Food of Guernsey

Guernsey's table reflects its island setting and farming: Guernsey milk, cream and butter, fresh seafood, tomatoes from the glasshouses and old recipes like bean jars and fruit loaves. The Channel Islands' French and English heritage mixes in shellfish stews, tarts and crab sandwiches.

National dish

Guernsey bean jar

Staples

  • milk
  • cream
  • butter
  • crab
  • tomatoes
  • beans
  • potatoes

Signature flavors

  • parsley
  • thyme
  • butter
  • salt

Main dishes

Bean jar
Bean jar

A slow-baked pot of beans, pork and vegetables.

Key ingredients: beans, pork, onions, carrots
Ormer stew
Ormer stew

Ormers (sea snails) slow-cooked with bacon, a prized local treat.

Key ingredients: ormers, bacon, onion
Crab sandwich

Fresh crab on soft bread.

Key ingredients: crab, bread, butter, lemon
Fish and chips
Fish and chips

A coastal favorite.

Key ingredients: fish, potatoesFull guide →
Roast beef
Roast beef

Roast beef with all the trimmings.

Key ingredients: beef, potatoes, gravy
Guernsey Gache
Guernsey Gache

A rich yeasted fruit loaf served with butter.

Key ingredients: flour, sultanas, butter, sugar

Breads

Gache melie

A dense, apple-based cake.

Key ingredients: apples, flour, sugar

Desserts and sweets

Guernsey cream tea
Guernsey cream tea

Scones with Guernsey cream and jam.

Key ingredients: scones, cream, jamFull guide →
Guernsey ice cream
Guernsey ice cream

Creamy island ice cream.

Key ingredients: milk, cream

Drinks

Guernsey milk
Guernsey milk

Rich, creamy milk from island cows.

Key ingredients: milk
Tea
Tea

A cup of tea with a biscuit.

Key ingredients: tea, milk
Apple juice
Apple juice

Pressed from island orchards.

Key ingredients: apples

Fruits and produce

Tomatoes
Tomatoes

Glasshouse tomatoes, long a local crop.

Key ingredients: salads, sandwiches
Strawberries
Strawberries

Summer berries.

Key ingredients: cream
Apples
Apples

Orchard apples.

Key ingredients: cake

Dish guides from Guernsey

Fish and chips
Fish and chipsStreet food
Scone
SconeDesserts and sweets
Explore Guernsey on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Northern Europe

About this page

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

Photo credits
  • Guernsey Bean Jar: Heather Cowper, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • LivingAbalone: Sharktopus, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Fish and chips blackpool: Matthias Meckel, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Rostas (ready and served): Oxiq, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Guernsey Gâche: Heather Cowper, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Scone varieties: User:Dave souza, CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Vanilla Ice Cream Cone at Camp Manitoulin: Steven Depolo, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Glass of Milk (33657535532): NIAID, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Longjing tea steeping in gaiwan: Difference engine, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Apfelsaft im Glas: Verband der deutschen Fruchtsaftindustrie e.V., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Tomato je: Softeis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) single2: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 95apple: Agricultural Research Service (Research agent of United States Department of Agriculture), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)