Grenada earned its “Spice Isle” moniker for good reason. The modestly-sized Caribbean island’s lush slopes are brimming with produce, from cinnamon, nutmeg, lemongrass and turmeric to a panoply of indigenous fruits and vegetables, including cocoa. Such natural abundance makes Grenada’s cuisine particularly distinctive and has fostered a diverse culinary scene among locals—and shared by cruisers visiting this Windward island—ranging from side-of-the-road buss up shut (shredded paratha roti with beef and mango stew) to fine dining at five-star hotels and homestyle restaurants serving up callaloo soup and hearty oil down.
Here are five hot spots to put at the top of your foodie list the next time you drop a hook here.
1. Dine “home-style” at Dexter’s
Home-style dining has become big business in Grenada, but don’t be fooled by the casual settings; many of these house-hosted restaurants sport serious culinary credentials. On the bountiful slopes of Belmont overlooking Grand Anse Beach, Dexter’s is one such spot. The eatery’s eponymous chef, Dexter Burris, is among the most lauded on the island, having managed menus at the prestigious Calabash Relais & Châteaux for 17 years and whipped up dishes on the QE2 ocean liner for 14 years (many alongside English master chef Gary Rhodes). Today, he and his family are dedicated to serving up local dishes to a sold-out crowd—tables are often booked up months in advance. Seasonal and locally sourced dishes change frequently, but favorites include callaloo-stuffed chicken, pumpkin and ginger soup, pan-fried crevalle and pork tenderloin with pepper-infused sauce. https://www.facebook.com/Bestexperience7/
2. Dinner with a view from Volcan Vegan
While the Caribbean is rightly renowned for its fresh fish and meat options (saltfish, jerk chicken and curried goat to name a few), Grenada’s Spice Isle designation lends it a distinctive vegetarian and vegan flair. Thirty-year-old Joachim Jammeal runs a takeaway and delivery service at Volcan Vegan, not far from Grand Anse. He’s famous for his mushroom burgers and claims 80 percent of his clientele aren’t vegan; they “just like good food.” Fun fact: Jammeal provides unique dining experiences in some of the island’s most picturesque spots, regularly preparing coconut dumplings and breadfruit wedges beneath the sparkling waters of Annandale Falls. His food is presented in Calabash bowls, infused with local spices and offers almost endless variety—guests are asked to select from 35 possible meal options at the time of booking. Savor his work @joachimjammeal on Instagram.
3. Eat Like a Grenadian at Calabash Relais & Châteaux
Frequently featured on “best hotels in Grenada” lists, the well-known Relais & Châteaux is as famous for its food as for its nearly forty-year, family-run history. The boutique hotel’s three restaurants offer fantastic flavor experiences, from fine dining at the Rhodes Restaurant and meticulous Japanese dishes at Nori to the more laid-back but no-less-succulent fare at The Beach Club. All three source the majority of their fruit and vegetables from L’Esterre Estate on the east side of the island, but this year, it’s seeking to expand its eco offerings with an immersive eating experience called “Eat Like a Grenadian.” Gourmets begin with a guided tour of the hotel’s partner farm, Home Hospitality Homestead, where they’re introduced to the nutritional benefits of local herbs, spices and vegetables before concocting national favorites such as oil down and roti in a participatory cooking class. calabashhotel.com/
4. Fresh seafood at Armadillo
Seeking a more secluded dining experience? Head up the slopes of Mount Rodney, where Andrea Nyack and her husband Bernhard Huss make up the entire kitchen crew of Armadillo, an intimate homestead offering. One eight-seater table resides on the terrace of their house, offering mesmerising sea views. There’s no menu; just whatever the couple can source that morning. One day, they might be serving up tuna tataki on curried fresh corn soup and kingfish with beets and potato gnocchi. Another may be mahi mahi on cauliflower purée with sun-dried tomato pesto and fried potatoes. Desserts are equally delicious—think mango panna cotta with ginger and thyme crumble, and coconut sour cream ice cream. Nearly all seasonings come from their two-acre garden, a natural one-stop-shop for Grenada’s specialty spices. armadillo-grenada.com/
5. Satisfy your sweet tooth at the Belmont Estate
When it comes to exports, Grenada’s spices might steal the limelight, but there’s something sweeter making an impression here, too. Grenada has carved a name for itself as a producer of fine chocolate, with its fertile soils helping to grow Trinitario cocoa, a variety sought after by premium chocolate makers worldwide. There are now five chocolate farms on the small island, the most prestigious of which is the 300-acre Belmont Estate, which has been farming cocoa since the 17th century. A tour here is a must, as visitors get to “walk” on drying cocoa beans (crushing them beneath bare feet), taste the fleshy white pulp of freshly picked cocoa pods, and sample the farm’s delicious produce. Many offerings are tinged with local flavors such as nutmeg, turmeric and ginger. True chocoholics should plan to moor up around mid-May, when local chocolatiers gather for the annual Grenada Chocolate Festival. Tastings, cooking classes and even chocolate yoga are among the confection-inspired activities visitors can partake in. belmontestategrenada.com/
