caribbean
Explore 38 foods connected to Saint Martin, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
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The local shortlist
6 editor-selected foods for understanding the place through what people eat.
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The full directory
38 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.
Guadeloupe
Rhum Agricole
The finest Caribbean rum style; made from fresh sugarcane juice, not molasses; Guadeloupe has 9 working rum agricole distilleries; may be white, aged, or dark; many have won national and international competitions; the rhum agricole that is Guadeloupe's pride.
Saint Martin
Coconut Tart
A pastry filled with grated coconut, sugar, and spices; a local bakery specialty in Anguilla, often served with vanilla ice cream; a classic island dessert. Across the islands this coconut-filled tart is baked as a bakery sweet, with local notes ranging from Anguillian spice to Sint Maarten and Cayman fillings.
Guadeloupe
Colombo
The signature Guadeloupean spice blend; a curry-like mix of pepper, turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and mustard seed; also called massalé; brought by Indian indentured workers in the 19th century; the foundation of Colombo dishes; the Colombo powder that is the soul of Guadeloupean cuisine.
Sint Maarten
Karkó & Dumplings
The national dish of Dutch Sint Maarten; tenderized conch (large sea snail) pressure-cooked with flour dumplings, herbs, spices, tomato, and onions until it forms a thick gravy; served with rice, vegetables, and johnny cakes
Guadeloupe
Lambi Fricassé
Conch (lambi) cooked in a spicy Creole sauce; a Guadeloupean seafood specialty; conch fricassée is a traditional dish; the lambi fricassé that is a Guadeloupean classic.
Bahamas
Minced conch folded into a peppery batter with onion and sweet pepper and dropped in oil as golf-ball fritters.
Sint Maarten
Blue crab meat mixed with tomato, onion, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, and breadcrumbs, stuffed back into crab shells and broiled; a traditional Sint Maarten seafood dish
Guadeloupe
Boudin Creole
Spiced blood sausage; a rich and flavorful dish made from blood, spices, and vegetables; often grilled or pan-fried; a charcuterie specialty; traditionally served as a starter; the boudin creole that is a Guadeloupean essential.
Saint Martin
Court Bouillon
A French-influenced fish stew with white fish fillets, tomatoes, garlic, spring onions, thyme, hot pepper, rum, and vinegar; a traditional Sint Maarten dish
Guadeloupe
Blaff
Fish blaff; fish poached in a lightly spiced broth with lime, garlic, and chili; a Creole court-bouillon variant; the blaff that is a Guadeloupean fish classic. French-Antillean poisson blaff poaches fish in a sharply seasoned lime broth.
Guadeloupe
Court-Bouillon
The main culinary dish of Guadeloupe; fish poached in a spiced tomato-based court-bouillon; a quick cooking of fish in a spicy tomato sauce; the most traditional Creole main course; served at every true Creole restaurant; the court-bouillon that is the heart of Guadeloupean cuisine.
Guadeloupe
Dombrés
Small flour dumplings; often served with meat in sauce or with red beans; a traditional Guadeloupean dish; the dombrés that are a Guadeloupean comfort food.
Guadeloupe
Bokit
Guadeloupe's street food; a deep-fried bread sandwich, crispy on the outside and soft inside; filled with saltfish, chicken, pork, seafood, or vegetables; accompanied by a spicy sauce or fresh vegetables; a veritable explosion of Creole flavors; the bokit that is the archipelago's must-have sandwich.
Saint Martin
Jacks
Small fish (typically jack fish) seasoned and fried whole or in pieces; a simple, traditional street food and market snack found at lolos and roadside stands across Saint Martin.
Antigua and Barbuda
Shadon beni, chive, thyme, garlic, pimento pepper and onion blended with vinegar into a green marinade base.
Guadeloupe
Homard Grillé
Grilled lobster; a Guadeloupean seafood delight; lobster expertly grilled over a wood fire; accompanied by lime; the pinnacle of the local culinary experience; the grilled lobster that is a Guadeloupean luxury. Turks and Caicos cooks grill local lobster over fire with lime and island seasoning, alongside the shared Caribbean preparation.
Guadeloupe
Guanábana
A Panamanian tropical soursop fruit, eaten fresh or in juices and desserts
Saint Martin
Small wild berry native to Sint Maarten, national symbol; not related to guava; rare fruit found in warm hills in the center of the island; used to make liqueur, jam, and tarts; a distinctive Sint Maarten specialty.
