Saint Helenian Cuisine

The cuisine of St Helena is a genuine mid-Atlantic melting pot, reflecting centuries in which African, Asian, Chinese, Malagasy and British peoples and flavours mingled on this remote island, home to the warm community known as the Saints. Its signature dish is plo, a spiced pilau-style rice cooked with meat or fish and a distinctive island blend of spices, considered the national dish. From the surrounding waters come superb fresh tuna and other fish, made into tasty fishcakes, a beloved staple, along with curries and stews. Pumpkin fritters, hearty puddings and home baking round out a homely table. Distinctive, warming and rooted in the island's mixed heritage, Saint Helenian food is a genuine taste of a unique community.

What you actually see

• Plo - the spiced island pilau, the national dish.
• The tuna fishcakes - the beloved fresh-fish cakes.
• The curries - the island curries and stews.
• The pumpkin fritters - the sweet-savoury island fritters.

When to go

Year-round; St Helenian food is enjoyed across the island in homes and small eateries, with fresh tuna a highlight whenever the boats bring it in. Spiced plo, tuna fishcakes and pumpkin fritters are the distinctive signatures to seek out.

Honest expectations

St Helena's remoteness means limited dining out and reliance on local produce, fresh fish and imports, so its cuisine is homely home cooking more than a restaurant scene. As a distinctive mid-Atlantic melting pot of African, Asian and British flavours, from spiced plo to fresh tuna fishcakes, though, Saint Helenian food is a genuinely warm and characterful taste of a unique island community.

Nearby

The eateries and homes of Jamestown serve it.