From raw fish dressed with coconut cream to taro leaves, shared umu feasts and island-style favourites.
Cook Islands food sits in a Polynesian food tradition and reflects what grows and is caught locally: fish, coconut, taro, breadfruit and tropical fruit. Family recipes vary, so think of these descriptions as a recognition guide—not a single definitive recipe.
Raw fish is cut into pieces, cured with citrus and commonly mixed with coconut cream and vegetables. The fish and balance of ingredients vary. Eat it freshly prepared and ask about ingredients if you have allergies.
Real photograph: ika mata.
Young taro leaves are cooked until tender, often with coconut cream. Versions may include onion or meat. Taro leaves need proper cooking, so this is a dish to enjoy from an experienced cook or food business.
Real photograph: Cook Islands rukau.
Here, poke commonly means a sweet baked or steamed pudding made from fruit or starch—such as banana, pumpkin or arrowroot—with coconut cream. It is different from the Hawaiian raw-fish dish many visitors know by the same name.
Real photograph: Cook Islands banana poke.
Often called “mayonnaise” locally, this is a generous island-style potato salad. Cook Islands Tourism describes potato and beetroot with mayonnaise, sometimes finished with boiled egg. Family and venue versions differ.
Real photograph: Cook Islands island mayonnaise.
An umu is an earth oven: food is cooked slowly using heated stones and covered to hold the heat. Island-night feasts may include meats, fish and root crops prepared this way.
Real photograph of a Samoan umu, showing the shared Polynesian earth-oven method.
A familiar celebration and family-table dish across the Cook Islands and wider Pacific, usually built around vermicelli noodles, meat, vegetables and savoury seasoning. It is a well-loved local adaptation rather than a uniquely indigenous Cook Islands dish.
Real photograph: Cook Islands-style chop suey.
Nu, or fresh coconut, is a staple island food and drink. Coconut palms grow throughout Rarotonga, and chilled drinking coconuts are often available at markets and roadside stalls. The fresh coconut water is cold and refreshing, while the flesh is eaten or used in cooking.
Real photograph: fresh coconuts ready for drinking.
Flying fish—maroro—and other locally caught fish may be grilled, fried or served in other island styles. Availability follows the catch and the venue; no dish is guaranteed every day.
Real fried flying fish; Cook Islands seasoning and presentation vary.
Punanga Nui Market and the Muri Night Market can be good places to browse local meals and snacks. Days, stalls and dishes change—check current details before travelling.
Cultural shows commonly pair performance with an umu-style buffet. Read our culture guide, then check the operator’s current programme, transport and menu.
Some restaurants, cafés and lagoon experiences feature local ingredients. Use the food directory and follow the direct venue link to check today’s menu rather than assuming a dish is always served.
This guide was checked against Cook Islands Tourism’s local dishes guide, its island nights and markets information, plus local cultural context. Menus and schedules can change.
All eight images above are real photographs, not AI generated. The rukau, island mayonnaise, chop suey and nu photographs were supplied to Rarotonga.co.nz for this guide. The remaining photographs use the credited sources below.
Ika mata — Arnaud 25, CC BY-SA 4.0; banana poke — Prosperosity, unrestricted reuse; umu reference — CloudSurfer, CC BY-SA 3.0; fried flying fish — Josh Berglund, CC BY 2.0. Images have been resized for web delivery.