Maldives / Male' / Dining

Male' has a wide variety of cafés and restaurants, most offering a range of hot and spicy local snacks and meals. The majority of the food outlets in Male' are cafés or teashops which dot many of the streets. In these you would find the atmosphere busy and hectic, as well as a high noise level to match. However, these are the ideal places to sample the local fare. A range of 'short eats'-local sweets and savouries are displayed inside glass food cases. Teashops are of the self-service type. You may find the norms here quite different from those at restaurants you have seen elsewhere in the world or even in Male'. Don't be surprised if someone sits at your table, here it is a sort of friendly communal atmosphere. These are often patronised by busy workers - a quick snack and off to work again.

At meal times you would find a number of fish, chicken and beef curries, rice and other delicacies displayed. The curries are often hot and spicy but if you can cope, these would give you a taste of genuine local dishes. In the month of Ramazan, when locals observe the Islamic month of fasting, all food outlets in Male' remain closed during the day.

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