Flavors of Paradise: Iconic Caribbean foods You Need to Try
Food is often the best part of travel, but nowhere is this truer than in the Caribbean, where the cuisine reflects the fusion of many different cultures. Often heavy on spices and made with locally sourced ingredients, Caribbean food is rich, hearty, and undeniably made with love. Many dishes across the islands share similarities—a testament to their shared history—but each island adds its own twist, making every bite unique. Regardless of where you travel, you’ll want to try them all. I’ve never been disappointed by a dish in the Caribbean and find myself far more open to culinary adventures there than I ever would be at home.
The Staple Sides
Rice: Cooked rice is a global staple, and the Caribbean is no exception. While preparation methods vary, rice often accompanies many Caribbean dishes. For instance, arroz con pollo, a flavorful dish of rice cooked with chicken, spices, and sometimes vegetables, is a beloved favorite.
Rice and beans/peas is a dish you’ll find across all of the Caribbean countries and other cuisines. Whether you refer to it as beans or peas depends where you’re from. Rice and beans can be eaten as a standalone dish, but you may have it as a side with your protein as well. I have to say I’m not much of a bean person and nearly refuse to eat them at home, but will eat them without question abroad.
Plantains: Plantains appear in many forms, from salty, savory tostones (fried plantains) to sweet, ripe varieties fried without batter. My personal favorite way to eat them is when they’re slightly over-ripened: crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and always delicious. You’ll find plantains served as sides, snacks, or even incorporated into main dishes.
Classics
Jerk Chicken: Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica, where meat is dry-rubbed or wet-marinated with a hot spice mixture. The main ingredients in jerk seasoning are allspice and scotch bonnet peppers, creating a smoky, spicy, and flavorful dish. While chicken is the most common protein, you’ll also find jerk pork and even seafood.
Festival: This Caribbean dumpling is often served alongside jerk dishes. With its slightly sweet flavor and soft, bready texture, festival is a must-try. Think of it as a fresher, homier alternative to canned crescent rolls—simple yet irresistible.
Sandwich Cubano: A cuban sandwich is a straightforward yet satisfying meal. Made with roasted pork or ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on fresh Cuban bread, it’s a favorite lunch option. While I’ve tried it in both Cuba and Belize, each place added its own twist to the flavors.
Empanada con Pollo: This fried turnover filled with savory or sweet ingredients varies greatly across the Caribbean. The best chicken empanada I’ve ever had was in Cartagena, Colombia, where it was perfectly crisp and packed with flavor. You’ll also find empanadas in Puerto Rico, where they’re a popular street food.
Roast Pork: Roast pork is a common dish in Cuba, often marinated and braised to tender perfection. It’s typically served with sides like rice, beans, or plantains. The juicy, flavorful pork is typically not very spicy but is seasoned beautifully.
Mofongo: This iconic Puerto Rican comfort food is a culinary symbol of the island’s African, Taino, and Spanish heritage, combining traditional ingredients with innovative flair. At its core, mofongo is made with green plantains that are peeled, sliced, and fried until golden, then mashed to perfection with garlic, olive oil, and crunchy pork cracklings (chicharrón). The mixture is seasoned with salt and sometimes additional spices, creating a flavorful base that is both savory and slightly earthy. Traditionally, the mashed plantain is shaped into a mound or pressed into a bowl, forming a vessel. Mofongo can be served plain or paired with rich broths, shrimp, chicken, pork, or vegetables, making it a versatile dish.
Fried Foods
An Arepa is a Colombian street food that is like a thicker tortilla made with cheese and corn, two most important food items in Cartagena. You’ll also see those ingredients in lots of other Caribbean dishes. Arepas have a slightly sweet, mealy taste, and although it was not one of my absolute favorite recipes, it was still pretty good. To note, you may hear arepas referred to as fritos, which just means fried foods. Cartagena even has a Festival Del Frito dedicated to the cities most favorite fried foods.
