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6 Min
05/03/2026
Island territories are rich in seafood, so it’s no surprise that the Andaman and Nicobar cuisine revolve almost entirely around what comes out of the sea. Fresh fish, crab, lobster, prawns, and squid are caught daily and cooked the same day. This freshness sets the seafood in Andaman apart from what you find inland. Local markets and small family-run eateries in Port Blair and Havelock serve seafood, prepared in local flavours consistently for generations.
The food of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands did not develop in isolation, and, like many islands around the world, it had influences from settlers from its own country and colonisers. For Andaman, it was mostly inland migration with settlers coming from Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala arriving over the decades and bringing their cooking styles along.
Bengali families carried their love for fish preparations. Tamil fishermen added spice and tamarind. Kerala's influence shows up clearly in the use of coconut oil, coconut milk, and curry leaves across most Andaman local dishes. On top of this, the indigenous tribes of the islands have always had their own food practices, relying on what the forest and sea provide directly.
This one is a no-brainer as the locals prepare a curry from the fresh catch of the day, from the Bay of Bengal. Fish curry exists in many forms, and the Bengali macher jhol preparation is quite popular thanks to the thriving Bengali community in the region. Fresh varieties like kingfish, snapper, or local reef fish are simmered in coconut milk along with turmeric, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and tamarind. The curry is mildly tangy and rich without being heavy. It is always served with steamed rice. This is the everyday staple across most households and the first dish any visitor to the islands should try.
Living up to its name, and one of the famous dishes of Andaman, chilli curry is a spicy gravy dish that is quite similar to the Mexican chilli con cane and vegan. The dish is made with beans, vegetables, coconut, red chillies and more. This curry refers to more of a cooking style, rather than a specific dish, so naturally, seafood like fish or crab also features in a similar hot curry using fresh red chillies, coconut, and simple spice bases.
One of the most requested Andaman seafood dishes among both locals and visitors, coconut prawn curry is made with fresh prawns. The prawns are cooked in coconut milk with curry leaves, ginger, and spices to produce a curry that is creamy but not overpowering. The sweetness of fresh prawns balances well against the spice and is served with jasmine rice. This is one of those coconut-based seafood recipes that reflects the Kerala-influenced cooking style that is ingrained deeply into Andaman and Nicobar cuisine.
If you are looking for Andaman street food, then this is it, where it gets quite interesting. Barbeque in the Andaman Islands features fresh sardines, mackerels, king prawns, and crab, which are grilled over open charcoal fires at beachside shacks and local markets. Make it a romantic dinner for two and relish the fresh fare over a candlelight dinner by the beach. The fish amrinade is quite simple with salt, chilli, and lime before going on the grill. The smokiness from the charcoal is the main flavour. Andaman street food at its most accessible looks like this – straightforward, fresh, and eaten at the source.
Did you know grilled lobster used to be looked down upon, until it started to be prized as a luxurious food? is one of the famous foods of Andaman, which has earned a reputation well beyond the islands. The lobsters here are large and fresh, marinated with butter, chilli flakes, garlic, and parsley, then grilled until the shell chars. The meat inside stays juicy. It is available at most restaurants in Port Blair and along the coast at Havelock. Among Andaman seafood dishes, this one draws significant attention from visitors.
Khadi crab preparation uses fresh crab cooked in a spiced curry base. The crab is broken down and cooked in a sauce thickened with ground coconut and warm spices. It is a rich preparation, traditionally made in local homes and served during meals with family. Crab cooked this way represents the older traditions within Andaman and Nicobar dishes – using what the sea provides and cooking it simply but carefully.
Squid fry is a popular item in Andaman local cuisine. Cleaned squid is cut into rings, coated in a spiced chickpea flour batter, and deep-fried until crisp. It appears at street stalls and local restaurants with equal frequency. The dish has a firm texture and carries the heat of the spice mix well. Among the famous foods of Andaman available as a quick street eat, squid fry is one of the most consistent options.
The Andaman tribal cuisine stands apart from the settler and coastal cooking practices, as the indigenous communities have historically relied on hunting and gathering. Their diet includes fish, wild boar, honey, turtle meat and eggs, tubers and forest roots. Tuna wrapped in banana leaves and grilled over fire is one of the known preparations from this tradition. The Nicobarese community cooks banana flower with grated coconut and spices as a vegetarian dish. Bamboo shoot curry, made with young shoots and sometimes meat, is another traditional dish from the tribal communities of the islands.
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, food follows the tide, with the morning’s catch becoming lunch and dinner and local coconuts defining gravy. Charcoal fires replace complicated techniques, and everything is immediate, elemental, and deeply local. Freshness here dominates more than a defined technique as the islands serve up spicy to mild dishes shaped by the local community influences.