What to Eat in the Turks & Caicos Islands?

A Guide to Turks and Caicos Cuisine

While menu items like conch fritters or grilled grouper might sound strange, hopefully this guide to Turks and Caicos cuisine will help decipher what to eat in the Turks & Caicos Islands and help you chart your course to imaginative and delicious foods.

Conch – So Many Ways to Enjoy The Mollusk

First stop on our tasty travels is Conch (pronounced conk), a versatile sea snail delicacy in great demand by chefs the world over.

Conch Fritters
It can be prepared a variety of ways but the conch fritter is one of the most popular. Conch meat is mixed with cornmeal or flour, veggies and seasonings and dropped by the spoonful into hot oil. The result is a golden crispy mouth-watering morsel.

Cracked Conch
Another version is cracked conch, where the conch meat is pounded to tenderize it, dredged in a seasoned batter mix and quickly deep fried to a golden brown. Recipes can vary, some using a hot chili spice in the batter, others using a variety of seasonings.

Conch Ceviche
Finally there is conch ceviche which is conch served in its simplest freshest form. Raw conch meat is cured with citrus juices and mixed with a variety of seasonings like onions, tomatoes, and green peppers.

Lobster – A Succulent Treat

Caicos Lobster, another highly sought after dish, is served at numerous restaurants. The lobster featured is the Caribbean Spiny Lobster known for its very colourful shell. Only the tails are used as they’re the only part with meat. Typically the tender meat is seasoned then grilled and served up with butter and lime or lemon wedges. Local chefs also combine lobster pieces with delicious sauce and pour it over pasta, sprinkle it atop fresh greens for a salad or blend it with veggies for a tasty soup.

Mahi Mahi – Oh My!!

With a mild to moderate flavor, Mahi Mahi is another dish you’ll want to try. It’s very versatile and is presented as an appetizer, salad or entree at local restaurants. Mahi Mahi is typically seasoned, “blackened” or grilled and served up with sides of veggies or rice. Sometimes it’s prepared Tandoori style spiced up with curry and cumin or in its raw form as ceviche or salad.

Grouper – Fresh and Tasty

Another popular item from the local waters is Grouper, a mild tasting fish that cooks up very firm and stays moist. Islanders prepare it a variety of ways: grilled or blackened, coconut crusted, pan fried with a curry sauce or served up as a sandwich, to name a few.

Rice and Beans – A Winning Combination

Aside from seafood cuisine, Rice and Beans is a traditional dish served throughout the islands. For those who prefer meat-free cuisine, it’s an ideal whole protein dish. Originally it was known as peas ‘n grits or peas ‘n hominy, a cooked mixture of ground corn and local pigeon peas. Nowadays the peas might be black eyed or black beans, and the hominy is often jasmine, white or some other type of rice. The seasonings and choice of stock used can make for a variety of satisfying flavors.

Goat Curry – Warm Caribbean Flavors

Another popular island dish is Goat Curry. Some of you might at first react with hesitation, but if you’re brave enough to try it, you’ll be treated to a spicy, flavorful mixture of meat. Goat Curry is a kind of Caribbean comfort food; the meat is seasoned, marinated, then cooked until very tender. The scent will have your mouth watering! Goat curry can feature a thick creamy broth based on coconut milk or a clear broth of seasonings and chicken stock. For anyone watching cholesterol, goat meat is less fatty and more protein rich than beef.

Jerk Chicken – A Must Have

No cuisine list would be complete without Jerk Chicken. The secret to this very local dish is in the seasonings used to marinate the chicken. While each chef uses his own special blend, most use Caribbean Scotch Bonnet peppers, allspice, thyme, ginger and green onions. Other common ingredients include soy sauce, some type of sweetener like brown sugar or molasses, cinnamon and cooking oil. The chicken is full of amazing flavor even before it’s finally grilled and brought to your table.

Local Drink Choices

Popular libation choices in the Turks and Caicos warmth include chilled beers and icy rum cocktails. Bambarra Rum and Turk’s Head Beer are served throughout the islands and are an authentic accompaniment to the bold flavors of the cuisine.

So if you are wondering what to eat in the Turks and Caicos Islands, do try some of the local cuisine. There are plenty of casual and fine dining restaurants that will suit all types of budgets. The warm Caribbean flavors you encounter here will be part of your holiday memories for a long time to come. Don’t be afraid to embark on a culinary adventure while you’re visiting the islands; it will tantalize your tastebuds and appease your appetite.