Fry Jacks: Fry jacks are a beloved Belizean breakfast staple. They are deep-fried pieces of dough that are typically triangular or crescent-shaped, with a light, airy interior and a crisp, golden-brown exterior. Made from a basic dough of flour, baking powder, salt, and water or milk, fry jacks puff up beautifully when fried, creating a soft yet satisfying bite. These can be filled with refried beans, eggs, cheese, sausage, or really anything you want.
Seafood Delights
Seafood is going to be a staple nearly anywhere in the Caribbean. The best kind of seafood to order depends where you are; for example, you’ll probably want to have lobster in Belize while you might have plenty of shrimp in Colombia and likely snapper anywhere you go.
Shrimp Cocktail: In Cartagena, shrimp cocktail is elevated to an art form. Prepared with fresh ingredients like red onion and rum, it’s packed with bold flavors. Often served with crackers, this dish is perfect for a light snack or appetizer.
Ceviche: Similar to shrimp cocktail but with a citrusy punch, ceviche is made with raw seafood marinated in lemon or lime juice. Other ingredients, like onions and peppers, add depth to the dish. Freshness is key when it comes to ceviche, as poorly prepared seafood can make you sick. Enjoy it as an appetizer, often paired with plantains.
Unique Island Dishes
Jamaican Patties are flaky, golden pastries filled with spiced fillings, typically made of seasoned ground beef, chicken, or vegetables. The crust, colored with turmeric or curry powder, is tender and crisp, while the filling is rich, savory, and aromatic, often featuring hints of thyme, scallion, and Scotch bonnet peppers.
Roti: Roti is a flatbread stuffed with curried chicken, goat, or vegetables. This dish is hearty, flavorful, and a perfect representation of the Indo-Caribbean influence.
Ackee and Saltfish: Jamaica’s national dish pairs the buttery, delicate ackee fruit with salted cod. It is typically served with boiled dumplings, yam, or fried breadfruit.
Conch Fritters: A specialty in The Bahamas, conch fritters are deep-fried dough balls mixed with conch meat and spices. They’re a perfect balance of crispy, tender, and flavorful.
Fresh Fruit
There are so many fruits in the world that we don’t get exposed to in America simply because we don’t have an environment in which they would grow and thrive. To me, it’s so important to experience them in other countries because they’re usually delicious and they’re like a novelty in that an international trip is the only time you’ll get them.
Mamoncillo is what we might know as limoncello or spanish lime that has a sweet and tangy flavor. A local in Colombia described that they eat these like chips and nobody can eat just one. You crack it open with your teeth and then suck the inside out. The inside is almost like a jelly and it has so much flavor.
Soursop has a bittersweet flavor similar to some apples that might take some getting used to; if you don’t eat it fresh, maybe try it in a drink like i’ve once had it.
Lulo is like a tiny orange, and similar to soursop, you may find it as a drink rather than served fresh.
Rambutan happens to be a personal favorite that they’ve actually begun selling at my local grocery store. It takes a bit of work to eat and the spiked outer shell may be a bit off putting initially, but definitely worth eating in small amounts.
Breadfruit: This is a large, starchy fruit that is typically roasted, boiled, or fried. Its texture and flavor are similar to potato or bread, making it a Caribbean staple.
Sweet Treats
Black Cake (Jamaican Rum Cake): A rich fruitcake soaked in rum, black cake is a Caribbean holiday favorite. Dense and packed with flavor, it’s often enjoyed at Christmas or weddings.
Pastel Bocadillo or Pandebono is a Colombian cheese bread made of cassava starch, cheese, eggs, and in some regions of the country, guava jam. They are like biscuits that are eaten any time of day whether for breakfast, dinner, lunch or a snack. I ate mine paired with soursop juice that made for a very colorful and tropical flavor.
Guava Pinwheels: Guava pinwheels are a Bahamian pastry crafted with flaky, buttery dough rolled around a filling of guava paste. They can be dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with a light glaze, and they are enjoyed as a snack, dessert, or a special addition to festive occasions.
Caribbean cuisine is as diverse and vibrant as the islands themselves. From savory classics like jerk chicken and roast pork to sweet treats like black cake, every dish tells a story of history, culture, and tradition. No matter where you go in the Caribbean, you will, without a doubt, find a food or dish that you fall in love with.