Photo: Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
🌺 Pacific

Restaurants
Cook Islands

Ika mata, lagoon fish, tables on the sand and Aitutaki cafés

⚠️ Timetables, opening hours, prices and access conditions may change without notice, for reasons beyond our control (season, weather, decisions by operators, venues or local authorities). Before every trip, check the information with the relevant authorities and service providers.

🍷Fine dining & trendy spots2 places
🍽️
Antipodes
Black Rock, Nikao (Rarotonga)

Mediterranean-inspired cooking in a cliffside villa above Black Rock, popular at sunset; dinner Tuesday to Saturday, booking essential.

MediterraneanSunset16 and over
🌐Official websiteantipodesrarotonga.com→
🍽️
Rapae Bay Restaurant
Pacific Resort Aitutaki, near Amuri

The Pacific Resort Aitutaki's restaurant, named “Cook Islands Best Restaurant 2025” at the World Culinary Awards; Pacific cuisine, open to non-residents aged 12 and over.

Lagoon view2025 awardPacific cuisine
🌐Official websitepacificresort.com→
🍲Local food & seafront5 places
🍲
Kikau Hut
Arorangi (Rarotonga)

Restaurant serving Cook Islands dishes (ika mata, Rarotonga-style fish, curry) alongside Australasian classics; dinner only, closed on Sundays.

Ika mataLocal foodDinner
🌐Official websitekikauhut.com→
🍲
Vaima On The Beach
Vaimaanga (south Rarotonga)

Beach restaurant opened in the 1970s and billed as the island's first: seafood, pizzas and a children's menu; closed on Tuesdays.

On the sandSeafoodFamilies
🌐Official websitevaimarestaurant.com→
🍲
The Yellow Hibiscus
Palm Grove, Vaimaanga (south Rarotonga)

Open-air restaurant at the Palm Grove hotel, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with live music on Fridays and Sundays and a Sunday barbecue; booking essential.

Open airLive musicSunday barbecue
🌐Official websitepalmgrove.net→
🍲
Koru Cafe
Ootu Beach road, Aitutaki

Café known for its espresso, open daily from 7 am for breakfast and lunch, handy before a lagoon cruise.

CaféBreakfastPre-cruise
🌐Official websitekorucafe.biz→
🍲
Avatea Cafe
Tautu, Aitutaki

Small fusion café-restaurant set in a garden: bagels and crêpes in the morning, fish and pizzas in the evening; closed on Sundays, licensed.

FusionGardenClosed Sundays
🌐Official websiteavateacafe.com→