Café Maeva

Tahiti Tourisme describes it as a place for good coffees and teas in a relaxed atmosphere, with meals that have a local touch, and free wifi for guests. The travel magazine Afar places it on the market’s upper floor and recommends it for breakfast and for lunches that mix Tahitian and French cooking. The building is the city’s main covered market, which OpenStreetMap names Marché Municipal Mapuru a Paraita.

Start the day with French-style coffee, a fresh smoothie and a pastry. At lunch, order the poisson cru, raw fish marinated in lime and coconut milk, which Afar says comes in several versions and is very fresh. The other plates mix Tahitian and French dishes, so ask what is on that day.

The Marina de Papeete lies on the seafront in the centre of the city, with two large pontoons for up to 82 yachts; the southern part of the pontoons takes vessels from 98 to 260 feet. It has water, power, showers, laundry, waste collection and wifi, and the town’s shops and services start at its gate. From the marina, the market is about 350 metres inland, roughly five minutes on foot.

Tahiti Tourisme lists the café as open from Monday to Friday and closed at weekends, without giving times, so plan on a morning or lunchtime visit and call ahead if you are counting on it. Cards, including American Express, and cash are accepted.