Food of Antigua and Barbuda

Antiguan and Barbudan cooking is built on fish, lobster, cornmeal, sweet potato and local black pineapple. Ducana and saltfish is the national dish, and pepperpot with fungie is a favorite. Flavors include thyme, nutmeg and hot pepper.

National dish

Fungie and pepperpot

Cornmeal fungie with a stew of greens.

Staples

  • black pineapple
  • cornmeal
  • saltfish
  • sweet potato
  • lobster
  • goat
  • okra
  • rice

Signature flavors

  • thyme
  • nutmeg
  • scotch bonnet
  • cloves
  • lime

Main dishes

Fungie and pepperpot

Cornmeal fungie with a stew of greens.

Key ingredients: cornmeal, okra, spinach, meat
Ducana and saltfish

Sweet potato dumplings with saltfish.

Key ingredients: sweet potato, coconut, saltfish
Goat water

Goat stew with herbs and spices.

Key ingredients: goat, tomato, cloves
Rice and peas

Peas and rice.

Key ingredients: rice, peas
Barbuda lobster

Fresh grilled lobster from Barbuda.

Key ingredients: lobster
Salt fish and eggplant

Saltfish with eggplant.

Key ingredients: saltfish, eggplant
Seasoned rice

Rice cooked with herbs.

Key ingredients: rice, herbs

Street food

Johnny cakes
Johnny cakes

Fried bread.

Key ingredients: flour
Fish cakes

Fried fritters.

Key ingredients: cod, flour

Desserts and sweets

Sugar cake

Coconut sugar sweet.

Key ingredients: coconut, sugar, ginger
Tamarind balls

Tangy candy.

Key ingredients: tamarind, sugar

Drinks

Ginger soda

Fresh ginger.

Key ingredients: ginger
Mauby
Mauby

Bark drink.

Key ingredients: mauby bark

Fruits and produce

Antigua black pineapple

The sweetest pineapple in the world.

Mango
Mango

Seasonal.

Sugar apple
Sugar apple

Creamy fruit.

Guava
Guava

Common.

Full guide →

Dish guides from Antigua and Barbuda

Guava
GuavaFruits
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About this page

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

Photo credits
  • Johnnycakes: Douglas Perkins, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Botellas de Maví (izq. - llena, der. - vacía), en Ponce, Puerto Rico (DSC02261): Carmelo Ruro, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Annona squamosa (Custurd Apple) flower in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 9352: J.M.Garg, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Guava pink fruit: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)