The Food Guide to Nuku’alofa: Places to Eat & Food Tours [2024]

The Best Food Tours and Activities in Nuku’alofa

Experience the culture of Tonga through its food with a hands-on foodie experience. From browsing amazing arrays of tropical produce at the local markets to being amazed at a culture show serving traditional Tongan dishes, there are plenty of ways to experience food in Nuku’alofa.

Talamahu Market

The bustling central hub of Nuku’alofa, Talamahu Market, is a must for foodies and non-foodies alike! See a huge array of fresh produce stalls across multiple levels as you wander among tropical fruit and vegetables. Purchase Tongan staples, such as plantain, breadfruit, taro and cassava sold in bundles or inside woven baskets. Pyramids of tomatoes, bunches of bananas, the sweetest pineapples and snack-ready peanuts also decorate just about every surface available. Talamahu Market is the perfect place to try some tropical produce you might have never had before and see what some of your tropical favourites taste like in comparison to home. Spoiler alert, they’ll probably be better in Tonga! Learn more about opening hours in the 5 Best Markets in Tonga.

Ancient Tonga

A very special dining experience for both locals and visitors is food slow-cooked in an underground oven, locally called an “umu”. Learn how Tongans have prepared umu for centuries on an educational culture tour with Ancient Tonga. Aside from learning about Tongan weaving, tapa-making, medicines and more, you’ll learn how to prepare traditional Tongan food. See how ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves, as well as how to husk a coconut to extract the coconut cream. Learn more about this tour in the 10 Best Cultural Activities in Tonga.

In addition, Ancient Tonga hosts monthly buffets followed by traditional Tongan dancing on a Friday night (that’s if they have the minimum required numbers, so be sure to pre-book). Learn much more about the captivating show and dining experience in the 10 Best Cultural Shows in Tonga.

Tu’i Mata Moana Fish Market and Fair

On the waterfront along Vuna Road, on the east side of Nuku’alofa, there are a couple more markets that many travellers miss! At Faua Wharf, check out the tables of tropical fish, wrapped-up crabs, bags of squid, oysters, seaweed and much more at the Tu’i Mata Moana Fish Market. Further along the wharf, you’ll also find the Tu’i Mata Moana Fair with an abundance of barbecued meals and local drinks like ‘otai for sale. Although both markets are open throughout the week, the best time to go is on a Saturday morning. Learn more about these markets in the 5 Best Markets in Tonga.

Faikava

Kava is an integral part of the Tongan lifestyle, typically drunk by men who drink in kava circles known as faikava. Apart from learning about and trying kava at Ancient Tonga (see above), visitors will need to ask around locally for faikava. Otherwise, some Nuku’alofa guesthouses put on kava nights on request, such as Toni’s Guesthouse. If you’re joining a faikava on a more casual basis (not part of a guided tour), it’s customary to bring some cash (TOP$50) or kava to contribute. Learn more about aspects of the Tongan culture in The Guide to the Tongan Culture and Traditions.

More Food Tours in Nuku’alofa

And that’s not all the food scene in Nuku’alofa has to offer. Check out alternative food tours, such as:

• Try Tongan and international cuisine at one of the city’s restaurants
• Take a tour of a coffee roaster and cassava chip factory at Tupu’Anga Cafe
• Try traditional Tongan food and snacks
• Sample local beers, juices and cocktails
• Experience Nuku’alofa’s fabulous bakeries.

Get more details on each activity in our 10 Best Foodie Experiences in Nuku’alofa & Tongatapu.

About the Best Places to Eat in Nuku’alofa

You’ll find a wealth of variety when it comes to dining in Nuku’alofa! Try local dishes, such as ota ika (raw fish marinated in coconut cream) and lu (meat and coconut cream wrapped in taro leaves). Alternatively, European and Asian food is also readily available.

Where to Eat: Restaurants in Nuku’alofa

International cuisine, especially European, American and Asian, is well-represented in Nuku’alofa. If you’re looking for some home comforts or perhaps some variety in your nightly meals in Nuku’alofa, then these are the restaurants you need to try!

Get your dose of European cuisine with a Polynesian twist at Chef Zero (Popua). Their specialities include steaks with a choice of sauces, pork with mouthwatering apple sauce, and fish served in local and international ways.

Dine in or eat al fresco at Little Italy (Vuna Road) on the waterfront. There’s a wonderful choice of creative pizzas, as well as safe favourites. Pasta, steak, lobster and fish are also available on the menu.

A little further along from Little Italy, Seaview Lodge & Restaurant (Vuna Road) offers an upmarket dining experience and cocktail deck overlooking the waterfront. Favourites include octopus with grilled vegetables and grilled snapper on homemade lemon butter sauce.

Get amazing views of the city from The TOP Restaurant & Lounge (Cnr Wellington & Taua’ahau Rds). The entrance is simply an elevator taking you to a large lounge and dining area. As for the menu, choose from an array of international dishes, from tacos to seafood to gourmet burgers.

Sure, there are a lot of burgers in Nuku’alofa. But nowhere else builds a burger like Builder’s Burger (Touliki). They handcraft their own patties (or swap to fish for the same price) and stack them for all walks of life visiting them at their secluded waterfront location right by Nuku’alofa’s ocean swimming pool.

Exclusively serving seafood in a far-flung waterfront corner of Nuku’alofa, 12 Seafood Restaurant (Popua) is a local favourite! Try fish prepared the way Tongans prefer, whether it’s cooked in a gravy/curry sauce or succulently raw and fresh like ota ika.

Dive into more of Nuku’alofa’s dine-in restaurants in the 20 Best Restaurants in Nuku’alofa.

