Quick answer
In the Andamans, eat grilled catch of the day, fish curry with rice, crab and prawn masala, and lobster if your budget allows, plus tender coconut on every beach. Thanks to settlers from Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Punjab, North Indian, Bengali and South Indian vegetarian food is easy to find in Sri Vijaya Puram and on Havelock.
How easy is it to eat well?
Vegetarian & Jain friendliness
5 = easy everywhere, 1 = plan every meal
Indian food availability
5 = Indian restaurants everywhere, 1 = rare
Dishes to try in Andaman Islands
Grilled catch of the day
Red snapper, barracuda, tuna or mahi-mahi grilled with masala or butter-garlic; pick your fish at Havelock's beach restaurants in the evening.
Fish curry and rice
Home-style fish curry, Bengali or South Indian depending on the cook, with steamed rice; the everyday local lunch.
Crab masala
Mud crabs in a thick, spicy onion-tomato masala; messy and very good.
Prawn masala
Fresh prawns in a coastal masala or butter-garlic, on almost every menu.
Lobster
Grilled or in butter-garlic; usually priced by weight and expensive, so confirm the price first.
Tandoori fish
Whole fish or fillets cooked in a tandoor, a speciality of Punjabi dhabas in Sri Vijaya Puram.
Bengali fish thali
Macher jhol, rice, dal and bhaja, reflecting the islands' large Bengali-origin community.
North Indian veg thali
Dal, paneer, seasonal sabzi, roti and rice at dhabas and hotels across Sri Vijaya Puram and Havelock.
South Indian meals
Rice meals with sambar, rasam and poriyal, served by Tamil- and Telugu-run restaurants in Sri Vijaya Puram.
Tender coconut
Fresh coconut water from beach stalls; the best way to stay hydrated in the humidity.
Bengali sweets
Rosogolla, sandesh and mishti doi from sweet shops around Aberdeen Bazaar.
What is Andaman food like?
There isn't one Andaman cuisine that visitors eat. Most of today's islanders descend from settlers from Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and elsewhere, so you'll find Bengali fish curry, Tamil meals, Punjabi dhaba food and Kerala-style seafood, often on the same street, alongside the islands' main draw: very fresh fish and shellfish.
Can vegetarians eat well in the Andamans?
Yes, though menus lean towards seafood. Every hotel and most restaurants serve North Indian vegetarian dishes, and Sri Vijaya Puram has several pure-veg restaurants, including South Indian places. Havelock and Neil have fewer choices but always offer dal, paneer, vegetable curries and thalis.
Jain travellers should give hotels advance notice, especially on Neil, where supplies arrive by boat and kitchens are small. Carrying a few ready-to-eat Jain meals or snacks is sensible for longer stays.
Where should you eat?
| Where | What to order | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Local restaurant, Aberdeen Bazaar | Fish thali, veg thali | ₹200–400 |
| Havelock beach restaurant | Grilled fish, prawns | ₹800–1,500 per person |
| Resort restaurant | Seafood platter, continental | ₹1,500–3,000 per person |
| Dhaba | Tandoori fish, dal, roti | ₹250–500 |
| Beach stall | Tender coconut | ₹50–80 |
What should you watch out for?
- Prices by weight: lobster, crab and large fish are sold by weight, so agree the price before it's cooked.
- Freshness: eat seafood where it's busy, and ask what came in that morning.
- Protected species: turtles and their eggs are protected, and several shark species are protected under Indian law, so skip anything sold as either.
- Water: stick to bottled or filtered water.
Many restaurants on Havelock and Neil close by about 10 pm, and kitchens may stop taking orders earlier. Eat early, especially on Neil.
Plan with things to do in the Andamans, where to stay in the Andamans and the Andaman trip cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is it easy to find vegetarian food in the Andamans?
Is seafood expensive in the Andamans?
Is the tap water safe to drink in the Andamans?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