Saint Martin
Guavaberry Rum
Legendary folk liqueur and national symbol of Sint Maarten; made from wild guavaberries (Myrciaria floribunda), oak-aged rum, and cane sugar; has a woody, fruity, spicy, bitter-sweet flavor; a Sint Maarten product.
Aruba
Johnny cake; a traditional Aruban fried bread; made with flour, water, yeast, lard, and sugar; fried in oil; served with cheese or bacalao (salt cod); a popular snack and breakfast item; a feature of roadside snack-bars; a staple of Aruban street food
Saint Martin
Hearty and flavorful stew made from tenderized conch meat, simmered in a rich broth with aromatic vegetables and spices; a popular dish in the Caribbean, showcasing the region's bounty from the sea; the lambi stew of Saint Vincent; a rich, tender conch stew; a Caribbean seafood classic.
Saint Martin
Lokri
A rice and chicken dish similar to risotto; made with chicken, vegetables, lime juice, tomato paste, and local hot sauce; a special dish for holidays on Sint Maarten
Martinique
Rhum Arrangé
Rhum agricole macerated with fruits, spices, or vanilla; a Martinican tradition; vanilla and cinnamon is a popular combination; each family has their own recipe; the rhum arrangé that is a Martinican tradition.
Martinique
A rum-based cocktail with sugar cane, passion fruit, guava, pineapple, banana, kiwi, lime, cinnamon, and vanilla; sometimes offered to tourists arriving at the airport; the local cocktail reference; the planteur that is Martinique's fruity rum punch.
Saint Martin
Jambon de Noël
Whole ham glazed with sugar cane syrup, honey, pineapple or orange juice, and spices (clove, cinnamon, allspice, bay leaf), then baked until caramelized; a centerpiece of Christmas dinner in Saint Martin families; recently added as a category in the Collectivity's traditional food competition.
Saint Martin
Crabe et Riz
One-pot dish with land crabs, salted pig tails, smoked bacon, tomatoes, chili, herbs (thyme, parsley), cooked with rice and annatto oil for color; traditionally eaten during Easter weekend when families gather on the beach to camp and cook.
Grand Case, Saint Martin
Langouste Grillée
Whole Caribbean spiny lobster split lengthwise, marinated in garlic, lime, parsley, and oil, then grilled over wood fire or charcoal; served with Creole rice, local vegetables, and sauce chien or lemon butter; the signature dish of Saint Martin, found at every lolo and fine dining restaurant.
Saint Martin
Patties de Bœuf
Small, chunky pastry patties filled with spiced beef or fish meat; can be baked or fried, served hot or cold; great as appetizers, cocktail snacks, or side dishes; a popular street food and party snack on the French side.
Marigot, Saint Martin
Pudding de Patates Douces
Dense, spiced dessert made from grated white sweet potato, pumpkin, tannia/taro, brown sugar, cinnamon, black pepper, butter, and flour, baked until browned; a traditional Christmas dessert in Saint Martin and an official category in the Collectivity's traditional food competition.
Guadeloupe
Accras de Morue
Fried bites of salted cod mixed with spices and herbs; crispy on the outside, light and fluffy inside; the essential Guadeloupean appetizer; served with chien sauce (Creole condiment); found everywhere from beach bars to family kitchens; the accras that are the perfect Creole bar snack.
Guadeloupe
Chiquetaille de Morue
A classic Caribbean fish salad; salt cod crumbled and marinated with onion, peppers, parsley, chives, thyme, olive oil, and lime juice; a topping for Guadeloupean bokit; the chiquetaille that is a Guadeloupean starter classic.
Guadeloupe
A Creole condiment served with accras and grilled fish; a sauce made with onions, garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, lime juice, and oil; the sauce chien that is the essential Guadeloupean condiment.
Saint Martin
Callaloo Soup
The national dish of French Saint-Martin and on the whole island; a thick green soup made from callaloo leaves (spinach-like vegetable), pork cubes, okra, hot peppers, black pepper, thyme, and chicken stock
Saint Martin
Guavaberry Tart
Special seasonal tart made with guavaberry jam, cinnamon, almond extract, and shortcrust pastry; closely linked to the holiday season on Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin
Saint Martin
Lolo Fish
Fresh fish (snapper, mahi-mahi, wahoo) grilled over charcoal at lolos, seasoned with Creole spices Lolo kitchens grill fish over a hot fire, brushing it with local seasoning before serving.
Sint Maarten
Whelk Soup
Traditional soup made with whelks (smaller sea snails than conch), stewed in coconut milk with vegetables, callaloo greens, and seasonings; a Sint Maarten soup Sint Maarten's whelk soup uses coconut and callaloo for a distinct island preparation.