Barbados food is unique in many ways. First, Barbados cuisine has both British and caribbean influences, making for an interesting taste. It's common to walk in restaurants in Barbados and have a pint of British stout and a traditional Bajan dish in the same meal. Barbados dining ranges from inexpensive offerings at a Barbados market that allow visitors to get a taste of the cuisine to expensive high class meals at first-class restaurants and Barbados resorts.

Restaurants in Barbados offer very sophisticated cuisine from world class chefs with worldwide experience. Most of the first class Barbados dining restaurants feature fresh seafood such as snapper, kingfish, and shrimp prepared in various ways. The most popular dish is flying fish served with Cou-cou (a corn meal and okra dish topped with creole sauce). Shellfish is among the most popular and abundant Barbados food available. No matter where you go on the island, you can find restaurants in Barbados serving fresh fish that is steamed, baked, grilled, or fried. If you don't eat seafood, pork, lamb, and steak are popular dishes at many restaurants in Barbados. Many of these first class restaurants also cater Barbados weddings.

A fun part of any vacation is trying new types of food and Barbados dining certainly offers a treat for the tastebuds. You may want to try some traditional Barbados cuisine which includes buljol (a healthy dish consisting of onions, tomatoes, and codfish), coconut flavored rice and peas, grilled pigtails, and fried conch. More adventurous travelers will enjoy trying Barbados food such as sea eggs (deviled sea urchin roe) and oxtail stew. You can find these specialties throughout Barbados, including the cities of Bridgetown, St. Peter, and Christ Church.

Barbados Map

Lunchtime Barbados food usually consists of lighter fare, such as baked chicken, salad, and fresh vegetables. If you're not used to spicy foods, you may want to order a few extra glasses of milk with your food. Barbados cuisine is hotter than you might be used to! Besides drinking milk, one way to extinguish the fire in your mouth is by enjoying a refreshing fresh fruit drink made with Mount Gay rum, the national rum of Barbados. One popular drink is falernum, a concoction of sugar, amaretto, rum, and lime juice. A non-alcoholic drink that many people enjoy is called mauby. This traditional drink is made from the juice of boiled bark.

Unlike some restaurants in other parts of the Caribbean, people dress up when they go out to restaurants in Barbados. Even in more casual Barbados restaurants, it's considered inappropriate to wear jeans and sneakers. A dress shirt and slacks will suffice for men, and women should pack a dress or conservative attire. Of course, if you're dining at a small beachside diner, casual attire is more appropriate. The standard rate of tipping in Barbados in 10-15%.

No matter where you spend most of your time on the island, you're sure to find fresh Barbados food for a variety of price ranges. You may just discover a new favorite.