St Lucia Food and Drink

St Lucian food is a combination of Creole with French and West Indian influences. Most hotels have restaurants, in addition to a wide range of eateries in the major towns serving many different types of food. Waiter service is the norm.

There’s also a strong British influence in the local cooking with widespread use of cinnamon garlic, nutmeg, cloves, parsley, cocoa and allspice.

Specialities

Langouste: Local spiny lobster, cooked in a variety of ways.
Bouyon: A thick red beans soup made with meat, ground provision and vegetables.

Lambi: Conch.

Green figs and salt fish: Unripe bananas and preserved fish, the national dish.

Callaloo: Spinach-like soup made from the leaves of the dasheen plant.
Accra: Fish fritters made from salted cod, flour and local green seasoning.
Pepper pots: Traditional stews made with whatever ingredients – fish, meat, vegetables – were at hand that day.
Green fig salad: Similar to a potato salad, but made with boiled green bananas.
Float bakes: A fried dough mixture similar to donuts, just not as sweet.
Cocoa tea and bakes: Traditional St Lucian breakfast and tea made with local cocoa – said to be the richest in the world – served with bakes.
Breadfruit: This starchy fruit is a staple food in St Lucia, often boiled and eaten with chicken, fish or other meat. It’s also widely used in salads.
Banana cake: Sponge cake with added mashed bananas, chopped pineapple, orange juice and walnuts.
Golden apple juice: A tangy soft drink make from the juice of Golden Apples mixed with sugar.
Piton: Locally brewed beer.

Tipping

An optional 10% is sometimes added to bills.