Restaurant Chez Joëlle (Mafate, Îlet à Cordes)

Restaurant Chez Joëlle is a gîte restaurant at Îlet à Cordes in the Cirque de Mafate, the roadless volcanic cirque in the interior of Réunion. Mafate has no road access, and everything arrives on foot or by helicopter, so a meal here is part of the trekking experience on the island's hiking trails. The venue serves its overnight guests and, on request, day hikers who ask for lunch in advance. Half-board is priced at roughly €15–€25 per person, which reflects the effort of supplying a remote settlement. The kitchen offers home-cooked cari using vegetables grown in the cirque itself. Signature dishes include a cari poulet du cirque, brèdes morelle, the wild greens that are a staple of Creole cooking, and a rhum arrangé aux fruits, rum infused with local fruit and spices that closes the meal. The cooking follows the Creole tradition of simmered caris, rice and grains, and it is simple, generous and heavily dependent on what is available. The dining room is communal and informal, shared with other trekkers, and the atmosphere is quiet in the evenings once hikers retire early. Dress is practical hiking clothing. There is no walk-in capacity: calling ahead is essential, both to secure a place and to allow the kitchen to plan supplies. Reservations are made by telephone, and hikers booking multi-day Mafate itineraries often arrange accommodation and meals in a single call. The restaurant is open daily to guests. Visitors planning to eat here should check trail conditions and weather before setting out, since heavy rain and cyclones can close paths in Mafate.