhere else to start. Dholl puri is a very thin flatbread stuffed with ground split peas, cooked on a hot plate and served in pairs, spread with bean curry, rougaille and pickles. It folds in your hand, it is eaten standing up, it costs a few dozen rupees, and it is probably the most loved dish in Mauritius. Every Mauritian has "their" dholl puri vendor and will defend the choice like a football team. Try several and pick your own side.
Gato piment, boulettes, hot roti
Gato piment is a small chilli-spiked split-pea fritter, crisp outside and soft inside — tucked into a buttered bread roll at breakfast, it is an absolute Mauritian morning classic. Boulettes, a Sino-Mauritian inheritance, are dumplings eaten in a bowl of steaming broth: fish, chicken or chayote, picked one by one. And roti — the soft flatbread served with curry and chutney — remains one of the best value-for-money meals on the island. All of them come in well under Rs 100, often far under.
The pain garni, the workers' sandwich
Between breakfast and lunch sits the pain garni: a fresh bread roll split open and filled to order — a sauter, fish salad, curried vegetables. It is the working person's favourite format because it eats with one hand, fills you up and travels anywhere. It is also our speciality at Chez Boom in Grand Baie, where the bread is filled in front of you and the sauter comes straight from the wok.
Chez Boom: our own under-Rs 100 options
Since we are on the subject, here, in full transparency, is what our counter offers below the Rs 100 mark:
- Rôti légumes (vegetable roti) — Rs 25
- Sauter saucisse (sausage) — Rs 75
- Sauter poulet (chicken) — Rs 90
- Sauter bœuf (beef with onions) — Rs 95
- Salade poisson (fish salad) — Rs 95
Everything is made to order, Monday to Friday, 7am to 2pm. And if your budget stretches a little, the ourite safranée at Rs 150 — fresh lagoon octopus with saffron — is worth the extra.
Three rules for eating cheap and eating well
First, follow the queues: wherever Mauritians line up at noon, the food is good. Second, come early: all over the island, the best sells out before 1pm — our own daily menu is no exception. Third, order ahead when you can. At Chez Boom, one WhatsApp message to +230 5987 8153 before noon is enough: it is ready when you arrive, on the main road in Grand Baie, next to the football pitch. Cheap eats in Grand Baie are not a compromise — they are a tradition.
Frequently asked questions
What can you eat in Mauritius for under Rs 100?
Dholl puri, gato piment, boulettes in broth, roti served with curry and chutney, and the pain garni. All of them come in well under Rs 100, often far under.
What is dholl puri?
A very thin flatbread stuffed with ground split peas, cooked on a hot plate and served in pairs, spread with bean curry, rougaille and pickles. It folds in your hand, it is eaten standing up, and it is probably the most loved dish in Mauritius.
What costs under Rs 100 at Chez Boom?
Vegetable roti Rs 25, sausage sauter Rs 75, chicken sauter Rs 90, beef with onions Rs 95, fish salad Rs 95. Everything is made to order, Monday to Friday from 7am to 2pm.
How do you make sure there is still food at lunchtime?
Come early: all over the island the best sells out before 1pm, and our own daily menu is no exception. Otherwise order ahead — one WhatsApp message to +230 5987 8153 before noon is enough, and it is ready when you arrive.