Where to Eat: Cafes in Nuku’alofa

Looking for a place to meet up with friends? Perhaps somewhere to sit down for breakfast or lunch? Check out the range of cafes in Nuku’alofa!

One of the city centre’s hotspots, Friends Cafe (cnr Taufa’ahau and Salote Rds) is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Learn about the history of the building on the notices found on each table and treat yourself to a light lunch of toasties, paninis, salads, soups, burgers and more. The all-day breakfasts are pretty fine too.

Experience a cafe Tongan style at Mum’s Cafe (cnr Fatafehi and Laifone Rds)! Try something quintessentially local like ota ika or ika loloi or unashamedly order one of their very popular “Mum’s Big Breakfast Burgers” stacked with multiple meats, eggs, cheese and more.

Coffee Post (Taufa’ahu Road) boasts an array of healthy lunch options and not-so-healthy breakfasts, including beautifully presented pancakes, sandwiches, toasties and more.

Pop in for a sit-down or use the drive-thru at Moli Green Cafe (cnr Fatafehi and Laifone Rds). They have all your cafe favourites among contemporary industrial-style interiors.

Finally, while a little out of town, it’s worth making your way to Tupu’Anga Cafe (Umusi Road) for their cassava cakes, pies, chips, pawpaw scones and home-roasted coffee. Tours of the coffee roastery and cassava chip factory are available if you ask.

Check out more details about these cafes and others in the 10 Best Cafes in Nuku’alofa & Tongatapu.

Where to Eat: Markets in Nuku’alofa

Don’t rule out the markets as places to eat in Nuku’alofa. Talamahu Market (Salote Road) is the largest market in Tonga with stalls with large mounds of tropical fruit and vegetables.

On the other hand, we’d argue that Tu’i Mata Moana Market (Faua Wharf) is a better option to sample barbecued meals and Tongan drinks like ‘otai.

Otherwise, there are plenty of roadside market stalls selling Tongan snacks, such as along Vuna Road on the way to Faua Wharf where you can pick up sweet treats like topai and fai kakai!

Dive into the details of each market in the 5 Best Markets in Tonga.

Where to Eat: Bakeries in Nuku’alofa

Whether you’re looking for breakfast, road trip snacks or fresh bread for a picnic, Nuku’alofa can certainly provide with its wealth of fabulous bakeries.

Try a coconut and chocolate cake for two (or just to yourself if you’re feeling that way) at Ini’s Cakes (Taufa’ahau Village), grab some silkily glazed doughnuts from Agape Donuts (Wellington Road), or fresh bread, cupcakes, full cakes and more from A Cowley & Sons (Cnr Fasi-Moe-Afi & Salote Roads).

Where to Eat: Cheap Eats in Nuku’alofa

You don’t have to pay a fortune to eat like a king in Nuku’alofa.

The masters of fast food in Nuku’alofa, Three Men’s Fastfood (Taufau’ahau Village) have prices starting from TOP$10 with their small burgers to around TOP$15-$20 paninis.

A long-established hole-in-the-wall eatery at the Tonga Post Building food court, Chand’s Curry House (Taufa’ahau Road) is a popular Indian takeaway. Treat yourself to a variety of curries with various boned and boneless meats, all served with rice, roti and a chilli chutney – amazing value for the price!

Get your Mexican fix from Inglewood LA Snacks (Wellington Road), a hole-in-the-wall eatery with burritos, tacos, nachos and kesatias starting from TOP$12.

Check out The Top Cheap Eats in Nuku’alofa & Tongatapu for more information on each eatery, as well as more recommendations.

Where to Eat: Vegan and Vegetarian Food in Nuku’alofa

While there are vegetarian options on the menus in Nuku’alofa, expect to have a minimal choice and uninspired dishes. Vegetarians can easily get by on salads, root crop meals, starchy fruits like plantain and breadfruit and more. Cafes tend to have a bit more choice, such as Cafe Escape (Taufau’ahau Road). It’s always best to talk to the restaurant staff about vegetarian options. Finding food without dairy, however, is easy as dairy is expensive in Tonga and not typically part of the everyday diet.

Check out our top recommended eateries for vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians in Tonga for Vegans & Vegetarians + 10 Best Restaurants.

Alternative Things to Do in Nuku’alofa

As much as eating is exciting, you can’t travel all the way to Nuku’alofa just for the food. You’re in one of the most vibrant cities in the South Pacific! So balance out your stay with some of the alternative activities, such as:

• Swimming with humpback whales
• Scuba diving at the outer reefs
• Snorkelling at ‘Atata or Pangaimotu Islands
• Seeing sights like the Royal Palace and Tombs
• Making Tongan souvenirs at Tina’s Workshop
• Checking out the Tonga National Museum
• Exploring the city by bike…

… and much more! Check out the details of these activities and get more inspiration in the 30 Best Things to Do in Nuku’alofa.

5 Final Tips for Eating Out in Nuku’alofa

Finally, here are some extra tips on things to know about eating out in Nuku’alofa:

1. Tips are not expected for dining in Nuku’alofa but are appreciated – learn more in the Tipping & Tax Guide to Tonga
2. The drinking age in Tonga is 18 years old
3. Tongan portions are typically HUGE, so sharing a main and an entree between two is usually a good way to do it for those with lighter appetites, otherwise…
4. Take a doggy bag! Getting your leftover meal wrapped up to go is common practice in Nuku’alofa
5. Local meat, seafood and poultry are generally safe to eat.

Check out more tips about food and other aspects of planning a trip to Tonga in our Tonga Travel Tips: 31 Tips for Travelling in Tonga.