Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FOOD & DRINK
Must-Try Bahamian Dishes
» Cracked conch
» Boil fish
» Guava duff
» Peas 'n' rice
» Mac 'n' cheese
» Souse
» Johnnycake
Africa meets England meets the US South meets the Caribbean on the Bahamian plate, re-
flecting the country's multicultural origins. Many of the country's best-loved dishes - john-
nycake, peas 'n' rice - were born in African slave kitchens, while others, such as roasts and
pies are distinctly British in flavor. American fast-food dishes like burgers (albeit with an is-
land slant) are ubiquitous, while foods like fried chicken and benne (sesame seed) cakes are
Southern US with roots in West Africa. Everything's flavored with local bounty - seafood,
pineapple, guava, plantain.
Dining options range from humble beachfront conch shacks to flashy celebrity chef-run
palaces of haute cuisine, though options are limited in the more rural regions. If you're stay-
ing on the Out Islands, we hope you like conch.
Breakfast
Breakfast, even on the Out Islands, tends to come in two varieties: American-style (eggs,
toast, cinnamon rolls etc) or Bahamian-style. The latter is heavy on grits (coarsely ground
corn) - grits with eggs, grits with sardines, grits with corned beef - and seafood. Look for
boil fish or stew fish, a clear soup of fish (usually grouper) cooked with potatoes, onions,
salt pork and lime. It's often served with johnnycake, a type of flat cornbread. Souse, a thick
brownish stew made with chicken, mutton, pork feet, sheep tongue or pretty much whatever
meat bits the cook can get her hands on, is another breakfast favorite. It's a bit of an acquired
taste.
If you're staying at a resort, you may be treated to a full English fry-up - eggs, bacon,
toast, beans, fried tomato etc - a legacy of the island's colonial days.
Classic Dishes
When it comes to meat, chicken is king. Southern US-style fried chicken is ubiquitous at
diners and fast-food joints, curried chicken is a classic takeout dish, and BBQ chicken is a
favorite of family cook-outs. Pork is a close runner-up - look out for savory, black pepper-
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