What to eat in the Maldives

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• What else should the list cover? Desserts and pastriesNon-alcoholic drinks

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1. Try mas huni with roshi

   The quintessential Maldivian breakfast: smoked or canned skipjack tuna mashed with freshly grated coconut, sliced shallots, lime juice, and fiery chilies. It is scooped up using warm, paper-thin roshi flatbreads.

   Available exclusively during morning hours in cafes and tea houses. Pair it with sweet spiced black tea.

2. Try garudhiya

   A clear, amber-hued tuna broth made simply by simmering freshly caught skipjack with water and salt. It is poured over steamed white rice and garnished with raw onions, crushed bird's eye chilies, and lime juice.

   The staple daily lunch across every atoll. It is pure, light, and umami-driven, containing zero coconut milk.

3. Try rihaakuru

   A thick, jet-black tuna paste created by simmering fish stock for days until reduced to an intensely savory, sticky concentrate. Locals mix a spoonful into plain rice or spread it thinly onto flatbread.

   Sold in jars at local markets across Male. Its intense saltiness allows it to keep for years without refrigeration.

4. Try kulhimas

   Chunks of fresh tuna cooked in a fiery, thick red gravy of crushed chilies, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, and a splash of coconut cream. It is spicy, robust, and intensely aromatic.

   Commonly ordered for a hearty dinner or late breakfast, paired with hot roshi flatbreads.

5. Try gulha

   Golf-ball-sized dough spheres stuffed with smoked tuna, freshly grated coconut, shallots, and lime juice, deep-fried until crisp. They are the most popular item on any afternoon tea plate.

   The superstar of the 4 PM hedhikaa tea ritual. Pick them fresh and hot straight from the kitchen counter.

6. Try bis keemiya

   A crisp, flaky pastry parcel reminiscent of an egg roll or samosa. The delicate pastry is filled with gently braised shredded cabbage, sweet onions, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.

   One of the few iconic Maldivian savory snacks that contains no tuna, suitable for lacto-ovo vegetarians.

7. Try masroshi

   Small, flattened flatbreads stuffed with seasoned smoked tuna, curry leaves, and ginger, cooked on a dry griddle until spotted and crisp. The dough itself incorporates grated coconut for added chew.

   A lighter, pan-toasted alternative to deep-fried tea snacks, ideally paired with spiced black tea.

8. Try bajiya

   The Maldivian take on the samosa: delicate pastry triangles packed with flaked smoked tuna, onions, dried chili flakes, and fried curry leaves, fried until deeply golden.

   Comes in savory or mildly sweet-savory varieties, depending on how deeply the onions are caramelized.

9. Try fihunu mas

   Whole reef fish or small tuna slashed and coated in a spicy red marinade of ground chilies, cumin, garlic, and ginger, then grilled over open coconut-husk embers.

   Best enjoyed at seaside barbecue stalls near the harbor on inhabited islands across Kaafu or Ari Atolls.

10. Try mas riha

    The classic Maldivian tuna curry, simmered in coconut milk infused with freshly roasted cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, and pandan leaves. It balances creamy richness with gentle oceanic savoriness.

    Served as a standard midday meal with steamed rice or flatbreads in village eateries nationwide.

11. Try theluli mas

    Thick cuts of fresh tuna dredged in a pungent rub of pounded garlic, chili, turmeric, and lime juice, then deep-fried until dark and crusty. The exterior turns crackling crisp while the center stays firm.

    Often ordered alongside a bowl of clear garudhiya broth to add a crunchy, salty punch to plain rice.

12. Try kulhi boakiba

    A dense, savory fish cake made from coarse ground rice, freshly grated coconut, flaked smoked tuna, and diced onions. Baked in large trays and cut into hefty, chewy diamond slices.

    Traditionally baked for festive holidays like Eid and Ramadan, but readily sold daily in local tea shops.

13. Try tharukaaree riha

    A fragrant, mildly spiced vegetable curry packed with pumpkin, green beans, carrots, and taro root simmered in rich coconut gravy. It is seasoned with traditional island havaadhu spice paste.

    A welcoming haven for vegetarians in an island nation where virtually every native dish contains tuna.

14. Try saagu bondibai Desserts and pastries

    A comforting dessert pudding made of glossy sago pearls simmered in thick coconut milk, flavored with crushed green cardamom, condensed milk, and floral rose water.

    A traditional celebratory sweet, universally cooked during festive gatherings and Ramadan feasts.

15. Try foni boakiba Desserts and pastries

    A sweet, baked rice-flour cake infused with rich coconut cream, sugar, and fragrant rose water. It features a caramelized brown top crust and a dense, custardy crumb.

    Sold in thick wedges at local bakeries and hotaa; best enjoyed alongside unsweetened black tea.

16. Try pirini Desserts and pastries

    A silky, chilled rice pudding made from finely ground parboiled rice or semolina cooked with condensed milk, coconut milk, and cinnamon, dusted with fragrant cardamom powder.

    Served cold in small ramekins; the texture is smooth, velvety, and delicately perfumed.

17. Try aluvi boakiba Desserts and pastries

    A chewy, naturally gluten-free sweet cake made from grated cassava (manioc) and tender young coconut flesh, baked until golden on top with a moist, gelatinous center.

    Cassava is cultivated primarily in the southern atolls, making this sweet especially prominent in southern islands.

18. Drink fresh kurumba Non-alcoholic drinks

    The sweet, electrolyte-rich water of a freshly harvested young king coconut. Street vendors hack the top off with a machete; once finished, ask them to split it to scrape the soft jelly meat inside.

    Sold at harbor jetties and fruit stalls throughout Male. The ultimate natural antidote to midday equatorial heat.

19. Try fresh raa Non-alcoholic drinks

    Sweet, cloudy sap tapped directly from the flowering crowns of coconut palms by traditional climbers (raaverin). It is consumed completely fresh at dawn before natural fermentation sets in.

    Can only be sampled on authentic agricultural islands where traditional palm tapping is still actively practiced.

20. Try karaa fani Non-alcoholic drinks

    A refreshing island drink made from pure crushed watermelon pulp infused with a dash of sugar syrup and floral rose water, served chilled over crushed ice.

    The iconic sunset drink used to break the daily fast during Ramadan across all atolls.