When you travel to the beautiful islands for your Caribbean Holidays we recommend you try the national dish of the country. Each island has its own special flavor and we at Caribbean Insider’s Guide® have attempted to track as much as possible so you can be sure what to try on the menu!
Anguilla – Pigeon peas and rice.
The island caters for many different palates and at the high end restaurants this dish will not be listed. We recommend you get the true island feel and venture into the main town (The Valley) and order up this dish from the more local establishments. Nico’s is our favourite pick but you can also try The English Rose.
Barbados – Flying Fish and Cou Cou.
The flying fish is the national fish of Barbados and is prepared in a variety of ways. We find it best when the flying fish is deep fried and served with vegetables and cou cou. The cou cou is prepared by combining corn meal, flour and okra. Many restaurants serve their unique versions of this dish and have highlighted it well for the island. For the best though we like to keep it local and recommend you head down to the Oistins fish fry in the village of Oistins. The best night to go is on a Friday where you can feel the rhythm of the island through its food, music and lots of local content.
Dominica – Mountain Chicken
Passed down from the rich French culture, Mountain Chicken or frog legs is Dominica’s favourite. Locals tell you “it tastes like chicken”. This dish is prepared in a variety of ways, from deep frying, stewing or boiling and served with rice and peas or our favourite ground provisions. We like how Fort Young hotel serves this dish in its entire local splendor with a flavor that is friendly to the visitor’s tastes but many other restaurants also carry the dish and being the most popular by locals, all have its preparation down pact!
Grenada – Oil down
This dish combines ground provisions like the delicious breadfruit and dasheen, salted meat e.g. pig tail and a variety of vegetables with coconut milk and a little water to help it cook. It can be served with rice but the favourite is home-made styled dumplings. Most local restaurants serve this dish in all its glory. We recommend a stroll on the famous Grand Anse beach and look into one of the many restaurants on the strip there. Again it is tough to find where this dish will be prepared poorly by a local cook as they grew up with it.
Jamaica – Ackee and Saltfish
Served mostly at breakfast with a good helping of fried bakes (also called Johnny cakes), ground provisions or dumplings. Basically, vegetables are sautéed in butter, the salted fish is added with a generous helping of tomatoes then the Ackee fruit is incorporated. All this is combined and cooked until hot and tasty. Sprinkle some of the famous Jamaican hot sauce on it to really enjoy the flavors, but watch out, Jamaican pepper can be too hot to handle by some.
St. Kitts and Nevis – Stewed Salt fish with coconut dumplings and breadfruit
The salt fish (mostly salted cod) is stewed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. The dumplings are a combination of flour, coconut, salt and oil. The breadfruit is boiled down in a broth with a host of vegetables. All of this is served on a plate of exquisite taste which will bring you back for more after a well-deserved siesta.
St. Lucia – Green figs and Salt fish pie
Green figs are a type of banana that can be boiled or stewed (we like boiled) and combined with the salt fish with some good helpings of vegetables and topped with milk and cheese to form a rich and very tasty pie. This dish is mostly served at breakfast and will certainly keep you filled for your day’s adventures.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines – Roast breadfruit with fried fish
Another delicacy of the Caribbean islands, this national dish of St. Vincent incorporates the popular breadfruit with fish (a fish called jack fish is mostly used). The breadfruit is grilled (roasted) over a pit or stovetop grill and the fish is deep fried to a lovely golden brown. Served with a nice helping of Caribbean salad this dish is a favorite by local and visitor.
Trinidad & Tobago – Pelau
Many Trinbagonians (as locals of Trinidad and Tobago are referred) may argue the national dish is doubles or roti, but no, we are sure it is pelau. It is stewed meat with rice and coconut milk that is combined and to which carrots and pigeon peas and a hot pepper is added (pig-tail is optional). The liquid is allowed to dry down and the result is a rich and tasty dish that is shared by all. A popular dish to carry to a sporting event like cricket or to a social (or “lime”).
The preceding dishes are but a sample of what is offered for your Caribbean Holidaysin the area of local cuisine. Recipes for these dishes have been passed down through generations and up to now still hold the delicious flavor of long ago times. We at Caribbean Insider’s Guide® encourage you to try one, some or all of these dishes on your trip to the Caribbean and we assure you that you will be back for more.
