Antigua and Barbuda: Food Guide - Dining Out

Antigua has a huge selection of restaurants and eateries. Fresh produce is in abundance and mostly home grown, fish, prawns and rock lobsters are caught daily and appear on every menu, fruit and vegetables of many colours and varieties are grown all year round so you can eat healthily in Antigua. You can dine al fresco day or night enjoying amazing sea views, BBQ on a favourite beach as the tropical sun sets, fine dine in a romantic setting or simply have a freshly made burger and a juice at a cafe. Whatever your choice there is something for everybody whether you have special culinary needs, a family with small children, vegetarians or wish to dine in style for that special occasion. The resorts, hotels and restaurants offer a wide choice of local and international cuisine from budget to gourmet dining. Many restaurants are renowned for their top class chefs and of course they are generally expensive, however eating out in Antigua is reasonably priced and the selection of wines is good. Antigua awaits to dazzle your taste buds with its exotic and sometimes strange Caribbean and Creole style dishes.

Whether you want to eat something plain and simple in rustic surroundings or gourmet dining in a romantic setting, there is an abundant choice in Antigua. Dining options are local Caribbean cuisine using home grown fruits, vegetables and a wide choice of fish, lobster and shellfish to international cuisine such as Indian, Chinese, Thai, European and American. There are cafes serving coffee, tea, juices and breakfasts, lunch and dinners, grilles for seafood barbeques, food courts in shopping centres, bakeries for pastries, fresh bread and sandwiches, pizzerias and many restaurants and beach bars serving snacks. Many hotels and resorts offer fine dining in beautiful surroundings, internationally renowned chefs have opened shop in Antigua attracted by the ambience, and the growing internationalism of Antigua. The best locations for hotel and independent restaurant dining are, Dickenson and Runaway Bay, Jolly Harbour Marina and Beach, English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour, Galley Bay (Chez Pascal), Hodges Bay (Le Bistro), Harmony Hall, Hawksbill By Rex Resort, (Five Islands), Long Bay Hotel, OJ’s Beach Bar and Restaurant (Crab Hill), The Pavilion Antigua (Coolidge), Turner’s Beach Bar and Restaurant, (Johnson’s Point), to name but a few of the best. A good choice of wines, spirits, beers and lagers are available as well as a variety of cocktails and fresh juices made from the island fruits. Round off the evening with a rum punch, you’re worth it!

For a mouth watering introduction, the following delicious concoctions are really worth discovering:

National Specialities
Pepper Pot Stew:
a vegetable stew with salted beef and pumpkin served with fungi made with cornmeal and okra.
Roti:
patties filled with curried potatoes, chicken or beef.
Ducana:
grated sweet potato mixed with coconut, sugar, spices, steamed in a banana leaf and served with 'chop up' that is mashed aubergines, okra and salt fish.
Souse:
cuts of pork marinated in lime juice, onions, hot and sweet peppers and spices.
Goat curry

Other Favourites
Caribbean stuffed red snapper and asinan salad with pickled julie mango, local fruits and vegetables.
Conch and seafood pasta and salad.
Spiced mahi-mahi with mango curry.
Medallions of rock lobster on a bed of pasta (La Bella Lobster).
Mango and lobster jelly salad with cream cheese dressing.
Tuna in black sauce.
Wahoo fillet served with foie gras and asparagus.

National Drinks:
Ting: sparkling grapefruit juice.
Wadadli: light beer brewed at the Antigua Brewery.
Rum punch: dark or light local Cavalier or English Harbour rum mixed with a variety of ingredients, black pineapple, coconut, guavas or mangoes.
Rum cocktail: Dominican rum, limes, mint, syrup and crushed ice.

All restaurants are strictly non smoking, the dress code is smart casual for evening dining and advance booking is recommended. Gratuities are usually included if you are dining at your hotel but in outside restaurants tipping is optional. All prices include government tax and service charge.