Toamasina's food reflects its mixed heritage: Malagasy staples (rice, zebu beef, coconut-inflected sauces) sit alongside French colonial standards — grilled fish, baguettes, and the occasional decent steak. The city has a handful of sit-down restaurants, mostly catering to the modest expatriate community and travellers staying in the better hotels, but the most interesting eating is at street level: market stalls, pavement brochette grills, and the Bazary Be's food section in the early morning.
Seafood is reliable given the proximity of the ocean. Crayfish (langouste) appear on menus at the better restaurants, as does tuna, snapper, and the freshwater shrimp that come down from the inland rivers. The local rum-based spirit, toaka gasy, is not for the faint-hearted but makes for authentic drinking.