Rarotonga & the Cook Islands for Vegans & Vegetarians + 10 Best Restaurants

As the most developed of the Cook Islands, combining island-living with a Westernised culture, Rarotonga offers plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians! While there aren't any vegan/vegetarian-exclusive restaurants, there are creative vegan options on the menus of many cafes and restaurants.

You'll even enjoy the traditional dishes of the Cook Islands where dairy staples are naturally replaced with coconut milk and fruit!

Top 13 Restaurants on Rarotonga for Vegans and Vegetarians

Here are our top picks of the best restaurants on Rarotonga for both vegans and vegetarians.

1. Beluga Cafe

(Arorangi) - While the team are happy to curate vegan alternatives to dishes across the menu, their "vegan plate" is to die for with chickpea fritters, season produce, hummus and more tempting finger food.

2. Kai & Co.

(Avarua) - Kai & Co. delights vegetarians with their "Veggie Mama" – a crispy veggie patty served with dill cream cheese, sweet chilli sauce, and fresh local veggies on a brioche bun. Vegans can request a modified version for an extra charge.

Be sure to try their refreshing smoothies, such as "Master Mango" and "Berry Bebe." For lighter options, check out their cabinet treats such as banana bread and macaroons.

3. Nautilus Restaurant

(Muri) - Nautilus Restaurant offers a diverse menu catering to various dietary needs. Seafood lovers will delight in dishes like "Margarita Prawn Ceviche" and the "House Smoked Marlin Salad".

Vegetarians can savour the" Pumpkin & Goat's Cheese Ravioli" or the gluten-free "Goat's Cheese Salad". For vegans, there's the innovative "Chickpea Kofta" - a dairy-free delight made from chickpea, couscous and tofu kabob. Be sure to try their inventive appetisers, such as the "Wonton Poke Tacos," and enjoy the comforting "Seafood Bisque."

4 & 5. Captain Andy's Beach Bar & Grill and Bluewater Grill

(Aroa Beach) - We are coupling these two restaurants together as they are owned by the same resort company (The Rarotongan and Sanctuary on the Beach) and essentially have the same menus, just the latter is an adults-only restaurant.

They have both a generous vegetarian and a separate vegan menu, ranging from vegan pizza to vegan ice cream and beyond! Note that these restaurants are only open for resort guests.

© CookIslandsPocketGuide.com

6. Falafel Shack

(Arorangi) - Falafel Shack is your go-to spot for plant-based and Mediterranean street food in Rarotonga. Don't miss the "Vegan Mezza Plate", loaded with arancini balls, leek and truffle croquettes, falafel, tempura mushrooms and Mediterranean accompaniments. Meat lovers are well catered for too, with döner kebabs, iskender plates and grilled platters on offer. On Fridays to Sundays, Aunty Dolly's sets up inside with Vietnamese spring rolls and a seafood platter.

7. Soul Café

(Avarua) - Soul Café is a spot for wholesome breakfast and lunch options in Rarotonga. Vegans and vegetarians will love the diverse menu, featuring favourites like avo toast and the vegan-friendly "Plant Fix" wrap.

Be sure to try their generous big breakfast or the tropical papaya granola bowl. With a range of smoothies, fresh coconuts, and barista coffees, Soul Café caters to all tastes. Open Monday to Saturday for breakfast and lunch, it's the perfect place to fuel your island adventures

8. Kai Pizza

(Avarua) - Kai Pizza located at Punanga Nui Market, this woodfired pizza spot offers several meat-free choices, including the classic "Margherita", "The Vegetarian" with garlic mushrooms, spinach, roasted capsicum and black olives, and "Garlic & Cheese". Extra vegetables, fruit, cream cheese, mushrooms and mozzarella can also be added to customise your pizza.

Honourable Mentions

1. La Casita (Muri) - Mexican restaurant with vegan options
2. The Rickshaw (Muri) - Asian dishes with vegan options
3. Tamarind House (Avarua) - Fine dining with vegan options
4. Rarotonga Sailing Club (Muri) - Really good vegetarian lasagne

Self-Catering as a Vegan or Vegetarian on Rarotonga

Finding vegan ingredients on Rarotonga is easy thanks to the well-stocked supermarkets and grocery stores scattered along the main road (Ara Tapu).

