Article and photographs by Theresa Storm.
Bring your appetite – try the local eateries.
Caribbean cuisine is a potpourri of melded flavours and cooking styles originating from the multicultural culinary roots of those who settled on the islands: Africans, East Indians, Asians, Europeans, Latin Americans and many more.
It’s often simple places where visitors can taste authentic, back to basics home cooking: the stalls, shacks, streets, beaches, markets, festivals and much-loved local restaurants. Here’s a guide to some of the best places to taste local eats on several West Indies’ islands.
CONCH, SYNONYMOUS WITH NASSAU (The Bahamas)
Tuck into conch, a Bahamian specialty, plucked fresh from the sea, then battered and deep-fried until golden.
In Nassau, Arawak Cay – nicknamed The Fish Fry – dishes up fresh seafood and traditional Bahamas’ fare, especially popular when “the fry” jumps with live entertainment.
While it’s difficult to choose amongst the chock-a-block neon-painted food shacks, Frankie Gone Bananas offers casual indoor-outdoor dining in its two-storey, nautical-themed restaurant. Queen conch, Bahamians ‘favourite’ seafood, is a must-taste. Try it cracked – thin, tenderized, battered strips that are deep-fried crispy.
The half-Dutch and half-French island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin – the world’s smallest dual-nation territory that shares just 88 square kilometres – and English Anguilla, a 30-minute boat ride away, are some of the best locales for relishing the Caribbean’s multicultural cuisine in close proximity.
NOTHING FRESHER THAN A SEASIDE LOLO (Saint Martin)
Enjoy the cuisine at Cynthia’s Talk of The Town, photo courtesy of the St. Martin Tourism Office
In St. Maarten, on the isle’s southern side, taste Dutch delights like hearty bitterballen beef balls at the Ocean Lounge and golden chicken satay dunked in peanut sauce, an Indonesian influence, at Cafe Rembrandt.
For Caribbean-influenced bites, head to Simpson Bay’s Kim Sha Marketplace and look for the blue, yellow and red wooden food stand in the parking lot. When you see a snaking line and whiff tantalizing scents wafting from an oil drum barbecue, you know you’ve arrived at The Captain’s Rib Shack. Tuck into saucy “orgasmic ribs” or try stewed oxtail, accompanied by hot-from-the-fryer johnnycakes, which claim North American indigenous origins.
On St. Martin, the northern French half, your quest is a lolo – a low cost, local, casual outdoor eatery – found in colourful Creole cottages, on piers or the seaside around Grand Case and Marigot. Cynthia’s Talk of the Town on beautiful Grand Case Bay is a favourite for Creole specialties like chicken Colombo, conch stew and grilled spiced shrimp.
MY CRAYFISH IS BIGGER (Anguilla)
Grilling up fresh out of the water giant crayfish on Gorgeous Scilly Cay; try the food vendors at one of Anguilla’s food festivals.
More tasty bites await on tiny Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory.
From roadside barbecues to five-star restaurants, fresh seafood reigns, blending Caribbean flavours with English, Spanish and French influences.
On wee, shell-strewn Gorgeous Scilly Cay, a private isle off the eastern coast, the Wallace family grills up ginormous Anguillian crayfish drizzled with peanut citrus sauce, washed down with a signature Scilly rum punch invented by Eudoxie “Gorgeous” Wallace, the adored late co-proprietor.
At Tasty’s Anguilla, home cooking is served “with love” by Anguillian chef Dale Carty. Tuck into fish ‘n’ fungi (cornmeal) with provisions (chunks of plantain, green banana, yuca and sweet potato), the local delicacy.
CAN’T MISS ICONIC FISH FRY (Barbados)
Succulent Caribbean lobster on the grill at Barbados’ Oistins Fish Fry
For a taste of traditional Bajan cuisine and culture, don’t miss the Oistins Fish Fry in Barbados‘ southwestern fishing community of Oistins, which is liveliest on Friday nights. Here, food stalls cook up fresh-from-the-sea delights, like flying fish and cou-cou (okra and cornmeal), the national dish, along with much-loved sides like macaroni pie or peas and rice. Wash it down with an ice-cold Banks beer.
PACK YOUR APPETITE (Aruba)
The more than 100-year-old Papiamento Restaurant in Aruba. Tables are set indoors, as well as in the beautiful gardens and poolside. Photo courtesy of Papiamento Restaurant.
Not far from the northern shore of Venezuela lies the tiny, multi-ethnic island of Aruba. Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it’s no surprise that delicious Dutch food features prominently.
Head to Papiamento, the Ellis family’s 100+-year-old Aruban cunucu (farmhouse). Filled with European antiques, Papiamento is part museum, part restaurant. The Keeshi Yena appetizer, a family recipe of minced meat stewed with prunes, golden raisins, olives and cashews, and topped with flame-broiled Dutch cheese, is a must-eat.
Enjoy the myriad flavours of the Caribbean islands!
Article and photography Theresa Storm.
A four-month-long solo island-hopping adventure through the Caribbean 28 years ago ignited Theresa’s passion for the tropics, culture, nature and trying new adventures.
Back home in Calgary, her increasingly restless, itchy feet soon led to a career writing about travel worldwide. She loves escaping winter for warmer climes, especially to the Caribbean, which has long felt like her real home.
As an award-winning travel writer and photographer, she’s penned scores of articles for magazines, newspapers and e-zines, and contributed to books including Caribbean Escapes and the first edition of DK Eyewitness Caribbean.
Her articles and photographs have been published in magazines including Bon Vivant, Extraordinary Experiences and Vacations (Ensemble Travel Group), Wanderlust (U.K.), Avenue Calgary, WestJet (WestJet Airline’s in-flight), Morning Calm (Korean Air’s in-flight), LUXE Magazine Canada, AAA publications, Cruise & Travel Lifestyles, Dreamscapes and Today’s Parent.
She is a two-time winner of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Canadian Travel Writer of the Year award and twice won CTO’s best photograph with a feature article and best online feature. She also was honoured with the Travel Media Association of Canada’s excellence in Caribbean travel writing award.
