JamaicaWhat to eat in Jamaica: top 10 dishes
Traveling to Jamaica? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.
01Ackee and saltfish
Ackee and saltfish is the Jamaican national dish prepared with sauteed ackee and salted codfish.
Travel tip A classic breakfast, served at home and in local restaurants, often with fried dumplings, boiled banana or breadfruit. Order it in the morning for the most authentic experience.
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02Jamaican patty
A Jamaican patty is a semicircular pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture, annatto or turmeric.
Travel tip A grab-and-go snack sold at bakeries, patty shops and street stalls. Eat it hot, on its own or tucked into coco bread.
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03Coco bread
Coco bread is a Jamaican bread eaten on the island and in other areas of the Caribbean. The bread contains coconut milk and is soft and slightly sweet in taste.
Travel tip Found in bakeries and patty shops, where it is sold alongside patties. Ask for it split with a patty inside for a classic snack.
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04Festival
Festival or Jamaican festival is a type of deep-fried bread, typical of Jamaican cuisine, Despite its slightly sweet taste, it is served as a side dish with escovitch fish, seafood or jerk chicken, as well as a breakfast item and street food.
Travel tip A fried, slightly sweet side dish served with jerk chicken, fried fish and seafood at roadside stands. It is usually eaten warm.
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05Bammy
Bammy is a traditional Jamaican cassava flatbread descended from the simple flatbread called casabe, eaten by the Taínos, Jamaica's Indigenous people. Variations of bammy exist throughout the Americas.
Travel tip A cassava flatbread served as a side with fried or steamed fish, often at seaside spots. Some people soak it in milk or coconut milk before frying.
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06Run down
Run down, also referred to as rundown, run dun, rondón, fling-me-far, and fling mi for, is a stew dish in Jamaican cuisine and Tobago cuisine. The traditional Jamaican dish is eaten in several Latin American countries that share a coast with the Caribbean Sea.
Travel tip A coconut-based stew often made with fish, found at home and in local restaurants. It is usually served with boiled banana, dumplings or breadfruit.
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07Bulla cake
Bulla cake, usually referred to as bulla, is a rich Jamaican cake made with molasses and brown sugar, and spiced with ginger and nutmeg.
Travel tip A flat, spiced cake sold at bakeries and shops, often eaten as a snack. Locals sometimes pair it with cheese or a drink.
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08Hard dough bread
Hard dough bread, also called hardo bread, is a Jamaican bread similar to the Pullman loaf or pain de mie, although hard dough bread tends to be sweeter. The dough consists of flour, water, yeast, salt and sugar.
Travel tip A staple bread found in bakeries and shops across the island. It is used for sandwiches, toast and everyday meals.
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09Solomon Gundy
Solomon Gundy is a spicy Jamaican pickled (salted) fish pâté, usually served with crackers as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvre.
Travel tip A spicy fish spread served as an appetizer, usually with crackers. Look for it at local restaurants and markets, and try a small amount first.
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10Red Peas Soup
Red peas soup is a hearty Jamaican soup, made with kidney beans (known locally as red peas), cured meats, coconut milk, root vegetables, dumplings, herbs and spices like Scotch bonnet, pimento, scallion etc.
Travel tip A hearty soup traditionally cooked on Saturdays and eaten as a filling meal. Look for it at local restaurants and cook shops.
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