Food of Saint Lucia

Saint Lucian cuisine reflects African, French, British and Indian influences. Green fig and saltfish is the national dish, with bakes, callaloo and fresh fish common. Cocoa, bananas and breadfruit are staples, flavored with thyme and Scotch bonnet.

National dish

Green fig and saltfish

Boiled green bananas with saltfish.

Staples

  • green banana
  • saltfish
  • breadfruit
  • cocoa
  • fish
  • coconut
  • sweet potato
  • rice

Signature flavors

  • thyme
  • scotch bonnet
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg
  • lime
  • ginger

Main dishes

Green fig and saltfish

Boiled green bananas with saltfish.

Key ingredients: green banana, saltfish, onion
Callaloo soup
Callaloo soup

Leaf soup.

Key ingredients: dasheen, coconut milk
Bouyon

Hearty stew with vegetables.

Key ingredients: meat, provisions
Fish broth

Light fish soup.

Key ingredients: fish, vegetables
Pelau
Pelau

One-pot rice.

Key ingredients: rice, chicken, pigeon peas
Stewed chicken

Chicken in sauce.

Key ingredients: chicken, herbs
Lambi

Conch.

Key ingredients: conch
Bakes

Fried bread.

Key ingredients: flour

Breakfast

Bakes and saltfish

Fried bread with seasoned fish.

Key ingredients: flour, saltfish
Cocoa tea

Local cocoa drink.

Key ingredients: cocoa, cinnamon

Street food

Fish cakes

Fried.

Key ingredients: cod
Bake and shark

Fried shark in bread.

Key ingredients: shark, bake

Desserts and sweets

Banana bread
Banana bread

Moist loaf.

Key ingredients: banana
Coconut cake

Sweet.

Key ingredients: coconut

Drinks

Cocoa tea

Warm cocoa.

Key ingredients: cocoa
Ginger soda

Fresh.

Key ingredients: ginger

Fruits and produce

Banana
Banana

Major crop.

Mango
Mango

Seasonal.

Cocoa

Local.

Breadfruit
Breadfruit

Staple.

Soursop
Soursop

Creamy.

Explore Saint Lucia 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
  • Callaloo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/67276179@N08/, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Trinidadian Chicken Pelau (15399269506): Arnold Gatilao from Oakland, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Banana bread slices: Shisma, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 14-QWSTION-BANANATEX-STRIPPING-LAUSCHSICHT: BANANATEX, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (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)