Samoan cooking centres on the umu — an above-ground oven of heated volcanic stones. Food is wrapped in banana leaves or coconut fronds and placed on the stones to slow-cook for a couple of hours. The result is deeply flavoured. Taro, fish, pork, chicken, and breadfruit are the staples. Traditionally the umu is lit daily in village households.
What to eat
Palusami is the dish to try: young taro leaves packed with coconut cream, wrapped in banana leaf and baked in the umu. It is rich, soft, and fragrant. Oka (raw fish marinated in lime juice and coconut cream) is the local answer to ceviche. Chop suey — a Samoan version with noodles, vegetables, and meat — is popular and not what you might expect from the name. Koko Samoa is a thick, unsweetened drinking chocolate made from roasted cacao grown on the islands.
If you visit the Apia markets you will find mangoes, star fruit, guava, tropical avocado, fresh coconut, and cacao pods. Buy what you see and eat it the same day.
Where to eat
Most resort hotels put on a weekly fiafia night — a buffet of umu-cooked food followed by traditional dancing. It is touristy but the food is usually good and it is a convenient way to try a range of dishes. The Samoa Cultural Village in Apia serves umu lunches as part of its cultural programme.
For everyday eating, Apia has a growing restaurant scene with Chinese, Korean, and Indian options alongside Samoan food. Simple local cafés (often called faleloa) serve rice, fish, and taro at low prices. Outside Apia, eating options are limited, particularly on Savai'i — self-catering or staying at a guesthouse that cooks for guests is sensible.
Drinking
The national drink is kava (ava in Samoan), made from the root of the pepper plant. It tastes earthy and slightly numbing, and drinking it together is a ritual of hospitality and respect. Beer is widely available; Samoa's own Vailima lager is the local choice.