New Caledonia Local Food

Local Food

New Caledonia's traditional foods are, of course centred around a typical island diet of seafood, coconuts, bananas and other tropical staples such as sweet potato, yam and taro. The seafood is largely fish and crustaceans although dugong and turtle are traditional food sources, as is the local flying fox known as a roussette. You will still find some delicious traditional fare such as meats and seafoods cooked in banana leaves in ground ovens.

However, away from the traditional, New Caledonia for tourists can be a gourmet experience of the highest order as a result of the french influence. There are some exceptional chefs around the islands that will use fresh fruits and locally caught seafood to create dishes to tempt the most discerning pallete. Each year a cheese festival is held in New Caledonia during the middle of the year and foodies from around the world descend to sample superb cheeses and the accompanying gourmet fodder on offer.