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Think the Caribbean is just for beach holidays? These 8 foodie escapes will prove you wrong
- James Litston
Published: September 24, 2026 at 9:55 AM
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Most trips to the Caribbean are all about sandy beaches and turquoise seas, but you’ll find a different set of experiences when you head inland…
'Liming' is the Caribbean art of simply hanging around – and when a region coins its own slang to describe its devotion to taking things easy, is it any wonder that sun-seekers flock here to relax? But there’s much more to these tropical isles than the feeling of sand beneath your toes. From food festivals and local markets to farm-to-table feasts, the pulling power of these eight islands goes way beyond the beach...
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8 Caribbean foodie escapes to know
St. Kitts
For farm-to-fork fans
Plenty of Caribbean islands have volcanic origins, which explains why their soils are so abundantly rich. In many places, that fertility supports the growth of towering rainforests. On St Kitts, the forest is so exuberant that it covers a quarter of the island, particularly on the slopes of dominating Mount Liamuiga.
This is also where you’ll find Liamuiga Natural Farm, whose plot-to-plate tours are an ideal attraction for food lovers. Ingredients grown or produced on the farm become salads, jams, fruit platters, omelettes, pumpkin pancakes and cassava chips, all served with own-roasted coffee and herbal infusions. There’s another foodie experience further down the mountain at Old Road Rum, where the Wingfield Estate’s long-abandoned distillery has been reinvigorated and lively tasting tours are available.
Both Old Road’s rum and Liamuiga Farms’ coffee can be enjoyed at Belle Mont Sanctuary Resort, a luxurious hideaway midway up the mountain. It’s a genuinely beautiful place with an excellent spa, coral-stone-wrapped main pool and cute but spacious, wood-framed lodgings tucked discretely among fruiting trees.
Luxury cottages from £259 per night, including breakfast. bellemontsanctuaryresort.com
Grenada
For spice girls (and boys)
With a nickname like the Spice Island, perhaps it’s no surprise that Grenada is such a food-lovers’ favourite. Nutmeg, clove and cinnamon are the mainstay crops – and the open-air market in St George’s, the capital, is the best place to buy them (alongside fresh fruits, sauces and souvenirs). You’ll also find colourfully wrapped bars of rich and dark, artisanal chocolate that are made here on the island. Want to delve deeper into Grenada chocolate? Take a hands-on Tree to Bar Chocolate Tour at the Belmont Estate (£52pp) for insight into cocoa growing and harvesting, plus a sample of finished product.
There are more local flavours to try at the weekly Fish Fry Friday in Gouyave, where vendors’ stalls fill the air with tantalisingly smoky aromas from the marinated mahi-mahi, marlin and snapper cooking before your eyes. Musicians add more local colour with the sounds of soca and hypnotic beats.
Check into Calabash Hotel, a Relais & Châteaux property whose Caribbean-chic Rhodes Restaurant was a partnership with the late British chef, Gary Rhodes. Double rooms from around £650 per night, including breakfast and transfers.
Nevis
For comfort-seekers
Despite its Spice Island moniker, Grenada is not the sole preserve of spice production. In Nevis, higher up the chain of Caribbean isles that make up the Lesser Antilles, holidaymakers can visit the aptly named Vanilla Paradise, the island's sustainable vanilla farm, to learn about vanilla-producing orchids before pausing at the plantation’s café to snack on vanilla-infused cakes. In a similar vein is Cades Bay Fruit Orchard, a working farm where tours explore rows of pineapple, passion fruit, watermelon and mango, with a chance to taste whatever is in season.
At just 36 square miles, diminutive Nevis packs a lot on its plate. At the heart of it all is Mount Nevis: a volcano so tall that its peak attracts clouds, creating a snow-capped illusion (hence its name from “nieves”, the Spanish for snow). For a sense of adventure, local guides can lead you clambering to the top before descending to soak your exertions away in a natural hot spring.
But why push yourself when you could be relaxing at Montpelier Nevis, a luxurious mountainside hotel with acres of tropical gardens and a 300-year-old sugar mill containing a fine-dining restaurant. Seven nights’ B&B from £1,999pp, including flights and transfers. turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Puerto Rico
For coffee lovers
When European powers colonised the Caribbean in the 16th and 17th centuries, each introduced its culture to the islands. The Spanish got there first, claiming Cuba, Hispaniola (split between Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and Puerto Rico, whose Latin flair remains strong. You’ll find it in Puerto Rican cuisine via dishes such as mofongo (made with pork and plantains) and pastelón, which is not unlike lasagna but uses layers of plantain rather than pasta.
The Spanish also brought coffee culture. The central mountains now harbour numerous coffee haciendas where visitors can experience the bean-to-cup journey through farm tours and tastings. Hacienda Munoz is a good example within an hour from San Juan, the capital, where the tasting experience extends to coffee-flavoured craft beers; or try Hacienda Pomarrosa where you can stay overnight in pretty casitas. Another fine mountain stay is El Pretexto Culinary Farm Lodge, where own-grown produce powers the dining experience.
