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Culinary capital of the South Pacific
anuatu is the culinary capital of the South Pacific. A quick visit to the harbourfront food market in Port Vila is all it takes to realise how fresh and plentiful the local produce is. You’ll find long wooden tables laden with seasonal vegetables and fruit, handwoven baskets full of yams and bananas, and live crabs, lobsters and chickens. Vanuatu also boasts superb beef and a huge range of fish and crustaceans. Among other delicacies, Teouma prawns are a musttry during any holiday and a visit to some of the terrific restaurants is the best way to get a genuine taste of the tropics. COFFEE HAOS The newly opened Coffee Haos, located right in the centre of town near the BRED bank, offers Vila’s ultimate coffee experience. With fully trained baristas, the Coffee Haos promises the best brew in Port Vila. However, it’s not just coffee lovers flocking to sample the fare, with the Coffee Haos open for gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday to Friday from 7am to 10pm and 24 hours a day on weekends. A kids’ playroom ensures that Mum and Dad can relax in air-conditioned comfort, secure in the knowledge that their children are having fun. Call in to enjoy excellent coffee and sandwiches, and escape the heat.
Dining options range from budget to five-star but at every level there is fresh local produce to savour. On the northern side of Efaté, you’ll find The Havannah, with its ultimately romantic ‘glass-bottom table’ sitting right out over the harbour where the restaurant’s seafood is caught.
LAGOON TERRACE RESTAURANT The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, with breakfast, lunch and a daily themed buffet dinner which is served from 6pm to 9.30pm. With live cultural entertainment, Le Lagon’s Lagoon Terrace Restaurant is the perfect place to start and end the day. WILD GINGER – ASIAN FUSION RESTAURANT Also at Le Lagon and with a seating capacity of a little over 100, there’s a choice of air-conditioned indoor dining or eating outdoors with views of the resort’s landscaped gardens and Erakor Lagoon. An open exhibition kitchen features two teppanyaki grills, sushi bar, wok station and char-grill. The menu is a fusion of the freshest local produce with upmarket imported ingredients, creating a combination of flavours from various parts of the culinary world. VILA CHAUMIERES Established in 1985, Vila Chaumieres is famous for its magical setting over the palm-fringed waters of the second lagoon. A unique South Pacific dining experience, ideal for honeymooners and romantics of all ages, Vila Chaumieres is renowned for its beautiful ambience, excellent food and first-class service. The restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, focuses its menu on the much sought after local seafood and beef. From top: Le Lagon’s beautifully appointed Wild Ginger restaurant with two teppanyaki grills; Vila Chaumieres’ atmospheric dining room right on the Erakor Lagoon; Tilly’s at Chantilly’s on Fatumaru Bay. Opposite: Coffee Haos for the ultimate Vila coffee experience.
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Accommodation is provided in a choice of charming garden burés nestled among lush gardens or rooms with huge balconies overlooking the tranquil Erakor Lagoon. Situated just 4km from the centre of town, Vila Chaumieres offers a peaceful alternative to larger resorts. TILLY’S At Chantilly’s On The Bay, Tilly’s is ideally situated on the picturesque Fatumaru Bay, only five minutes’ walk from Port Vila’s bustling city centre and a 10-minute drive from the airport. Open seven days from 7am till late, a major attraction is Tilly’s coffee, which is brewed by their award-winning barista and is a popular choice with locals wanting a wifi connection and an excuse to lunch by the harbour. Their set-price, two-course lunch is great value but if that doesn’t suit your appetite, then you can try the great selection of tapas or the extensive à la
carte menu. With its friendly staff and fantastic location, Tilly’s offers one of Vila’s best waterfront dining options, either with air-con inside or under the striped awning outdoors. ANCHOR INN Ask any expatriate and they’ll tell you The Anchor Inn is the place to watch live sporting games and meet for Friday-night drinks. Since opening its doors nearly 10 years ago, The Anchor has undergone something of a facelift. Located right on the water at the beginning of the main street, The Anchor is an open-air bar and restaurant that specialises in highquality pub-style meals. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, you can enjoy everything you would expect from an Aussie pub, only with million-dollar views. Meals are terrific value, starting at less than $AUD10, and the menu ranges from hamburgers and hot dogs to seafood and local specialties.
Wild Ginger Restaurant
ON THE BAY
FOOD+DINING
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