9 Best Restaurants in Suva, Viti Levu

You get far more than you pay for at this Suva institution hidden behind shrubbery, one block east of the main drag. The menu is on a blackboard and the food is served cafeteria-style but don't be deterred: It's prepared fresh and tastes accordingly. Traditional Indian fare sits alongside local fish and vegetable dishes, all classically prepared. The staff will mix-and-match to your preference before you retreat to a booth or table and savor the city's finest. Authentic sweet dishes and cakes are served in the second room down the porch. It's a shame they're not open for dinner.

What more appropriate setting for fantastic seafood than a 35-year-old original Blue Lagoon cruise ship? The fresh catch is written up on the blackboard menu at either end of the dining room. More often than not this includes lobster, sea prawns, and fish such as Nuqa, masterfully prepared. There are smoking and no-smoking areas as well as a private dining room in the former captain's quarters with 270-degree views. Some diners come later to hear the guitarist accompanied by a slice of sticky date pudding or chocolate mud cake, but it's worth arriving in time for sunset drinks. The restaurant is engine-less and attached to the dock, so don't worry about missing the boat.

For the tepid of palate or homesick, this multifaceted expat magnet has all the comfort foods. The American-style menu featuring everything from pizzas and pastas to burgers and steaks is served in three areas. There's a T.G.I.F.-style seating area that permits smoking and has a full bar, a café section with a coffee bar and sweets on display, and a surprisingly intimate, candlelight dining room. Drinks are half-off 5–6 pm daily and the polished bar keeps the margaritas, sangria, shots, and cocktails flowing until 11. They sell branded clothing.

Smaller than the Nadi location, this is an equally traditional setting for the chain's signature dynamically prepared cuisine. Families in particular thrill to the sight of locally caught tuna, Australian beef, and New Zealand salmon expertly sliced, diced, and cooked before their eyes. Punctual service and a decent wine list round out the celebratory atmosphere.

The combination of plastic flower tablecloths, red carpet, and small chandeliers of glass balls is just kitschy enough to state the emphasis is not on the decor but the food at this authentic Chinese place on the main strip. This local institution is frequented by locals and expats who come, and return, for seafood specialties such as steamed fish, deep-fried squid, and lobster served in generous, family-style portions; meat dishes are also offered. Service is good and continues to be so after 6:30 when the restaurant begins to fill up for dinner.

Of the many branches of this Suva staple, this one's upstairs seating—open 11–3—is the most relaxing place to enjoy one of the chain's 17 kinds of vegetarian curries. The corner real estate offers a fantastic view of the impressive Sacred Heart Cathedral from comfortable, cushioned wicker chairs. The air-conditioning doesn't hurt, but there are also plenty of cream and milk shake flavors to cool you down. Curries are served cafeteria-style by friendly, hair-netted staff, and there's a large array of toffees downstairs as well as all-day, un-air-conditioned seating.

Its minimalist, open-plan dining room and imported Italian chairs make this Suva's slickest Indian restaurant. And while the scene may be Sydney-esque, the cuisine is classic Indian. Highlights include the spicy Kadai chicken—pieces on the bone cooked with capsicum, tomato, and onions in an array of spices—and Bhindido Pyaja—okra (Lady's Fingers) cooked in an aromatic sauce with spices, mushroom, and onions. You may even find a crowd around the central, shiny rectangular bar early on a Friday or Saturday.

Just across the street from the harbor, Sea salt Restaurant is the best place for steak in Suva. Fan-folded napkins (even if they are paper) and a few ol' boys' club–style booths set the tone for succulent cuts, a traditional English-style roast, and a renowned burger. The Chef's Nightmare (the steak of the day) is also popular as is the aptly named Death by Chocolate, the smaller size of which will satiate two. The service is professional—the way expats like it—and the restaurant's setting conveys a luxurious sense of space.

A favorite among 9–5'ers for its spicy, cafeteria-style south Indian fare, some luck may be required to find a seat here at lunch hour. Spices from Singapore and India give the curries a more authentic flavor than much of the competition. Food is served cafeteria-style and the intense reds of the booths and yellows of the walls are in line with the hotter dishes. The patrons' sink, complete with liquid soap and paper towel dispensers, is beside a booth in the dining room, but it's all part of the fun—at least for you, who doesn't have to be back at work in 45 minutes. There's a second location in the Morris Hedstrom City Center mall.