Much like the rest of the Pacific Kiribati is obsessed with Chinese food. Most of this is quite questionable though, with the exception of Ocean Family Seafood Restaurant which as things stand is the best Chinese restaurant in Kiribati.
How did this come about? Well Kiribati flipped from Taiwan to China and thus good food come with it…
Kiribati flips to China
Kiribati’s switch from Taiwan to China in 2019 caused waves in Pacific geopolitics. It wasn’t just about politics—it was about cash, infrastructure, and influence. China’s checkbook diplomacy promised development, including a major airstrip upgrade, while Taiwan’s support couldn’t compete.
For Kiribati, the move was pragmatic, if controversial. Critics claim it’s a sellout to Beijing, but for a nation grappling with rising seas and limited resources, it’s all about survival in a game of big-power chess.
Ocean Family Seafood Restaurant
Located conveniently next to pretty much the supermarket in town this restaurant is not just new, but swanky as hell when compared to everything else the country has to offer. Located on one floor it has a big public area, but the main place to eat here is in the private rooms, ala China style.
Said rooms can accommodate up to 25-30 in the bigger ones and come with their own bathrooms and indeed servers. This has proved really popular with government and the like, with parliament not being all that far from here.
Eating at Ocean Family Restaurant
Sadly the restaurant have gone the way of the iPad which sounds great, but is not when you are looking after 25+ tourists. This made the ordering process rather too long. The menu though was very very good with all manor of Chinese dishes, particularly of the Guangdong variety.
Top choices from our group included fried noodles, all manor of rice dishes, as well as some local delicacies. Well by local I mean proper tuna sashimi with wasabi which was great even by local standards.
And the staff?
What probably makes this place though are the cute and friendly waitresses who have made this place somewhat iconic. Amazingly and perfectly for the nation they are from Kiribati with only a few chefs and the manager being Chinese.
They are so friendly and fun that it has not been unheard of for people to come back just to visit them…..
So, overall a great place to go, the best Chinese food in Tarawa and a must when you visit Kiribati. And it is slightly more upscale than Capital Restaurant.
Ocean Family Restaurant Address;
Ocean Family Seafood Restaurant is located in
Bairiki Shopping Mall,
Bairiki,
South Tarawa,
Kiribati.