Go on a Bajan foodventure – from haute cuisine to cult street eats

It may be known for its breathtaking beaches and scorching Caribbean climate, but Barbados is also serving a seriously impressive food scene. Bajan-spiced jug-jug, delectable, gooey macaroni pie and sweet, crumbly coconut bread (or as the locals call it sweet bread) are just a few of the dishes you can expect to come across in the land of the flying fish. Here’s our guide to where to go and what to eat in the culinary capital of the Caribbean.

Must-try local spots

Nothing quite hits the spot like a traditional Bajan cutter: a thick Barbadian sandwich made with pillowy Bajan salt bread and packed with succulent fillings, and nowhere makes them quite like Cuz’s Fish Stand on the west coast. This easy-to-spot bright blue shack is always lined with locals who are eager to get their hands on a salty flying fish cutter, but there’s a reason people queue. Pick up a classic and enjoy fluffy slices of soft, salty bread filled with warm fish, lettuce, tomatoes and special pink pepper sauce.

For more bucket-list worthy bites, head to R.A. Mapp in Bridgetown, a popular takeaway joint serving juicy rotisserie chicken with the same special condiment that’s been used for over 20 years. Other excellent local spots include Granny’s Restaurant in Oistins for Bajan and Creole classics, as well as Brown Sugar restaurant, located in a beautiful Barbadian heritage home, serving an all-you-can-eat buffet of traditional Bajan food.

Street food classics

If you’re not totally fish-fried out (actually impossible), then the open-air Oistins Fish Fry on the south coast is an absolute must. Chow down on the freshest grilled or fried fish cooked right in front of you to the sound of Bajan soca as locals and tourists welcome in the weekend with live music and dancing. They start serving food from around 6pm, but if you arrive a little early you can take a stroll along the pier and collect some scraps from local fish vendors to feed the turtles with. However, if you find yourself over in Bridgetown, then another can’t-miss is Yelluh Meat, home of the classic Barbadian breadfruit bowls: roasted breadfruit filled with the chopped up flesh of the fruit, drizzled in Yelluh Meat’s special garlic butter and topped with different fillings like pickled pigtails and…