Trinidad and Tobago Food and Drink

Bars and restaurants open until late, with a very wide choice of local and Western food and drink. Chinese, Indian and West Indian cooking is available on both islands. Tobago also offers some notable seafood specialities and all types of fried fish.

Seafood is of course popular on the islands, with Trinidad’s highlight being Buljol, a saltfish served with coconut bake and vegetables. On Tobago, trying the curried crab and dumplings is a must. The latter is great purchased from a roadside vendor: streetfood is a big thing across the country so do what the locals do and chow down on some.

Specialities

• Creole soups, the best being sans coche, calaloo and peppery pigeon pea soup.
• Sorrel, a blood-red drink made from the sorrel fruit, or Angostura bitters (Trinidad & Tobago is the proud home of the drink)
• Tatoo (armadillo) and manicou (opossum).
• Pork souse (pork boiled and served cold in a salty sauce with lime, cucumber, pepper, and onion slices).
• Tum-tum (mashed green plantains).

Tipping

A 10 to 15% tip is usual in hotels and restaurants.

Drinking age

18.

Regional drinks

Excellent rums and angostura bitters are used to make rum punch. The local beers are Carib and Stag.