Dominican Creole Food

Dominican cooking is rooted in Kalinago, African and French influences, with a generous use of fresh river fish, root vegetables and forest spices.

Dishes to try

• Callaloo soup — leafy dasheen-greens broth with crab or salt pork.
• Mountain chicken — the local frog, now protected; replaced on most menus by spiced chicken.
• Bouillon — rich one-pot of yam, dasheen, plantain, smoked meat or fish.
• Crab back — stuffed land crab, traditional at Easter.
• Saltfish bake — fried bread with sautéed cod, perfect breakfast.
• Sancoche — Saturday family soup of provisions.

Where to eat

• Pearl's Cuisine (Roseau) — beloved old-school plate lunch.
• Riverside Café (Layou) — riverside setting, freshwater shrimp.
• Cocorico Café (Roseau) — French-Caribbean menu, terrace on Bay Front.
• Local Sunday lunches in Wotten Waven, Mero, Calibishie — ask any minibus driver where they eat that day.

Drinks

• Sea moss — sweet, thick non-alcoholic drink, surprisingly refreshing.
• Cocoa tea — proper hot chocolate from local cacao beans, served at breakfast.
• Bois bandé — bark infused in rum; traditional aphrodisiac.

Vegetarian

Dominica is one of the easier Caribbean islands for plant-based eaters: provision stews, fried plantain, callaloo and grilled vegetables are everywhere.