For something more luxurious though, head into historic Old San Juan to find Hotel El Convento, a centuries-old convent now reimagined as a luxury hotel. Double rooms from £184 per night, including breakfast. elconvento.com
Dominica
For the adventure-minded
Sandwiched between the Francophile isles of Guadeloupe and Martinique, Dominica is among the Caribbean’s greenest nations. With its extensive rainforest, the Nature Island suits active explorations of its waterfalls, jungle trails, crater lakes and restorative hot springs. Marvels await offshore too, particularly at Champagne Reef (where volcanic bubbles rise from the seabed) and in the 300 square mile marine reserve that’s home to more than 20 whale and dolphin species.
Back on land, volcanic soils yield abundant produce. Dasheen, tannia, eddo, yam and sweet potato are the key ‘ground provisions’ of Dominican cooking. Take in their colours at Roseau’s market (at its best on Fridays and Saturdays) before discovering callaloo soup (made with dasheen leaves and coconut milk), spiced land crab, goat water (a rich meat soup), fresh fish and other local staples.
For a flavourful stay, Jungle Bay – an eco-luxury resort in the hills of Morne Acouma – is especially strong on the foodie front. Or for a more adventurous trip, G Adventures’ Roseau-based Waterfalls, Volcanic Peaks and Kalinago Culture activity holiday ticks all the boxes. Seven nights from £2,599pp, including accommodation, activities and some meals, but not flights.
Victoria Falls, Dominica
Statia
For island-hoppers
This Dutch-influenced isle flies under the radar, but it was once of great significance. Back in the 1700s it was a major hub for the trading of textiles, tools, ceramics and sugar between the Americas and Europe. The waterfront in Oranjestad, Statia’s only town, buzzed with tall-ship fleets until British and French invasions destroyed its trading dominance. Warehouses and taverns fell into total disrepair, leaving the waterfront dotted today with tumbledown ruins.
Although Statia has a small airport, the most fun way to arrive is by ferry from Sint Maarten, which drops passengers directly on the waterfront. The few heritage buildings that remain are now a dive shop, restaurant and The Old Gin House, which offers a characterful place to stay.
Far fancier is Golden Rock Resort, on the other side of the island, where you’ll find contemporary guestrooms, high-spec interiors and an excellent indoor/outdoor restaurant. For more local flavour, head back to Oranjestad’s Hill Top View Bar & Restaurant, which goes big on Caribbean staples such as curried goat, fried plantains and Johnny cakes.
Deluxe Ocean Rooms from around £370 per night, including breakfast. goldenrockresort.com
Barbados
For traditionalists
Though low-lying Barbados lacks the dramatic topography and tropical forests of other isles, it nevertheless has a strong identity. The vibe here (where cricket meets calypso music) is a mix of British and West African traditions that have coalesced into a vibrant Creole mix. Food-wise, you’ll find typical dishes such as cou-cou (a blend of cornmeal and okra) and fried flying fish, plus perfect rotis. Worthing Square Food Court’s trucks are a great place to find such street food favourites; or dive deeper still on the Dine with a Bajan initiative that sees visitors tucking into genuinely home-cooked meals.
Elsewhere, the restaurant spectrum spans fresh fish to fine dining. Dis Ole House is a favourite for Bajan recipes; or go for something more sophisticated at Champers, where dishes might include lobster tacos or roast barracuda. Sundays are a particular treat at pretty-in-pink Cobblers Cove, which is one of Barbados’s best-loved hotels. Its weekly barbecue beach buffet showcases jerk chicken, garlicky Guyanese prawns and pickled green banana, rounded off with tiramisu – flavoured of course with Bajan rum.
Seven nights’ B&B from £2,940pp, including flights, transfers and the Sunday barbecue. inspiringtravel.co.uk
St Barts
For sophisticates
Saint Barthélemy (as this French-speaking outpost is properly known) is perhaps the Caribbean’s most upmarket isle. From the flashy boutiques and yacht-filled bay in the capital, Gustavia, to the beachfront bars and chic hotels, everything feels elevated and polished.
There’s also a diverse dining scene that blends French culinary techniques with Caribbean ingredients, giving rise to refined tasting menus, feet-in-the-sand lunches and everything in between. Restaurants to book include La Petite Plage for its menus by multi-starred Eric Frechon, and lively Bagatelle, a St Barts institution.
The island’s food scene peaks each November with the St Barth Gourmet Festival. This flagship gastronomic event – considered one of the region’s most prominent – kick-starts the winter tourist season by bringing Michelin-starred and celebrity chefs together with local talents to craft collaborative “four-hands” menus. Other seasonal happenings include October’s Caribbean Rum Awards and May’s Saveurs Caraïbes, which each year celebrates a different Caribbean isle’s culture, food and heritage.
Stay at Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa, which blends Parisian pedigree with an enviable location on Grand Cul-de-Sac, arguably St Barts’ best beach. Double rooms from £1,620 per night, including breakfast. lebarthelemyhotel.com
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Authors
James Litston
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