People often travel to immerse themselves in the local culture, be it swapping stories at a local bar, enjoying the sand in their toes while they dine or being pointed by the locals towards the best food on the Island.
The Caribbean is renowned for its friendly locals, relaxed lifestyle, seriously good jerk sauce and abundance of seafood…Our advice when you are next in the Caribbean is to keep an open mind when trying new local dishes- you are likely to stumble along something incredible. The Caribbean offers a selection of fantastic fine dining, beach bars, small island beach dining ( Anguilla!) and incredible street food. We have created a lists of foods that we feel you just have to try on your next trip!
Lobster- The Caribbean is renowned for it’s fresh and juicy lobster! Available in fine dining establishments ( We’d recommended Carlisle Bay …), beach bars ( Petit St Vincent beach bar offers incredible lobster straight off the grill!), Small Island dining (Sandy Cay in Anguilla- It left us speechless!) and street food stalls all over the Caribbean. Lobster is served in a variety of ways from steamed and grilled with a simple garlic butter sauce to a Lobster pizza ( Mac’s in Bequia) .. You’ll find it all.
Mahi Mahi or Dolphin (Not to be confused with Flipper!) is a fish native to warm waters and is particularly popular in the Caribbean. Mahi Mahi is used in a variety of dishes and in a range of settings- Blackened sandwich and fries on the beach or elegant beach front dining served with Lemon, butter and fresh vegetables.
Coconuts- You’ll see them everywhere, and if you are lucky you’ll even see some of the local guys cutting them down ( It takes some real skill!). Coconut water is a great refreshment on a sunshine filled Caribbean day. Tropic Breeze Tip- Head to Ocean’s Two in Barbados where happy hour served on the beach includes “Spiked Coconuts!”…
Jerk with rice and beans -Jerk is a traditional Jamaican flavour created with a blend of spices and dry rubbed ( or wet marinated) onto meats before they are grilled and served up with rice and beans. Each family, restaurant and Island will have their own precise recipe but this is a true street food best enjoyed in a polystyrene dish with a plastic knife and fork..
The world famous Caribbean Rum- used not only as a drink but also as a flavouring in a variety of foods. You cannot beat a rum punch on the beach but through our extensive Caribbean travels we have come across many different uses of the liquor from Rum Baked Brie at The Round House in Barbados to a traditional rum cake to bring a bit of the Caribbean home with you.
Conch is used in a variety of dishes in the Caribbean including fritters, ceviche, curry and chowder. Whilst an unusual looking shellfish, essentially a large sea snail, conch is delicious and is a staple of Caribbean cuisine due to their abundance in shallow waters. Tropic Breeze can personally recommend the Conch Curry at Bequia Beach Hotel in Bequia!
Roti- A roti originated from east India and was brought to the Caribbean hundreds of years ago. Now firmly associated as a Caribbean fast food Roti’s are served as street food, in casual beach bars or as a lunch option in some hotels. A roti is a flatbread wrap packed full of curried meat ( this could be chicken, goat, conch or beef) and potatoes- a spiced and filling treat.
So on your next trip to the Caribbean try and tick off as much of this list as possible. The best decision you can make in relation to food is to get trying. Food and culture go hand in hand and it is a great way to get to know the local people and to experience an Island. Whether you are in a fine dining restaurant or a beach shack the chef is bound to have a story about how his grandmother made Jerk this way or how his mum’s rice and beans are the best!
Author EmilyCategories News