Caribbean Islands : Cayman Islands : Food and Dining

Cayman Islands : Food and Dining

The Cayman Islands, referred to as the "Culinary Capital of the Caribbean," offers fine dining, al fresco dining, fast-food eateries, street-side food vendors, small snack bars and long, leisurely meals. Along with Caribbean and Central American cuisine there’s also European, Italian, Mexican, German, Thai, Chinese, Indian and Japanese—a dining scene that reflects the diverse tastes of the more than 140 nationalities that call the islands home.

Traditional Caymanian cuisine--with its coconuts, Scotch bonnets, scallions, black pepper and salt--has been given a jolt of Jamaican with jerk, curry and other vibrant seasonings; cumin, achiote, cilantro, culantro, coriander, oregano and garlic come courtesy of the Spanish. Local food these days is really a fusion of Caymanian with Jamaican, Honduran and southern Cuban influences.

Turtle is the traditional specialty of Cayman Islands and can be served in soup or stew or as a steak. Conch, the meat of a large pink mollusk, is ubiquitous in stews and chowders, fritters and panfried (cracked). Fish such as snapper, tuna, wahoo, and marlin is served baked, broiled, steamed, or "Cayman-style"--with peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Caribbean lobster is available, but there are no other shellfish in local waters. Codfish, ackee, or curried goat may appeal to the more adventurous diner. One popular dish is "coconut dinner": a rich stew of fish or salt beef cooked in coconut milk with vegetables, pumpkin, christophine (cho-cho) onion and sweet and hot peppers.

Coconut, plantain, breadfruit, yams, cassava, rice and peas and other West Indian side dishes are favourite accompaniments to main courses.

Heavy cake, a dessert much favored by Caymanians, is a dense, sweet confection consisting of grated cassava, coconut milk, brown sugar and spice, that’s boiled together then baked. Also popular: the dark Caymanian fruit cake, made with butter and fruits soaked in cake wine, cream sherry or rum.