Namaste Restaurant and Bar
Namaste Restaurant and Bar brings Mauritian-Indian cuisine to the Caudan Waterfront with a restaurant-bar combination that gets social on weekend evenings. The space is divided between a proper dining room with table service and a bar area facing the waterfront with counter seating and high tables. The restaurant seats about 60, the bar area another 25. The menu draws on Mauritius's strong Indian culinary heritage: biryani, tandoori preparations, curries ranging from mild to properly spicy, and Mauritian-Indian fusion dishes that reflect the island's unique cultural blend. The bar serves cocktails with an Indian twist (mango lassi with rum, chai-spiced whisky sour), alongside standard spirits and local Phoenix beer. Saturday evenings feature live sega music, with a small ensemble performing the drum-driven Mauritian dance music that gets tables pushing back chairs and moving. The crowd is mixed Mauritian, with Hindu, Muslim, Creole, and Chinese-Mauritian families alongside tourist couples and business visitors. The vibe is family-friendly early and progressively more social as the evening continues and the sega music starts.
What to Expect
An Indian restaurant with a social bar area. The food is a step above typical tourist fare, reflecting genuine Mauritian-Indian cooking. Weekend evenings add live sega music and dancing. The atmosphere transitions from restaurant to something more festive after 9 PM on Saturdays.
Warm and spice-scented. Family restaurant energy early, social bar energy later. Saturday sega nights create a festive, dance-friendly atmosphere.
Live sega music on Saturday nights (drums, ravanne, and vocals). Background Indian and Mauritian music other evenings.
Smart casual. Restaurant standard. No beachwear.
Indian food lovers, couples, anyone wanting to experience sega music in a comfortable setting, cultural travelers interested in Mauritian-Indian fusion
Cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard). Cash also welcome. Mauritian rupees.
Price Range
Cocktails MUR 300-500, beer MUR 150-250, mains MUR 400-800, biryani MUR 350-600, tandoori platter MUR 500-900
Cocktails ~$6.60-11 / ~6-10 EUR, mains ~$8.80-17.60 / ~8-16 EUR, beer ~$3.30-5.50 / ~3-5 EUR
Hours
11:30-15:00 and 18:00-23:00 Monday to Saturday, 18:00-22:00 Sunday, sega music Saturday evenings from 20:30
Insider Tip
Book a table for Saturday evening if you want to catch the sega performance. The lamb biryani is the kitchen's strongest dish. The mango rum lassi is excellent and unique to this bar. Sit at the bar counter if dining alone; the bartender is social and knowledgeable about Port Louis.
Full Review
Namaste occupies a mid-level spot on the Caudan Waterfront, facing the harbor through floor-to-ceiling windows. The interior is decorated with Indian textiles and wooden carvings that manage to avoid the 'themed restaurant' trap. The space feels warm rather than kitschy.
The dining room is the primary space, with tables arranged for couples and groups of four to six. Service follows restaurant conventions: menus arrive, orders are taken, dishes emerge from a kitchen that clearly has a tandoor oven and the skill to use it. The lamb biryani (MUR 450) is slow-cooked with saffron and cardamom, served with raita and papadum. The tandoori platter (MUR 500-900) brings chicken, prawns, and paneer from the clay oven. Curries range from a mild butter chicken to a vindaloo that respects the word's meaning.
The bar area, separated from the dining room by a half-wall, has its own character. Counter seating faces the waterfront windows, with high tables for small groups. The cocktail menu takes Indian flavors seriously: a mango rum lassi blends the yogurt drink with local rum, a chai-spiced whisky sour uses house-made chai syrup. Standard drinks (Phoenix beer, wine, spirits) are available for less adventurous palates.
Saturday evening is the highlight. Around 8:30 PM, a sega ensemble sets up in the space between the bar and restaurant areas. The ravanne (frame drum) starts its insistent rhythm, joined by vocals and the triangular metal shaker. Sega is Mauritius's dance music, with African roots and Creole lyrics. The performance is genuine rather than tourist-show polished, and the energy is infectious. Mauritian diners push back from their tables and dance. The staff join in. Tourists who participate are welcomed enthusiastically.
For context within the Caudan, Namaste fills a specific niche. Keg and Marlin is the pub. Le Courtyard is the upscale lounge. The casino is the casino. Namaste is where food, music, and Mauritian cultural expression converge most naturally.
The Neighborhood
On the Caudan Waterfront promenade, between Keg and Marlin and the casino. All other waterfront venues are within a 3-minute walk. The Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market is a 10-minute walk into the city center.
Getting There
Taxi to Caudan Waterfront. The restaurant faces the harbor promenade, signposted and visible from the main walkway.
Address
Caudan Waterfront, Port Louis
Other Venues in Caudan Waterfront
Keg and Marlin
Waterfront pub with outdoor seating facing the harbor. Draught beer, pub food, and a casual atmosphere popular with office workers and tourists. Phoenix beer MUR 100-150, imported beers MUR 200-300. Busiest on Friday evenings.
Casino de Port Louis
The Caudan's casino operated by Casinos de Maurice. Table games including blackjack, roulette, and poker alongside slot machines. The bar serves cocktails and spirits. Smart casual dress code. Open daily from 10 AM until the early hours. ID required.
Le Courtyard Lounge
Upscale lounge bar in the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel adjacent to the Caudan complex. Cocktails, wine list, and a polished atmosphere. The most refined drinking option in Port Louis. Cocktails MUR 400-700.
Craft Market Bar
Casual bar within the Caudan craft market area. Local beer, rum punches, and an unpretentious atmosphere. Good for a cheap drink between shopping and dinner. Phoenix beer MUR 80-120. Open until 10 PM most nights.