La Belle Créole

La Belle Créole is a Creole and seafood restaurant at the Port de Saint-Pierre in the south of Réunion. Saint-Pierre is the main town of the island's south coast and has an active harbour and a lively seafront, and the restaurant draws on that setting with a menu built on fresh fish and shellfish alongside classic Creole caris. Mains are priced at roughly €15–€35. The signature dishes are a grilled marlin served with achards, the pickled vegetable relish that accompanies most Réunion meals; a cari poulpe, an octopus curry; and a salade de palmiste, made with heart of palm, a traditional island delicacy often served at celebrations. The cooking is rooted in Réunion's blended Indian, African, Malagasy, Chinese and French traditions, with spice and simmering for the caris and grilling for the fish. The dining atmosphere is informal and outward-looking, in keeping with a harbour location, with a mix of local families, visitors and weekend diners; noise levels rise at weekend lunch and dinner. Dress is casual. The restaurant opens Tuesday to Sunday for lunch (12:00–14:30) and dinner (19:00–22:00) and is closed on Mondays. Reservations are recommended for dinner and can be made by telephone; weekend evenings and the Saturday market days in Saint-Pierre are the busiest times. Drinks include local Dodo beer, wines, and rum-based drinks such as ti-punch and rhum arrangé. For visitors exploring the south, including the Piton de la Fournaise volcano and the Saint-Pierre seafront, the restaurant offers a straightforward place for a seafood meal near the water.