Arawak Cay

Arawak Cay, universally called the Fish Fry, is a run of some three dozen brightly painted wooden shacks along the Nassau waterfront where the city goes to eat. Each has its own counter and following, and the menu across all of them is much the same: conch salad made to order, cracked conch, fried snapper, cracked lobster in season, peas and rice, macaroni and cheese baked into a sliceable block, and coleslaw. Sky juice, gin and coconut water with nutmeg, is the local drink. Weekend evenings turn the strip into a party with music from every direction, and it stays open very late.

What you actually see

• Conch salad made to order - diced and dressed in front of you.
• Cracked conch and fried snapper - the standard plates.
• Baked macaroni - firm enough to slice, a Bahamian institution.
• Sky juice - gin, coconut water and nutmeg.

When to go

Year-round. Evenings are when it comes alive, particularly Friday and Saturday when it runs very late. Lunchtimes are calmer and the food is the same. Cruise passengers arrive in the middle of the day.

Honest expectations

The competing shacks tout hard and it can be uncomfortable walking the strip; pick a busy one and commit. Prices have risen and lobster in particular is expensive. Weekend nights are loud, crowded and go on until the small hours. Getting back into town late needs a booked taxi rather than a walk.

Nearby

Downtown Nassau is fifteen minutes east; Fort Charlotte is nearby.