La Vague (Saint-Leu surf restaurant)

La Vague is a casual restaurant and sports bar on the Route du Littoral in Saint-Leu, on the southwest coast of Réunion. Saint-Leu is the island's surfing centre, known for its left-hand reef break, and the restaurant overlooks the Saint-Leu surf break, so diners can watch surfers from the room. The menu is international and informal, with burgers and Creole dishes, and mains cost about €10–€22. Signature dishes include a burger poisson grillé, a burger made with grilled fish; a poêlée de camarons, pan-fried freshwater prawns, a regional Réunion speciality; and a Creole ti-punch, the rum drink the island is known for. The cooking is deliberately accessible, aimed at surfers, paragliders from the nearby launch sites, and families who want a relaxed meal rather than a formal one. The atmosphere is lively and unpolished, with sport on screens, and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings raises the noise level considerably; those wanting a quiet dinner should visit on another night. Dress is beachwear and casual clothing. The restaurant opens daily from 10:00 to 22:00, which makes it useful for off-hours meals, and no reservations are taken: walk-in is the norm. The drinks list covers local Dodo beer, rum cocktails and soft drinks. Saint-Leu has a laid-back seafront, a large public lagoon, and a regular paragliding scene from the heights above the town, and the restaurant fits easily into a day of watching surfing or flying. Visitors based on the west coast, including Saint-Gilles, can reach Saint-Leu by road within roughly half an hour. Weekend evenings are the busiest and loudest.