Seagull Café House

The café is a few minutes on foot from the waterfront and the jetties used by airport ferries, so it works well during a layover or a day trip from a resort. Like most of Malé, it does not serve alcohol.

There are three areas to choose from: a ground floor, an upper deck and an outdoor terrace. Inside, dark wood and soft lighting set the tone, with paintings of island life on the walls. The roof was built around the branches of an old jambolan tree, which was kept when the café went up.

The ice cream counter by the entrance is the main draw. Chocolate is a favourite flavour, and milkshakes, smoothies and the affogato all use the house ice cream. The rest of the menu covers paninis, sandwiches and burgers, Asian dishes, Australian beef and local fish, plus a children's menu. Reviewers often praise the grilled fish. Prices are moderate and far below resort levels.

Hours run from morning until late evening. Listings give 09:00 to midnight, or a close at 23:00, and on Fridays the café opens from 16:00. Call +960 332 3332 to confirm before you go. Takeaway is available.

Evenings are the best time to come, once the heat eases. A seat outside with a scoop or two after dinner is how many locals use the place.

The café opened in the early 1990s as Gabbiano and was bought by the Seagull Group in 1994. Its ice cream is made on site from Italian raw ingredients. For its 25th anniversary it added salads, smoothie bowls and vegan bowls, and it grows some lettuce and herbs on its own island and has moved away from single-use plastics.

Sources: Hotelier Maldives, Seagull Café. Facts checked November 2026.