Food of Anguilla

Anguillian food centers on fresh seafood, especially spiny lobster, crayfish and snapper, along with pigeon peas, rice and johnnycakes. Dishes are grilled or stewed and seasoned with thyme and hot pepper, enjoyed at beachside barbecues.

Pigeon peas and rice
National dish

Pigeon peas and rice

Island staple.

Staples

  • lobster
  • snapper
  • rice
  • pigeon peas
  • goat
  • plantains
  • cornmeal

Signature flavors

  • thyme
  • scotch bonnet
  • lime
  • allspice
  • coconut

Main dishes

Grilled spiny lobster

Fresh caught lobster grilled with butter.

Key ingredients: lobster, butter, lime
Pigeon peas and rice
Pigeon peas and rice

Island staple.

Key ingredients: rice, pigeon peas
Crayfish and rice

Local crayfish stew.

Key ingredients: crayfish, rice
Curried goat
Curried goat

Goat in Caribbean curry.

Key ingredients: goat, curry
Salt fish and johnnycake

Salt cod with fried bread.

Key ingredients: saltfish, flour
Grilled snapper

Whole snapper with herbs.

Key ingredients: snapper, herbs

Street food

Fried johnnycakes
Fried johnnycakes

Puffed fried dough.

Key ingredients: flour
Barbecue ribs
Barbecue ribs

Beach barbecue.

Key ingredients: ribs, sauceFull guide →

Desserts and sweets

Coconut tart

Sweet coconut pastry.

Key ingredients: coconut, sugar
Guava duff
Guava duff

Boiled guava pastry.

Key ingredients: guava, flour

Drinks

Fresh lime juice

Limeade.

Key ingredients: lime, sugar
Coconut water
Coconut water

Fresh coconut.

Key ingredients: coconut

Fruits and produce

Soursop
Soursop

Creamy, tangy fruit.

Mango
Mango

Seasonal.

Coconut
Coconut

Local palms.

Dish guides from Anguilla

Barbecue ribs
Barbecue ribsMain dishes
Explore Anguilla on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Caribbean

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • Rice and Peas: File:Rice and Peas.png: Whispyhistory conversion to jpg: Hike395, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Curry Goat and Rice: Leon Brocard from London, UK, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Johnnycakes: Douglas Perkins, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Pulled pork, brisket, baked beans and mac & cheese from Martin's BBQ in Nashville, TN: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Guava duff: LittleT889, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Young Coconut Drink: Shameelnurani313, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Annona muricata 1: Damien Boilley from suburbs of Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cocos nucifera - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-187: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)