Restaurant Madagascar — Malagasy / Seafood, Nosy Be
Restaurant Madagascar occupies Ambatoloaka beach — Nosy Be's most popular beach on the island's west coast — its thatched-roof tables positioned on the sand with the Indian Ocean directly ahead. The reef that protects the beach provides the crayfish that the kitchen makes its centerpiece.
The crayfish (langouste) here are Nosy Be's finest seafood offering — spiny lobster from the reef, caught by local fishermen and delivered directly to the kitchen. Grilled with garlic butter, in coconut milk with vanilla, or split and served with the house chilli sauce, they demonstrate what the Indian Ocean produces when given its own ingredients.
The beach setting — white sand, turquoise water, the distant silhouette of the Malagasy mainland — creates the atmosphere that the food alone could not provide. Restaurant Madagascar understands that the Indian Ocean is its most important culinary ingredient.
The Madagascar rum cocktails — made with rhum agricole from the island's distilleries and fresh tropical fruit — are the correct pre-dinner drink and are made with the casual expertise of a bar that has been doing this for years.
Best Occasion: Great for Birthdays
Langouste for the group on Ambatoloaka beach, rum cocktails in rounds, and the Indian Ocean sunset as the backdrop. Birthday celebrations here require nothing beyond the booking.
Best Occasion: Perfect for Solo Dining
A beach table alone, the crayfish with garlic butter, and the Indian Ocean reef visible from the sand. Solo travel's definitive Nosy Be moment.