Central Market, Mauritius

Although it's a relatively small area, the food court of the Central Market is the best place to try out local Mauritian cuisine and street food. Starting from rotis, pancakes, dumplings and various curries, the menu of the food court is very affordable and delicious at the same time.

You must try out the refreshingly cold Alouda which is a milk-based ice-cold drink prepared and served with natural laxative grains and agar-agar. Apart from food, you could buy some Mauritian souvenir from here - there are clothes, artefacts and different stalls for colourful textile, fruit preserves and artisanal sculptures. There are some stalls where they sell different varieties of local rum too with an emblematic Dodo bird painted on it. 

There is another interesting fact about the Central market. What makes it so special is the lottery system that has been created by the Municipal Council. Tourists are requested to try their luck with the lottery after entering the market. Quite interestingly, even the stalls in the market are allotted to the vendors through a lottery system, and hence it’s an honour to own a stall in the oldest market of the island.

The Central Market saw its origin back from 1828, and later in 1833, it was moved to a location where it standstill today. When Mauritius was under British rule. La Corderie Street was chosen as the permanent location for the market.

During the colonial times, indentured labourers, farmers and traders from different parts of the island formed the majority of the crowd in the market. It was quite spacious back then, and as the years passed by, the population of the group increased, and the market saw the introduction of direct sections and stalls.

To cater to the growing number of customers, the builders built a first floor which would accommodate the local craftsmen and artists. They also added a food court along with the many new stalls.

The Central Market is located in the centre of Port Louis. From the Le Caudan waterfront, you have to take Sir Robert Townsend Farquhar Street, and just after a 5-minute walk, you'll reach the Central Market.