Traditional Palauan Cuisine & The Lookout Store, Aimeliik
Eating in Aimeliik means eating as Palauans actually eat — taro soup ladled from a pot, freshly grilled reef fish, and the prized coconut crab that locals regard as the islands' greatest delicacy. The Lookout store near the state capital is the best place to pick up local provisions, handmade snacks, and a taste of everyday Palauan life.
What to Eat in Aimeliik
Traditional Palauan cuisine combines fresh seafood, tropical fruits, and root vegetables into flavours that are subtle, earthy, and deeply satisfying. Taro — boiled, pounded, or made into soup — is the starchy backbone of most meals, while coconut crab (when in season) is a rich, sweet treat that commands serious respect at any Palauan table.
Grilled fish, often caught the same morning, arrives simply seasoned and served with taro or cassava. Look out for locally fermented coconut sap drinks, which offer a bracingly unique taste of the islands' agricultural tradition.
The Lookout — Aimeliik's Community Store
The Lookout is a vibrant community store renowned for its collection of handicrafts, souvenirs, and local delicacies — the kind of place where a single browse can yield a hand-woven basket, a jar of local coconut oil, and a cold drink for the road. Staff are warm and genuinely happy to explain what they stock and why.
It is also the practical lifeline for travellers heading deeper into Babeldaob: stock up on snacks, water, and any last-minute supplies before venturing to the terraces or the mangrove coast. Cash is king here, so withdraw USD in Koror before you go.
Eating Responsibly & Seasonally
Coconut crab is a protected species in Palau and subject to seasonal restrictions — always ask whether it has been harvested legally and sustainably before ordering. The same ethos of conservation that governs Palau's reefs extends to its land-based wildlife.
When in doubt, ask locals for the day's catch or whatever is freshest from the taro patch. Eating seasonally and locally in Aimeliik is not a trend — it is simply how life has always worked here.
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