BARBADOS: Barbadian Food

Bajan food is a unique blend of foods with African, Indian and British influences. Your Barbados travel experience will include some truly special meal-time moments to treasure forever.

Bajan cuisine is a mixture of African, Indian, Irish, Creole and British influences.

A typical meal consists of a main dish of meat or fish, normally marinated with a mixture of herbs and spices, hot side dishes, and one or more salads. The meal is usually served with one or more sauces.

The national dish of Barbados is Cou-Cou & fried Flying Fish with spicy gravy.

Another traditional meal is "Pudding and Souse" a dish of pickled pork with spiced sweet potatoes.

A wide variety of seafood and meats are also available.

You're on holiday so try everything - locally caught fish, home-grown grass-fed meats, sweet plantains, rice and peas, tasty West Indian curries and rotis. Explore our delicious Caribbean cuisine.

The national dish of Barbados is Cou-Cou & Flying Fish.

Although Fishcakes and Saltbread is a close second, affectionately called a ‘bread and two’.

Other popular dishes include Pudding and Souse a Saturday staple, and Sunday Food which comprises Macaroni Pie, Rice and Green Peas, Baked Chicken and coleslaw.

Common staples on Barbadian tables include Yams, Sweet Potatoes, Cassava, Breadfruit and Rice.

These are usually paired with a variety of fish including flying fish, Many other varieties of fish are found in the clear blue waters surrounding Barbados, including kingfish, swordfish, red snapper, yellow-fin tuna, albacore tuna, marlin, shark and dolphin.

After filling up on these delicious dishes, sweet desserts such as guava cheese are the highlight of the meal.

Food sold by street vendors is popular on the island, and key locations include Baxter's Road near Bridgetown, and Oistins, with its Friday Night Fish Fry.

Main courses

Fried flying fish
Fried or grilled fish such as kingfish, swordfish, mahi mahi, and "dolphin" (dolphinfish). A whole roast red snapper is a delicacy.

Brown stew chicken

Cou Cou and steamed flying fish

Barbecued, or stewed lamb or pork chops
Curry beef or mutton
Baked or fried chicken
Grilled or fried prawns
Grilled Turkey wings
Saltfish in a spicy tomato sauce
Pepperpot

Sweet potato pie

Hot Sides

Rice and peas – rice with split pea and gravy.
Macaroni pie
Cou-Cou
Sweet Potato, grilled, mashed or as fries
English Potato grilled, mashed or as fries
Fried Plantain
Breadfruit grilled or fried
Chow Mein
Steamed mixed vegetables, such as broccoli, pumpkin, cabbage, and onion
Buttered cassava or yam

Salads

Garden Salad
Pasta Salad
Potato Salad
Coleslaw
Plain Sweetcorn, beetroot or pineapple

Sauces

Bajan pepper sauce
Ketchup
Tartar Sauce for fish

Lighter Meals

Wrap roti, usually with beef, chicken or saltfish with potatoes, spices, and sometimes chickpeas
Cutters- fried Flying fish in a bap
Fishcake
Samosas often made with Conch
Pumpkin soup
Conkies
Bakes
Turnovers

Beverages

Rum and Rum Punch
Banks beer
Sorrel drink
Mauby
Fruit juice
Tamarind drink
Sour sop drink

Continental Food in Barbados

American staples such as pizza, Hot Dogs and burgers are fairly common, as are British fish and chips. Chinese, Indian, and Thai dishes are available in the main towns.

A few Mexican and Brazilian restaurants are available on the South Coast.

There are upmarket sushi restaurants in or near large resorts.