Are you a vegan or veg-curious person visiting Rarotonga?
Rarotonga is the largest island (by population and size) in the Cook Islands. It is home to the country’s capital city, Avarua, where Rarotonga’s only international airport (and main port) lies. Being an island nation, it comes as little surprise that many customary dishes here are centred around sea animals, especially fish. However, speaking from personal experience during my five days in Rarotonga, it definitely is possible to find vegan food here including traditional foods that are ‘accidentally vegan’!
Additionally, relative to other popular island destinations in the Pacific, such as Bora Bora, Oahu and Tahiti, eating out in Rarotonga is affordable. I found food in Rarotonga to be priced the same as (or only slightly more than) food back home in Auckland. This affordability was a pleasant surprise, considering Auckland has 100x more people living in it than Rarotonga!
To my knowledge, no eateries that are 100% vegan currently exist in Rarotonga (or anywhere in the Cook Islands). However, I am hopeful that the following eateries offering great vegan options will help pave the way towards the island being a plant-based paradise in the not-so-distant future!
Flying Turtle Cafe
I was very fortunate that my accommodation in Rarotonga was within short walking distance of Flying Turtle Cafe. This was my go-to place for breakfast, lunch and dinner (though, unfortunately, they are no longer open for dinner).
From my understanding, the owner of this cafe is vegan and was inspired to start Flying Turtle Cafe after struggling to find good plant-based options on the island. Pre-covid, the cafe was 100% vegan, but unfortunately, now offers meat and vegetarian options too. Nonetheless, their vegan options are delicious.
Their vegan sushi option consisting of mushroom and beetroot, which at first seemed like an odd sushi filling to me, tasted so fresh and flavoursome. Their smoothies are also delicious and they have plenty of plant milk options (albeit with a surcharge).
Since my visit to Rarotonga, the cafe has moved locations and is now nearby to many of the island’s large hotels and resorts in Arorangi. The cafe has a boho beachy vibe with casual outdoor seating. You can also enquire about tours with them and rent water sports equipment, such as kayaks and SUPs (standup paddle-boards).
The Falafel Shack
The Falafel Shack was the first place I hit up after arriving in Rarotonga! They are one of the food vendors that operates at the Muri Night Market, which are on every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday night! This popular market is located in Muri Beach Village. This was a convenient five minute stroll from my accommodation.
They offer more than just falafel (though I like the fact that this is the cheapest protein option that they offer), but the falafel is exceptional, so I can see why they name themselves after these delicious deep-fried balls. I bought their traditional falafel donor kebab, which for only $12 NZ is exceptional value I think. They also offer their vegan mezza plates featuring tabbouleh, hummus, babaganosh and falafel.
The Falafel Shack also has a permanent shop in Arorangi (opposite the Pacific Fish n Chip shop). It is best to check their Facebook page for the most up-to-date opening days and hours, as these do seem to vary from week to week. Currently, it seems you can get your falafel fix on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sundays for lunch (12-3pm) or dinner (5-8pm).
Please note that it appears that in addition to the Muri Night Markets having a ‘cash only’ policy, The Falafel Shack’s permanent store also only accepts cash, so don’t forget to bring your NZD!
The Rickshaw Rarotonga
I was pleasantly surprised to find Vietnamese cuisine on offer in Rarotonga! The Rickshaw Rarotonga advertises themselves as an ‘Asian-Style Street Cafe’, but is more akin to a restaurant and is only open for dinner (from 6-9pm on Sunday to Friday). It is conveniently located off of the Main Road in Muri. Most of the seating is outside in the lovely garden under sheltered huts.
Though I haven’t travelled to Vietnam yet and cannot comment on the authenticity of the food they had on offer, my plate of stir-fried tofu, vegetables, ginger and cashews was very tasty and generously sized. I really did not expect to find tofu options while I was on the island! All mains are served with steamed rice (though the bowl of rice they gave me was proportionally small).
Their menu, including their vegan options, changes often. However, they always seem to have at least one vegan-friendly appetizer and main on their menu, including Vietnamese rice paper rolls, Sichuan eggplant, stir-fries and vegan curries. Additionally, they are happy to customize dishes so that they are vegan-friendly, including fried rice, fried noodle and pad Thai dishes.
The Kai Guy
The Kai Guy is another business that operates at both a market and at their own permanent shop. I found their food truck at the Punanga Nui Market, a market that is especially popular on Saturdays in the main town on the island, Avarua. They’re at the market every Saturday morning from 8am-12pm. Their shop, which is open for lunch on weekdays from 11am-3pm, is within walking distance from the market at Avatiu Harbour.
They were one of the only vegan-friendly food vendors at the market with a few options that could be easily veganized. I opted for the ‘My Raro Salad’, which is vegan if you choose the ‘roast veggie’ option, and comes with mixed greens, slaw, quinoa, black beans, corn, pickled vege and a seasonal garnish. I’m usually reluctant to order salads, but I was relieved to have a light and refreshing lunch on this particularly warm day on the island!
Additionally, I believe that their ‘Kae Taco’ with roast vege and chimichurri, can be made vegan by omitting the feta and their burritos are vegan if you omit the meat and opt for more grains and black beans instead. They also offer both potato and kumara fries as sides.
