8 mouth-watering foods to try while travelling St Lucia

From the fresh seafood that is landed on the island’s golden shores each day to the delicious colourful mangoes and rich avocados that thrive throughout its lush interior, it's a fact that the menu in St Lucia is bursting with colour and vitality. 

Make sure you try a local favourite, breadfruit, during your travels here.

St Lucia seafood is highly regarded and whether you eat out at a top restaurant, or simply have a barbecue on the beach, get ready for some unbelievable flavours. 

In this article we have put together a list of mouth-watering St Lucia favourites that are sure to get your taste buds tingling. If you needed proof that St Lucia is a food lovers’ paradise, look no further – here are eight delectable dishes to look forward to, and  few foodie facts for you too!

A melting pot of cultural influences, each Caribbean island carries its own charm. Find out more here

Fresh St Lucia lobster

The coast around St Lucia sustains an abundance of fresh fish and shellfish, which the restaurants on the island love to showcase. 

Some are even caught by local divers using nothing more than a snorkel and a hand spear. 

You will find many restaurants serving this delicacy, with recipes ranging from steamed lobster tails to lobster ceviche and even spiny lobster sushi.

St Lucia food fact: Lobsters caught in the Caribbean are quite different from UK lobsters – they are spiny with large tails and long pointed barbs instead of claws. 

9 things to see and do in St Lucia

St Lucia Lambi

Lambi, otherwise known as conch, are large shellfish whose succulent meat is served in spicy Caribbean sauces. You will see the colourful shells of the conch used as a decoration all around the island.

One of the most popular ways to prepare the lambi is to make it into fritters. These are delicious and make a great starter. Rodney Bay, in the northwest of St Lucia, has many restaurants where you will find this tasty treat. 

Sitting in an open-air restaurant on the coast of St Lucia with a glass of wine and a bowl of shellfish is a highlight for many travellers to the island.

St Lucia food fact: Conch is pronounced ‘conk’!

St Lucia is famous for its green figs and salt fish

Green figs and salt fish is St Lucia’s national dish and it makes use of the island’s largest export – green unripe bananas. 

The islanders refer to green bananas as figs and they have been an important part of the local diet on St Lucia for centuries. 

In this dish the figs are peeled and boiled in saltwater before being mixed with boiled or flaked cod. The fish is mixed with sautéed onions, peppers and local herbs and spices.

The dish has been a feature of the culture here since colonial times, when salted fish was a cheap source of food.

Today green figs with salt fish is no longer considered a meagre dish and you’ll find it on the menu in most of St Lucia’s restaurants.

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Fried plantain

The carefree island culture on St Lucia is complemented by the island’s cuisine, which never gets too fussy. Fried plantain can be eaten on its own or as a side dish served with other delicacies from the island. 

They are perfect for a snack in the afternoon if you are lazing on the beach. Local chefs tend to fry them in a little bit of coconut oil and season them with salt before serving. 

Plantain is a true staple of the Caribbean and you’ll find it served in lots of different guises on your trip to St Lucia.

The magical wildlife of St Lucia

Callaloo soup

This Caribbean favourite is a spinach-like soup made from the leaves of the leaf vegetable callaloo, which is abundant in St Lucia. 

The recipe originated in West Africa and combines the callaloo leaf with seasoned meat, garlic, potatoes, onions, okra and coconut milk. Variations on the traditional recipe might include crab, conch and fresh St Lucia lobster. 

It seems like there are almost as many different takes on callaloo soup as there are cooks in the Caribbean!

Accra

A popular breakfast dish in the Windward Isles, saltfish accras are fried fish cakes made from salted cod and mixed spices. 

These crispy, spicy delights are often seasoned with scotch bonnet pepper and served for breakfast in St Lucia. You might not be used to this much heat in the morning but it’s a great wake up call.

Breadfruit

Breadfruit is a classic staple of St Lucian cuisine and a memorable tropical flavour. Breadfruits are quite like potatoes but have a sweeter, starchier taste. 

They are served in many different ways: stuffed, boiled, and even cooked in a pie. If you don’t think you’re quite ready for a pie, try some fried breadfruit with your main meal. 

Dipped in some mayonnaise or a spicy sauce these golden brown delights are a delicious treat.

Breadfruit is high in fibre, which can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. This St Lucia favourite is also high in Vitamin C and potassium.

St Lucian rum punch

The Caribbean - and St Lucia - is famous for its incredible rums, which are exported all over the world. The sweet spirit is an important part of the cultural life of the islands. 

Each Caribbean Island tends to have a particular style of rum that can be guessed by the language spoken there. The English speaking islands and countries – including St Lucia – are known for darker rums with a fuller taste.

For a summery variation on the traditional rum flavour, try a glass of St Lucian rum punch. Made with orange juice, lime juice, angostura bitters, cinnamon, nutmeg and rum, this moreish cocktail goes down easy. 

St Lucian rum punch is the perfect accompaniment to a St Lucia barbecue on the beach.

Tempted to try some of this tempting St Lucia food and drink? Saga offer a variety of holidays to St Lucia from relaxing hotel stays to tours that take in the wider Caribbean.

Just 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, the dramatic Caribbean island of St Lucia is proof that the best things really do come in small packages. Find out more here