“Audacious” is one word that describes the Maldivian epicurean landscape. From underwater restaurants to floating bars, treetop eateries, and deserted island picnics, adventure and wow-value are two pillars of the dining experience in this island paradise.
The breadth of cuisine on offer in the Maldives is impressive, with resorts flying in chefs from all around the world to add some international flavour to their kitchens. Fresh produce prevails, with most resorts boasting sizeable fruit and vegetable gardens, as well as access to freshly caught seafood every day.
While most resorts offer memorable feasts, some pull out all the stops, housing Michelin-starred chefs to ensure the culinary choices available to guests are some of the world's finest!
ST REGIS MALDIVES VOMMULI RESORT
The modern, island-inspired resort is home to seven restaurants and some of the Maldives’ most phenomenal dishes. Options range from a sushi bar at Oriental; Middle Eastern flavours at Cargo; beachside pizza at Crust; wine-paired tasting menus at Decanter, the resort’s very own wine cellar; and exquisite flavours at its world-renowned signature restaurant, Alba. In addition to this already distinguished dining scene, St Regis runs a rotating Michelin chef program, where they regularly host different chefs in residency, offering cooking classes and unique dining experiences to guests, bringing Michelin-star flair to the 'culinary capital' of the Maldives.
HURAWALHI ISLAND RESORT MALDIVES
Hurawalhi Island Resort Maldives is an epitome of luxury in the pristine Lhaviyani Atoll. The adults-only luxury retreat has a swathe of dining options to choose from, including casual, Asian street-inspired fare and romantic share plates at its French ‘bubbly pavilion’. But it’s the tasting menus at the resort’s famous 5.8 Undersea that can’t be missed. Open for lunch and dinner, and including vegan tasting menus, this magnificent restaurant is the world’s largest all-glass undersea restaurant available exclusively to 10 couples at a time, or for a private champagne breakfast. Recently it opened its kitchen to two Michelin-star chef Stefan Heilemann and has more exciting collaborations on the horizon.
A pioneer of barefoot eco-luxury in the Maldives, one-of-a-kind experiences and conscious travel continue to be the bedrock of this world-renowned brand. With two resorts in the Maldives – Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani – it lays claim to some of the most covetable dining options in the county. Upping the epicurean ante is the Soneva Stars programme, which brings in luminaries for stints at the resorts, including Michelin-starred chefs like German Tim Raue and other celebrity names from hot-table restaurants such as Sweden’s Adam Dahlberg.
Choices at Soneva Fushi (the brand’s first and arguably most well-loved resort) include its high-end sushi restaurant So Hands On, an eight-seat private dining space developed in a partnership with three Michelin-starred Japanese chef Kenji Gyoten. Then there's Shades of Green, which as the name suggests, focuses on plant-based cuisine where diners begin their tasting menu by chef Carsten Kyster with a tour of Soneva Fushi's extensive gardens, where snacks are hidden amongst the foliage. The bounty of produce surrounding diners is then crafted into five impressive gourmet courses.
RITZ CARLTON MALDIVES, FARI ISLANDS
It might be new to the destination but the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands already packs a punch when it comes to its food offering, striking the perfect balance between high-end dining, beachfront luxury, and health-focused menus. Among the resort’s seven restaurants and bars are Summer Pavilion and Arabesque. Floating serenely over the turquoise lagoon, Summer Pavilion is an intimate, 40-seat restaurant where Cantonese cuisine takes centre stage. The lantern-inspired space is a collaboration with Singapore’s Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name and dishes, including roasted duck, are designed to be shared and paired with fine Chinese teas and selections from the extensive wine cellar. An eye-catching tribute to a traditional Bedouin tent, Arabesque invites diners on a journey from Lebanon to north India at Fari Marina Village.