For the largest selection, head to the CITC Supermarket in Avarua or Wigmore's Superstore in Vaimaanga, both of which typically feature an organic and dietary-specific section stocked with imports from New Zealand and Australia. Items such as almond or soy milk, rice, nuts, and vegan snacks are all available.

While fresh local fruit and vegetables are available in supermarkets, it's typically better and a little cheaper to pick up fresh produce from roadside stalls and markets like the Punanga Nui Market (Avarua) on a Saturday morning.

There are also small convenience stores on Rarotonga, which offer the basics but typically lack the variety of vegan options found at the larger stores. We go into more detail about what to expect from grocery stores and supermarkets in A Guide to Supermarkets & Food Shopping in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands.

All you need with your vegan or vegetarian ingredients is a place to cook them! Check out the 10 Best Self-Catering Accommodations on Rarotongafor our top picks. Better yet, combine your sustainable eating habits with sustainable accommodation, as listed in the 10 Best Eco Resorts in the Cook Islands.

Once you leave Rarotonga, the dining options get extremely limited - not so much for vegetarians but certainly for vegans. Below, we've listed some of our favourite restaurants with vegan options, as well as where you can get supplies for self-catering.

Top 3 Restaurants in Aitutaki for Vegans and Vegetarians

Here are our top picks of the best restaurants in Aitutaki for both vegans and vegetarians. Note that #4 is just for vegetarians.

1. Avatea Café & Pearls Bar

Avatea Café & Pearls Bar is a charming, inland garden café in Aitutaki, open Monday to Saturday for brunch, lunch, and dinner. You'll love their wide range of espresso coffee, teas, iced drinks, and smoothies featuring tropical and green ingredients (served in funky cups, no less). Don't miss their awesome vegan smoothie bowl, bagels, and toasties!

2. Blue Lagoon Restaurant & Bar

(Ootu Beach) - Sample vegan and/or vegetarian dishes include salad nicoise, pasta pomodoro, vegetable curry, antipasto and fettuccine with sautéed vegetables.

3. Rapae Bay Restaurant

(Amuri) - Not great for vegans, but the restaurant of the Pacific Resort Aitutaki has an extensive list of vegetarian dishes and desserts. Their head chef is known for catering well to the dietary requirements of the resort's guests; however, so inquire with the resort if you're planning on staying there.

Self-Catering as a Vegan or Vegetarian in Aitutaki

While there is a generous number of small grocery stores in Aitutaki, the variety of vegan "luxuries" is nowhere near as extensive as on Rarotonga.

You can still find items like almond milk, tinned vegetables like chickpeas, and vegan snacks like rice crackers in Aitutaki's grocery stores; you might just have to look in a few stores until you find what you're looking for. Staples such as rice, flour and tinned goods are readily available.

Learn more about Aitutaki's supermarkets in A Guide to Supermarkets & Food Shopping in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands. For accommodations that allow you to prepare your own meals, consider the 10 Best Self-Catering Accommodations on Aitutaki.

Once you leave the tourist hotspots of Rarotonga and Aitutaki, you leave the restaurant scene behind, too. The outer islands of the Cook Islands, locally known as the "Pa Enuas", are where locals prefer to cook for themselves and their families/community.

The hosts at the accommodations also take this approach, with almost all accommodations in the outer Cook Islands offering meals. With this in mind, it's best to let your host know your dietary requirements before booking, allowing them a chance to prepare and determine whether they can cater to you.

Don't worry, in most instances, hosts are happy to cater to vegan diets, as their own diets tend not to be all that different from veganism (with the exception of seafood). Traditional meals are typically made with vegetables and fruit grown on the island, along with coconut cream. As some meals are shared with other guests, there will likely still be meat and fish served at the table.

Start learning more about what's available on the outer islands in our information guides:

• Information, Shops & Services on Mangaia
• Information, Shops & Services on Atiu
• Information, Shops & Services on Mauke
• Information, Shops & Services on Mitiaro
• The Complete Travel Guide to the Northern Cook Islands