Friday, 11 am: We meet in front of the Casino, at the Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis.

Equipped with our backpacks and walking shoes, we are welcomed by Adrien and Rudy, our tour guides for the day. Their communicative cheerfulness puts us all at ease, we can’t wait to get started with this exciting culinary adventure!

On the menu: a visit of the capital to learn more about its rich history, the tasting of some typical street foods and other local culinary specialities, a few enriching encounters with the locals… The weekend’s definitely off to a very good start 😏

What better way to kick it off, than by tasting some delicious Mauritian pastries, prepared at the heart of a charming edifice dating back to the 1960s. Our guides explain how the owners, attached to their culture and traditions, still use old-fashioned kitchen equipment like the twin-pan scale and wood oven, amongst others.

Hungry for more, we are ready for lunch! From famous street food stalls to some of the capital’s most popular restaurants, Adrien and Rudy walk us around telling the story of the emblematic places we visit. The city gates of China Town, the Jummah Mosque, the Pagoda, the Cathedral… perfectly illustrate the multiculturality of our beautiful Mauritius.

Five stops later, our bellies full of scrumptious salty treats, we finish the tour at the Port Louis market, where a surprising sensorial experience awaits! Full of bright colours and filled with a sweet tropical scent, the bazar boasts a selection of local products ranging from fruits & vegetables to spices and handicrafts of all kinds, as well as typical clothes and a variety of Mauritian souvenirs.

There, we meet some locals for a glass of fresh juice and a handful of fruity treats. For the greediest, it is the famous alouda – a typical Mauritian drink made from fermented milk – that brings the final touch to this extraordinary culinary voyage!

3 pm: It’s now time to walk back to the Casino, where we bid farewell to our tour guides and all other participants, ending this beautiful day on a high note.

Thank you so much Taste Buddies for this exceptional experience at the heart of our capital! One thing’s certain, Mauritians will learn as much about this charming city as any foreigner visiting our little island 😉