British Virgin Islands Cuisine

The cuisine of the British Virgin Islands is fresh, laid-back island fare centred on the sea, blending Caribbean, African and British influences and best enjoyed at the archipelago's legendary beach bars. Seafood is the star: the famed, succulent Anegada lobster, grilled fresh over open flame, along with fresh fish, conch fritters and stews. The traditional staple is fungi, a cornmeal-and-okra polenta served with fish, alongside roti, callaloo, rice and peas, and tropical fruit. To drink, the islands are the birthplace of the Painkiller, the beloved rum, coconut, pineapple and nutmeg cocktail created at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke.

What you actually see

• Anegada lobster - the famed fresh lobster grilled at beach bars.
• The fresh seafood - the fish, conch and stews.
• Fungi - the cornmeal staple served with fish.
• The Painkiller - the rum cocktail born on Jost Van Dyke.

When to go

Year-round; the islands' legendary beach bars, from the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke to the lobster shacks of Anegada, are the quintessential place to eat and drink, serving fresh seafood, grilled lobster and Painkillers in a laid-back, toes-in-the-sand setting. Fresh lobster is best arranged ahead at the smaller islands.

Honest expectations

The food of the British Virgin Islands is fresh, casual island seafood and beach-bar fare rather than a refined or varied cuisine, and dining in the upscale, sailing-focused BVI can be pricey, with the real magic in the laid-back beach-bar setting as much as the food itself; much dining caters to visitors. Enjoyed at a legendary beach bar with fresh grilled Anegada lobster and a Painkiller in hand, though, the islands' food and its toes-in-the-sand atmosphere are a genuine Caribbean delight.

Nearby

The beach bars of Jost Van Dyke and Anegada and the eateries of Tortola are the places.