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Why You Need to Add This Maldivian Fine Dining Restaurant To Your Bucket List
- Jasmin Woolf
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
The Maldives
Most travellers come to the Maldives dreaming of overwater villas and turquoise lagoons, not spice-laden curries and coconut-infused seafood. But Ba’theli Lounge & Restaurant at Milaidhoo Maldives resort hopes to change that. This groundbreaking restaurant, the world’s first Maldivian fine dining restaurant, ditches predictable resort fare and instead challenges guests to discover the Maldives through its most authentic and unexpected lens: its bold, untold culinary story.
The name ‘Ba’theli’ pays homage to the traditional ba’theli vessels that once carried spices and dried fish across the Indian Ocean, while the restaurant's design transports guests to another era from the moment you step onto the wooden walkway. Three traditional boats have been reimagined as dining spaces. Their weathered teak decks creak authentically underfoot, while glass floor panels in the interior dining room reveal nurse sharks gliding through spotlit waters below.
This isn’t just clever theming, it’s a deliberate immersion into Maldives’ maritime heritage.
The Food
Chef Nathif’s Maldivian heritage degustation menu reads like a love letter to the archipelago’s culinary roots, served in a combination of fine dining plating and local 'Sufuraa Mathi' (family-style) courses. We started with a bread basket featuring an array of homemade breads with dips and a deceptively simple prawn and pea amuse-bouche that exploded the sweetness of fresh prawns and a punch of spices. Then came a meaty yellowfin tuna loin crusted in island spices, served with kullha fila fai—a punchy mustard leaf salad that cuts through the fish’s richness.
Next was the coconut milk-poached fish. The curry leaves and spices paired well with the oceanic sweetness of the fish. This was Maldivian home cooking, refined without losing its soul.
By the time the curry trio arrived — chicken, lamb, and lobster — we had already fallen hook, line and sinker. The lobster curry, especially, was a masterclass in balance: creamy yet bright, complex but comforting. The curries also came with a selection of accompaniments, including traditional steamed rice similar in flavour to an Indian biriyani, a fresh and vibrant local salad, chapatti and more. We finished every last bite, utterly stuffed but still wanting more.
Between courses, a palate-cleansing mango sorbet prepared us for the finale — a dessert platter featuring screwpine ice cream made from kashikeyo, also known as screwpine fruit which is indigenous to the Maldives. The flavour tasted like nothing we'd experienced elsewhere, with a sweet subtly floral taste that paired well with the slection of traditional mini Maldivian dessert treats.
During our meal, I couldn’t help but wonder why no one has opened a Maldivian fine-dining restaurant in Hong Kong. The food was simply spectacular, and even weeks after leaving Milaidhoo, I still reminisce about several dishes from the menu, the seared tuna, the curries, the screwpine ice cream. But perhaps what makes Ba’theli so special is being able to enjoy the meal barefoot on a traditional Maldivian boat under the stars, listening to the sounds of the waves or the splashing from fish swimming around the boat or making conversation with the ever-so-friendly wait staff. Either way, having had no prior knowledge about Maldivian food, Ba’theli promptly showed us that Maldivian cuisine is criminally underrated and deserves a spotlight on the world stage.
Why Ba’Theli Changes the Game
In a country where most high-end resorts default to international menus, Ba’theli makes a compelling case for Maldivian gastronomy. The chefs aren’t simply reproducing traditional dishes, they’re elevating them to a whole new level, using techniques that would be used in any world-class kitchen while staying true to local flavours and ingredients. We for one wouldn’t be surprised to see Ba’theli becoming a dining destination for travellers seeking a unique dining experience, and can’t wait to see Milaidhoo bring Maldivian food into the spotlight on a global stage.
Address: Milaidhoo Island, Baa Atoll, Maldives | Website: Milaidhoo.com | Email: welcome@milaidhoo.com | Phone: +960 660 77 88 | Facebook: @Milaidhoo | Instagram: @Milaidhoo
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