Food of Barbados

Barbadian cuisine blends African, British and Caribbean traditions, with flying fish, cou-cou, sweet potatoes and pepper sauce at its heart. Fish fries, Bajan seasoning of herbs and lime, and Friday evening street gatherings are part of daily life.

Cou-cou and flying fish
National dish

Cou-cou and flying fish

Cornmeal and okra with steamed flying fish.

Staples

  • flying fish
  • cornmeal
  • okra
  • sweet potato
  • breadfruit
  • pork
  • rice
  • cassava

Signature flavors

  • Bajan seasoning
  • thyme
  • marjoram
  • scotch bonnet
  • lime
  • allspice

Main dishes

Cou-cou and flying fish
Cou-cou and flying fish

Cornmeal and okra with steamed flying fish.

Key ingredients: cornmeal, okra, flying fish
Pudding and souse

Steamed sweet potato with pickled pork.

Key ingredients: sweet potato, pork, lime, cucumber
Macaroni pie
Macaroni pie

Baked macaroni and cheese.

Key ingredients: macaroni, cheeseFull guide →
Bajan fried chicken

Seasoned chicken fried crisp.

Key ingredients: chicken, Bajan seasoning
Jug-jug

Pigeon peas and guinea corn mash.

Key ingredients: pigeon peas, guinea corn, pork
Rice and peas

Pigeon peas and rice.

Key ingredients: rice, pigeon peas
Fried flying fish

Marinated, fried flying fish.

Key ingredients: flying fish, flour
Stewed pork

Slow-cooked seasoned pork.

Key ingredients: pork, herbs

Breakfast

Bakes

Fried or baked bread.

Key ingredients: flour
Salt fish cakes
Salt fish cakes

Salt cod fritters.

Key ingredients: saltfish, flour, herbs

Street food

Fish cutter

Fried flying fish in a salt bread roll.

Key ingredients: fish, salt bread
Fish cakes

Spicy fried fish fritters.

Key ingredients: cod, herbs, pepper
Conkies
Conkies

Steamed cornmeal and pumpkin parcels.

Key ingredients: cornmeal, pumpkin, coconut

Desserts and sweets

Coconut bread

Sweet bread with coconut.

Key ingredients: coconut, flour
Bajan black cake

Dark, spiced fruitcake with molasses.

Key ingredients: dried fruit, flour, molasses
Tamarind balls

Sweet tangy tamarind candy.

Key ingredients: tamarind, sugar

Drinks

Mauby
Mauby

Bittersweet bark drink.

Key ingredients: mauby bark, sugar
Sorrel
Sorrel

Hibiscus drink.

Key ingredients: hibiscus, gingerFull guide →
Ginger soda

Fresh ginger drink.

Key ingredients: ginger

Fruits and produce

Sugar apple
Sugar apple

Creamy sweet fruit.

Golden apple
Golden apple

Tart golden fruit.

Breadfruit
Breadfruit

Roasted and fried.

Soursop
Soursop

Creamy fruit for juice.

Barbados cherry
Barbados cherry

Vitamin-rich tart cherry.

Dish guides from Barbados

Hibiscus tea (agua de jamaica, bissap)
Hibiscus tea (agua de jamaica, bissap)Drinks
Macaroni and cheese
Macaroni and cheeseMain dishes
Explore Barbados 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
  • COO COOO: KINGBROBLOXZZZ, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Original Mac n Cheese : Texasfoodgawker, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Fish cakes food dinner: Jon Sullivan, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Conkie: Foodista, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Botellas de Maví (izq. - llena, der. - vacía), en Ponce, Puerto Rico (DSC02261): Carmelo Ruro, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Hibiscus tea: Emna Mizouni, 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)
  • Starr 980529-4218 Spondias dulcis: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Artocarpus altilis (fruit): Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Annona muricata 1: Damien Boilley from suburbs of Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Malpighia glabra blossom and unripe fruits: Eric Gaba (Sting - fr:Sting), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)