Malé eats well and surprisingly cheaply for somewhere surrounded by some of the world's most expensive resorts. The street-level café culture revolves around hedhikaa — fried fish snacks, samosas, gulha (fried fish balls) and bajiya — sold by the piece for a few rufiyaa at the dozens of "hotels" (the local word for café) that line the side streets. Order a glass of milk tea or sai with them.
For a sit-down meal, look for mas-huni (shredded smoked tuna with coconut and onion) eaten with roshi flatbreads, or one of the fish curries with rice. Garudhiya — clear tuna soup with rice, lime and chilli — is the national dish and worth ordering in a Maldivian-run place rather than a tourist restaurant. International cuisine — Indian, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Italian, Thai — has multiplied in recent years as Malé has grown wealthier, and the better spots are in Henveiru and along the harbour.