Learn about Saint Lucian food, our favourite local dishes, and our Rabot Restaurants

With abundant wildlife, unique flora, and tropical climate, Saint Lucia is an island like no other. It’s no secret that we adore Saint Lucia. After all, it’s home to our very own cacao farm — The Rabot Estate — where we sustainably and ethically grow the finest cacao for some of our chocolates. Of course, no discussion of Saint Lucia is complete without mentioning its vibrant local cuisine, so here’s a guide to some of our favourite Saint Lucian food. 

Traditional Saint Lucian food

There are a few dishes that you’re bound to come across if you visit Saint Lucia. These are some of the island’s most popular recipes.

Green Figs & Saltfish

Green figs and saltfish is Saint Lucia’s national dish. It contains cooked salted cod and green bananas. Both are boiled and then sauteed with vegetables and spices. Out of everything, this is a must-try.

Don’t let the name mislead you — many people call unripe bananas green figs in the Caribbean!

Accra

If you’re eating out at restaurants in Saint Lucia, seize the chance to try Accra. These fishcakes are made from salted cod and plenty of spices, then fried to give them a crispy coating.

Pepper Pots

These traditional Saint Lucian stews are made to use up whatever leftover ingredients happen to be in your cupboards. Generally, you can expect to enjoy meat (such as beef, goat or pork), fish, vegetables and lots of herbs and spices in this hearty dish.

Lambí

Have you ever heard of conch? A type of sea mollusc, conch is popular on other Caribbean islands, and it’s referred to as lambí in Saint Lucia. Loved by locals and tourists alike, lambí is essentially conch meat that is seasoned with spices and then pan-fried.

Callaloo Soup

This is a healthy, scrumptious soup made with ingredients such as callaloo (a leafy green), potatoes, okra, and garlic. You can also add meat and seafood to the mix, depending on your tastes and what needs eating up!

Fried Plantains

A member of the banana family, plantains make a tasty and nutritious snack when prepared well. As they are starchier and lower in sugar than bananas, they’re usually fried to bring out a little extra sweetness. You can enjoy them as a snack or a side dish.

Plantain trees are abundant in Saint Lucia, so fried plantain is always easy to find.

Cacao cuisine

Saint Lucia’s tropical climate and fertile soil provide optimal conditions for cacao growing, meaning the island has a thriving cacao economy.

Luckily for us chocolate lovers, with an abundance of cacao comes an abundance of cacao-containing dishes. If you like the sound of incorporating chocolate into not just sweet but savoury meals, take a look at the following cacao cuisine.

Cacao Beer Pork Tenderloin

We serve this dish at our Rabot Restaurant, found on our Rabot Estate, with garlic mash, roasted seasonal vegetables, and cacao nib garden mint sauce. Our chefs harness the unique malty notes in our Cocoa Beer to give the pork a slightly bitter, chocolate twist.

Mahi Mahi

The vibrant Mahi Mahi fish lives in tropical waters around the world, including the Caribbean, and is commonly served in Saint Lucia as a local fish dish.

It doesn’t need much seasoning when cooked fresh, which is why we keep things simple when serving it at our Rabot Restaurant.

We marinate our Mahi Mahi in a simple cacao nib condiment before flame-grilling. It is then served alongside our vegetable pressé – leaf-wrapped madras rice atop a tower of slow-roasted eggplant, tomato and onion.

Bois Bandé

Bois Bandé is a much-loved, marinated chicken dish that contains a symphony of sweet and spice. Expect flavours like cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, and the bark of the Richeria Grandis tree (which folklore claims has magical properties).

We also serve Bois Bandé at our Rabot Restaurant. We pair it with creamy white chocolate and pumpkin mash and a cacao nib rum jus.

Take a look at our entire Rabot Restaurant menu, where you’ll find plenty more cacao-themed dishes — from Cacao Linguine to our Cacao Pod Burger.

Saint Lucian desserts

If we’re sharing our favourite Saint Lucian food, we can’t neglect desserts. After all, pudding is arguably the most highly anticipated part of meal time.

Banana Bread

Banana bread is a popular dessert choice in Saint Lucia. With bananas so readily available on the island, it just makes sense to have a dessert that uses up all those overripe, on-the-turn bananas. Soft, sweet, and packed with nuts and spices — what’s not to love?

Coupe

With a wealth of tropical fruit going on the island, it makes sense that traditional Saint Lucian desserts are based on the likes of mango and coconut. Coup is a type of coconut cake that you can often find at your local bakers in Saint Lucia.

Mango & Coconut Panna Cotta

You’ll always be able to find tropical dessert options in Saint Lucia. We created our Mango & Coconut Panna Cotta to make the most of all the locally grown mangoes in the area around our Rabot Restaurant. Paired with coconut sorbet and pumpkin and cinnamon crumble, this is a dessert to remember.

Our Rabot Restaurants

If you’re planning a trip to Saint Lucia, don’t forget to look out for these traditional dishes. Whether you’ll be staying with us at our breath-taking Rabot Hotel or elsewhere on the island, you can always stop by our Rabot Restaurant to enjoy local delicacies and cacao cuisine in a truly spectacular setting. Reserve a table today.

Alternatively, if you’d rather enjoy a taste of Saint Lucia here in the UK, you can visit us at our Rabot Restaurant in London. Relax on the open-air terrace overlooking Borough Market or embrace the laidback atmosphere inside the restaurant. You’ll get to enjoy some of our favourite Saint Lucian-inspired food and cacao-infused dishes in the heart of the city. Reserve a table today.