Food of Montserrat

Montserratian food is Caribbean comfort cooking: goat water, fish, rice and peas, and root vegetables. Its national dish, goat water, is a rich stew, and fresh local produce, fruits and seafood round out meals.

National dish

Goat water

Hearty goat stew with cloves and herbs.

Staples

  • goat
  • fish
  • rice
  • peas
  • yam
  • breadfruit
  • plantain
  • cornmeal

Signature flavors

  • thyme
  • clove
  • scotch bonnet
  • lime
  • nutmeg

Main dishes

Goat water

Hearty goat stew with cloves and herbs.

Key ingredients: goat, cloves, breadfruit, thyme
Rice and peas

Island staple.

Key ingredients: rice, peas
Stewed fish

Fish in savory sauce.

Key ingredients: fish, tomato
Saltfish and dumplings

Boiled saltfish with dumplings.

Key ingredients: saltfish, flour
Jerk chicken
Jerk chicken

Spicy grilled chicken.

Key ingredients: chickenFull guide →
Breadfruit and fish

Roasted breadfruit.

Key ingredients: breadfruit, fish

Street food

Johnnycakes
Johnnycakes

Fried bread.

Key ingredients: flour
Fish cakes

Fried fritters.

Key ingredients: cod

Desserts and sweets

Coconut tart

Sweet pastry.

Key ingredients: coconut
Sweet potato pudding

Spiced baked pudding.

Key ingredients: sweet potato

Drinks

Ginger soda

Fresh.

Key ingredients: ginger
Lime juice

Limeade.

Key ingredients: lime

Fruits and produce

Soursop
Soursop

Creamy.

Mango
Mango

Seasonal.

Guava
Guava

Common.

Full guide →

Dish guides from Montserrat

Guava
GuavaFruits
Jerk chicken
Jerk chickenMain dishes
Explore Montserrat 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
  • BBQJerk Chicken: OUTography.com from Gilbert, AZ, USA, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Johnnycakes: Douglas Perkins, CC BY 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)
  • Guava pink fruit: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)