Traditional American Samoan Food: 10 Foods to Try in American Samoa

One of the best ways to try a multitude of traditional American Samoan dishes is with an umu.

Umu is a traditional Samoan cooking method where food is slow-cooked in a hot-rock oven and covered with banana leaves.

You'll experience umu food at the must-visit Tisa's Barefoot Bar on Wednesday nights. If you're lucky, you may also experience an umu during a fiafia and to'onai events, either arranged with local families, community events or as part of a guided tour.

See the 10 Best Foodie Experiences in American Samoa LINK#TTD042 to learn more about umu demonstrations.

Where to try: Tisa's Barefoot Bar (Alega Beach), Fitiuta Lodge (Fitiuta, Ta'ū), Va'oto Lodge (Ofu Island) and Samriel Aunu'u Island Getaway (Tutuila).

An iconic Samoan food, palusami is taro leaves cooked in coconut cream to make a rich and creamy dish. It's traditionally cooked in a hot-rock oven called an umu.

The taro leaves have to be cooked and cut just right, or else they can make the consumer ill! Don't worry, American Samoans know what they're doing when it comes to cooking palusami.

Finding a place to try palusami is a little tricky, but usually it's part of an umu.

Where to try: Fitiuta Lodge (Fitiuta, Ta'ū), Va'oto Lodge (Ofu Island) and Samriel Aunu'u Island Getaway (Tutuila).

A staple of American Samoa and many other Pacific nations, oka is raw fish marinated in coconut cream with a few other spices or chillis for extra flavour.

You’ll find oka available as an entrée at many restaurants across American Samoa LINK#TTD050, hopefully, presented in a coconut shell for a truly authentic island look!

Where to try: Sadie Thompson Inn (Fagatogo), Paradise Pizza (Satala), Goat Island Cafe at Sadie's by the Sea (Utulei), Equator Restaurant at Tradewinds Hotel (Tafuna), DDW Beach Cafe (Utulei) and Maliu Mai Beach Resort (Fagagogo).

The turquoise or reddish tails of the reef worm released to the ocean's surface on the waning moon of October or November (or sometimes both) are a delicacy in American Samoa.

Palolo has a strong salty seafood taste, reminiscent of oysters, mussels, seaweed and caviar all condensed into a stringy noodle-like form.

Palolo is usually only available to try up to a few weeks after the Palolo Rising event, sold either in its raw or cooked form at the Fagatogo Market, or on the specials boards of restaurants if you’re lucky!

Where to try: Fagatogo Market (Fagatogo) and Fish Market (Fagatogo) when in season.

The Samoan version of chop suey, sapasui is a local favourite from Chinese influence.

There are many variations of this dish, usually made with pork (pua'a) or chicken (moa), taro leaves and carrots with a vermicelli noodle base and served with rice or taro (talo) on the side.

Where to try: Manaia Restaurant (Tafuna), Jade Express (Nu'uuli) and Sunny's Chinese Restaurant (Nu'uuli).

Found on most entrée menus in American Samoa, sashimi is not only a popular choice in the Pacific because of the traditional reliance on seafood, but when you're staying in the town famous for its tuna canneries, well...

Expect thinly sliced raw tuna served on a bed of cabbage with a side of soy sauce and wasabi.

Where to try: Equator Restaurant at Tradewinds Hotel (Tafuna), Oasis (Tafuna), Manuia Restaurant (Tafuna), Manaia Restaurant (Tafuna) and Sook's Sushi (Fagatogo).

The savoury vegetables and fruit of American Samoa are also worth trying while you're here!

Starchy staples like talo (taro), ulu (breadfruit) and fa'i (green bananas) are often served as a side dish with Samoan meals, while some even star in their own dish like fa'alifu fa'i or fa'alifu kalo/talo cooked in coconut cream. You can even try taro on pizzas at Paradise Pizza.

Where to try: Roadside stalls between Malaeimi and Pava'ia'i, Fagatogo Market (Fagatogo), Sadie Thompson Inn (Fagatogo), Paradise Pizza (Satala), Equator Restaurant at Tradewinds Hotel (Tafuna), DDW Beach Cafe (Utulei), Maliu Mai Beach Resort (Fagagogo), Fitiuta Lodge (Fitiuta, Ta'ū) and 'Ai Love Boba (Nu'uuli and Leloaloa).

Whether it's for breakfast at your hotel/guesthouse/homestay or picked up from the market, fresh tropical fruit is in abundance and is a food that is well worth trying in American Samoa!

From the sweetest pineapples you ever did taste to the smoothest papayas, there's plenty to excite the senses!

Some to try include are papaya (esi), banana (fa'i), pineapple (fala'aina), breadfruit (ulu), mango (mago), avocado (avoka) and, yes - it's actually a fruit, coconut (popo or niu).

Where to try: For breakfast at just about every accommodation that provides breakfast in American Samoa. Roadside fruit stalls between Malaeimi and Pava'ia'i, and Fagatogo Market (Fagatogo). Fruit plates are also available at Good Vibes (Tafuna), Equator Restaurant at Tradewinds Hotel (Tafuna) and DDW Beach Cafe (Utulei).

I'a or "fish" has been the main source of protein in American Samoa for centuries. While many families have members catching fish from paopao or from the reefs, most will pick up fresh catches from roadside fish markets.

Trying fresh fish in whatever form you prefer, whether raw sashimi style (see above) or cooked to perfection, is a must in American Samoa!

Where to try: Fresh fish is sold at roadside stalls between Malaeimi and Pava'ia'i. Just about every restaurant LINK#TTD050 will have fish on the menu. You could even go on a fishing charter LINK#TTD034 to catch your own!

Love it or hate it, fast food chains like McDonald's and Carl's Jr. are present, as expected, in this American territory.

There are plenty of locally run fast food options too, with American influence, selling everything from pizzas to burgers to hot dogs and everything in between. See recommendations below, as well as in The Top Cheap Eats in American Samoa LINK#TTD048.

Where to try: McDonald's (Tafuna), Carl's Jr. (Nu'uuli), Tropical Chicken and Pizza (Tafuna), Island Pizza (Tafuna) and Dickies Diner (Cost U Less, Tafuna).