3 Best Restaurants in Tulear, Madagascar

Run by two Italians, this restaurant is simple inside and out, but serious about food. The small menu varies daily but always includes pasta and steak. Typical Italian dishes—spaghetti carbonara or pasta amatriciana, for instance—are usual, and smoked tuna and grilled shrimp have made appearances. Normally, the house’s popular tiramisu is on the menu. This is also a place Italian tourists depend on for good espresso, always a nice way to end evenings on the patio.

This super-casual eatery may look like a dive, but it can’t be judged by outward appearances. The lawn seating is actually charming, and once food arrives everything becomes more agreeable. The menu leans toward French bistro, with lamb chops alongside green beans, and tripe stew is made with calvados, as would be done in northern France. Grilled lobster and pan-seared tuna have a more local feel. Oysters are flown in weekly from Fort Dauphin.

With so many Italians—notoriously fussy about their food—visiting Madagascar, restaurant owners here strive to please with good pizza and pasta. The garden setting of this restaurant pleases them as much as the menu, which features hand-rolled cannelloni, penne arrabiata, tagliatelle Bolognese, steaks, pizzas, and an assortment of antipasti—all of which may be paired with a number of good wines.