At Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, the island’s All Inclusive plan means you can eat at any of the four restaurants on the island during your stay. So you can dazzle your tastebuds with a different culinary experience in a new corner of the island, each day.
The perfect waterside lunch spot at Azzuri Mare, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Reef Restaurant
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The main all-day dining restaurant, Reef serves buffet-style meals and it’s there you’ll start your day with a substantial breakfast spread. Dining alfresco in the thatched roof restaurant means you sit with toes in the sand, enjoying the sea breeze as the morning sunlight hits the water just metres from your table.
Waffles, pastries, eggs any style, tropical fruit, superfood smoothies, iced tea infusions, the menu goes on. Fresh and colourful culinary creations cover every corner of the buffet counter and anything that isn’t there, you can simply ask to have made. If you really want to hit the indulgence button (Hello, Honeymooners!) grab a glass or two of French champagne to set a celebratory tone for the day.
A very grand Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives breakfast. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Champagne breakfast with toes in the sand at Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Teppanyaki Grill
For a casual and fun dining experience, the Teppanyaki Grill inside also inside Reef is a great dinner option. Seating times are set as is the menu, so the chef can wow the crowd with his skills on the iron hot plate and serve diners simultaneously. We ate fresh greens with seaweed, eggplant with a thick miso dressing, fresh fish, sea scallops and beef hot off the grill, egg vegetable fried rice, mushroom soup and a green tea brûlée for dessert. We waddled out of the restaurant after the meal but the experience was fun and interactive and the food was delicious.
The view of the overwater villas from Azzuri Mare restaurant, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Azzuri Mare Restaurant
Azzuri Mare was my favourite restaurant on the island, no doubt owing to my obsession with fresh seafood and clean, Italian flavours. We took a seat for lunch on the water’s edge and stuck with the set menu which hit every tasty note. We shared a fresh Caprese salad, beef carpaccio with rocket and parmesan, fresh salmon fillet with greens and a balsamic reduction, tuna with a sesame crust and a rich chocolate dessert. With cocktails included in your stay, you’ll likely find it difficult to say no to a tropical drink with lunch, as we did. Beyond the set menu, you can (at an additional cost) really splurge on seafood, but unless you’ve got lobster on your mind, you’ll probably be satisfied by the selection offered on the daily menu.
Waterside lunch at Azzuri Mare, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Ceviche at Azzuri Mare, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Beef Carpaccio at Azzuri Mare, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Simple, clean Caprese Salad at Azzuri Mare, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
The perfectly pink salmon at Azzuri Mare, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Decadent chocolate dessert at Azzuri Mare, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Suan Bua Restaurant
Suan Bua is the Centara Grand’s signature restaurant. It delivers traditional Thai cuisine with a modern twist. A great spot for a dinner date, tables are set in private wooden bales perched around a peaceful lotus pond. We were treated to a Thai feast at the restaurant and having just spent time in Thailand, I like to think we had a slightly more seasoned appreciation for Thai flavours. All the ingredients and even the chef have been brought in from Thailand to create the most authentic experience at the restaurant, incorporating flavours and traditions from each corner of the country.
We had Poh Pia Thord (Spring rolls served with sweet chili sauce), Som Tam Ruam (Green Papaya Salad with mango, coconut, palm heart and tomatoes), Satay Gai (satay skewers with cucumber relish and peanut sauce), Tom Yum soup (clear, spicy soup), Salmon Panang (Pan-fried salmon in a red curry sauce) which was the stand out dish for me, Phad Kraprow Gai (Stir fried chicken with garlic, ginger, chili and basil), Phad Thai Pak (stir fried noodles with vegetables), Goong Phad Med Mamuang Himmaphan (Stir fried prawns with chili paste, online, capsicum and cashews) and Sticky rice with mango and home made coconut ice cream. The setting was intimate, the meal offered a wonderful mix of flavours and it wasn’t super spicy which I appreciated as a bit of a wimp when it comes to chili.