Best foods on your Caribbean Holidays
When you travel to the beautiful islands for your Caribbean Holidays we recommend you try the national dish of the country. Each island has its own special flavor and we at Caribbean Insider’s Guide® have attempted to track as much as possible so you can be sure what to try on the menu!
Anguilla – Pigeon peas and rice.
The island caters for many different palates and at the high end restaurants this dish will not be listed. We recommend you get the true island feel and venture into the main town (The Valley) and order up this dish from the more local establishments. Nico’s is our favourite pick but you can also try The English Rose.
Barbados – Flying Fish and Cou Cou.
The flying fish is the national fish of Barbados and is prepared in a variety of ways. We find it best when the flying fish is deep fried and served with vegetables and cou cou. The cou cou is prepared by combining corn meal, flour and okra. Many restaurants serve their unique versions of this dish and have highlighted it well for the island. For the best though we like to keep it local and recommend you head down to the Oistins fish fry in the village of Oistins. The best night to go is on a Friday where you can feel the rhythm of the island through its food, music and lots of local content.
Dominica – Mountain Chicken
Passed down from the rich French culture, Mountain Chicken or frog legs is Dominica’s favourite. Locals tell you “it tastes like chicken”. This dish is prepared in a variety of ways, from deep frying, stewing or boiling and served with rice and peas or our favourite ground provisions. We like how Fort Young hotel serves this dish in its entire local splendor with a flavor that is friendly to the visitor’s tastes but many other restaurants also carry the dish and being the most popular by locals, all have its preparation down pact!
Grenada – Oil down
This dish combines ground provisions like the delicious breadfruit and dasheen, salted meat e.g. pig tail and a variety of vegetables with coconut milk and a little water to help it cook. It can be served with rice but the favourite is home-made styled dumplings. Most local restaurants serve this dish in all its glory. We recommend a stroll on the famous Grand Anse beach and look into one of the many restaurants on the strip there. Again it is tough to find where this dish will be prepared poorly by a local cook as they grew up with it.
Jamaica – Ackee and Saltfish
Served mostly at breakfast with a good helping of fried bakes (also called Johnny cakes), ground provisions or dumplings. Basically, vegetables are sautéed in butter, the salted fish is added with a generous helping of tomatoes then the Ackee fruit is incorporated. All this is combined and cooked until hot and tasty. Sprinkle some of the famous Jamaican hot sauce on it to really enjoy the flavors, but watch out, Jamaican pepper can be too hot to handle by some.
St. Kitts and Nevis – Stewed Salt fish with coconut dumplings and breadfruit
The salt fish (mostly salted cod) is stewed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. The dumplings are a combination of flour, coconut, salt and oil. The breadfruit is boiled down in a broth with a host of vegetables. All of this is served on a plate of exquisite taste which will bring you back for more after a well-deserved siesta.
St. Lucia – Green figs and Salt fish pie
Green figs are a type of banana that can be boiled or stewed (we like boiled) and combined with the salt fish with some good helpings of vegetables and topped with milk and cheese to form a rich and very tasty pie. This dish is mostly served at breakfast and will certainly keep you filled for your day’s adventures.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines – Roast breadfruit with fried fish
Another delicacy of the Caribbean islands, this national dish of St. Vincent incorporates the popular breadfruit with fish (a fish called jack fish is mostly used). The breadfruit is grilled (roasted) over a pit or stovetop grill and the fish is deep fried to a lovely golden brown. Served with a nice helping of Caribbean salad this dish is a favorite by local and visitor.
Trinidad & Tobago – Pelau
Many Trinbagonians (as locals of Trinidad and Tobago are referred) may argue the national dish is doubles or roti, but no, we are sure it is pelau. It is stewed meat with rice and coconut milk that is combined and to which carrots and pigeon peas and a hot pepper is added (pig-tail is optional). The liquid is allowed to dry down and the result is a rich and tasty dish that is shared by all. A popular dish to carry to a sporting event like cricket or to a social (or “lime”).
The preceding dishes are but a sample of what is offered for your Caribbean Holidays in the area of local cuisine. Recipes for these dishes have been passed down through generations and up to now still hold the delicious flavor of long ago times. We at Caribbean Insider’s Guide® encourage you to try one, some or all of these dishes on your trip to the Caribbean and we assure you that you will be back for more.