Top 9 Dishes to Try in St. Kitts

Life becomes even more enjoyable when you cruise to a stunning destination like St. Kitts. This West Indian gem boasts stunning white sandy beaches, access to both the Caribbean and Atlantic oceans, lush rainforests, and even an impressive volcano. If those features don’t fulfill your dreams, add the delicious local cuisine that caters to every taste. The culinary experience in St. Kitts is truly worth the journey. Among the many activities in St. Kitts, savoring its food is paramount. While the island is rich in culinary delights, here are some of the standout dishes you must try:

1.    Conch Fritters

You might not have thought of conch as a meal option, but it is a sought-after delicacy in various regions around the world, especially in St. Kitts. Conch fritters are prepared with tender conch meat, battered, and fried to perfection. These flavorful bites have a loyal fan base, particularly throughout the Caribbean. They serve as a fantastic snack or appetizer for a larger meal and are sure to become a staple in your St. Kitts experience.

2.    Roti

Roti is a type of unleavened flatbread filled with various delicious ingredients. This dish is particularly cherished in St. Kitts, drawing both tourists and locals to restaurants and street stalls that specialize in it. You’ll encounter Roti stuffed with spiced vegetables, chicken, or shrimp. It serves as an excellent lunch or snack and can be found in bustling areas like Basseterre and Cockleshell Beach. You’ll definitely want to take the recipe for this delightful bread back home with you.

3.    Goat Water

Goat water may sound like a strange beverage, but it is actually a beloved goat stew enjoyed throughout the Caribbean. If goat isn’t something you’ve tried before, you’re missing out on one of the most flavorful meats available globally. This stew features goat meat alongside water, papaya, onions, yams, chilies, tomatoes, and other fresh, local ingredients. You can find this mouthwatering dish in numerous restaurants across St. Kitts, as it is a beloved choice for both locals and visitors.

4.    Sugar Cake

Sugar cake is a delight for anyone who has a sweet tooth. Crafted from a blend of sugar, coconut, and ginger, it is often colored in vibrant hues like pink and brown, making it both festive and tasty. With a crunchy exterior and a soft, chewy interior, this treat is utterly irresistible. You might want to take a jog along the beach or on our jogging track to offset this sugary delight.

5.    Cook-up or Pelau

Another unique dish from St. Kitts is cook-up or Pelau, which features a hearty combination of various meats such as beef, salted fish, and pig tail. This dish is accompanied by rice, pigeon peas, and an assortment of vegetables. It showcases the best flavors of St. Kitts' cuisine, giving you an authentic taste of the island.

6.    Salt Fish and Dumplings

You absolutely cannot visit St. Kitts without trying the national dish, which features stewed salt fish, seasoned breadfruit, coconut dumplings, and zesty plantains. This hearty and flavorful meal offers a true taste of St. Kitts' culture. The essence of dining in St. Kitts lies in its simple yet satisfying fare.

7.    Black Pudding

Black pudding isn’t a dessert, yet many find this local specialty hard to resist. While the ingredients might seem unusual, this dish is considered a culinary adventure by many. Recipes for black pudding vary, but they typically include a generous amount of pig’s blood, fat, and other pork scraps, along with bold seasonings. The mixture is stuffed into casings and cooked. Black pudding can be enjoyed at any meal, including breakfast. If you're feeling adventurous with your taste buds, make sure to add black pudding to your list.

8.    Johnny Cakes

Johnny cakes, a Caribbean delight, are a specialty of St. Kitts. These simple yet tasty cakes are commonly enjoyed for breakfast or lunch but make a fantastic snack anytime. Crafted from flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and a few other basic ingredients, they are shaped into small rounds and fried until golden brown. One is never enough, so don’t even attempt to stop at just one!

9.    Lobster

For fans of lobster and seafood, St. Kitts is a true paradise. The waters surrounding the island are teeming with lobsters, which can be found on the menu at nearly every local eatery. There's no need for reservations at high-end restaurants; you can enjoy delicious grilled lobster at the most casual spots, where it's a beloved local dish.

Embarking on a Dinogo cruise means indulging in delectable cuisine both at sea and on shore. The culinary scene in St. Kitts beautifully combines the freshest local ingredients to create simple yet flavorful dishes. While there are plenty of activities to enjoy in St. Kitts, nothing compares to the joy of savoring the local specialties. Get ready to unwind on the beach, explore the island, and most importantly, relish the wonderful food.

Note: Activities onboard, excursions on land, and dining choices may differ based on the ship and its destination.