Marie-Antoinette Restaurant is one of the best places on Mah to enjoy authentic and delicious Seychellois comfort food prepared in the traditional way using local organic ingredients. This coupled with the warm, relaxed atmosphere and reasonably priced dishes have made it one of the most famous restaurants on the island with Seychellois, tourists and visiting dignitaries. Evidences of its popularity adorn one of the walls of the restaurant which is covered with business cards and foreign notes – souvenirs from visitors from all over the world.
With a rich history that spans well over 50 years, you will surely have much to learn about the restaurant from the friendly and charismatic manageress, while sampling some of their delicious dishes over lunch or dinner.
Opened in 1972 by the late Mrs. Kathleen Fonseka, Marie-Antoinette as it is simply known locally, was named after Queen Marie-Antoinette of France. The name was chosen to keep with the tradition of the previous owner, who previously called it ‚Le Grand Trianon‚, which was the lavish palace of Queen Marie-Antoinette. It just goes to show how grand and majestic the building was in those days! This is characterised by its colonial style architecture, high roof, polished wooden staircase, walls and floors which dates back to the 1800s. To date it is one of very few buildings in Seychelles which has maintained its original structure and design, and for this reason it was designated as a national monument in 2011. Well over 100 years old, one can only imagine the wonderful tales the building would regale us with, if only it could talk!
The Creole flair is pretty much everywhere at Marie-Antoinette ‚ from the mouth-watering menu comprising local dishes such as parrotfish, tuna steak, golden apple or pumpkin chutney, fish stew, chicken curry, aubergine fritters, garden salad and steaming white rice to name a few, to the beautiful flower and spice garden and the tortoises and guinea pigs dens.