With Bermuda’s culture being a rich tapestry of African, Caribbean, Portuguese, British and Native American influences, it is no surprise that the island boasts a gloriously diverse cuisine. In this guide, we’re looking at some of the local dishes prime and ready you for when you next visit the country.
Bermuda is home to a unique blend of tastes, textures and traditions, all of which come together to create its unique food offerings. Using its bountiful natural resources, from the seas, native tropical plants and fruits, it is able to create a wide variety of moreish flavours.
One of the best places to experience all of this is the Cambridge Beaches Monday Night BBQ, a favourite haunt for locals thanks to its plentiful buffet, containing some of the tastiest cuisines in the country.
Below are some of the island’s favourite dishes that embody the cultural fusion that helps to make up Bermuda’s diverse culinary offerings:
Raisin bread & wahoo sandwich
The fish sandwich is something of an obsession in Bermuda, and local dining hotspots compete to produce the ‘best’ fish sandwich. What sets Bermudian fish sandwiches apart is that they typically use raisin bread as the vehicle, toasted or untoasted.
The island’s typical fish sandwich comprises raisin bread, wahoo, and coleslaw, which, when put together, create a delightfully sweet, salty, crunchy and zingy treat.
Family-owned Art Mel’s Spicy Dicy is the tried and tested favourite spot among locals to indulge in a homemade cinnamon raisin bread and fried whitefish sandwich slathered with a generation-old tartare sauce recipe.
Rum-infused fish chowder
You heard us correctly. Black Seal rum and sherry peppers are Bermudian additions to fish chowder, which happens to be the Bermudian National Dish. The Lobster Pot in Hamilton is often considered Bermuda’s best rum-spiked fish chowder, which travellers can test and assess for themselves. This venue has consistently won the ‘Best of Bermuda’s Fish Chowders’ title since 2000.
The uber-popular Wahoo’s Bistro and Patio, on a quiet St. George’s side street, is another exemplary destination for traditional fish chowder. Chef Alfred Konrad’s seafood dishes and excellent rum chowder bring people from all over the island together.
Codfish breakfast
Bermuda’s staple codfish breakfast is a plate of boiled salted codfish topped with a tomato and onion sauce, boiled potatoes, an avocado, a hard-boiled egg and a banana to boot. Most commonly eaten by locals for Sunday breakfast, the tradition of codfish was brought to the island from Newfoundland, Canada, during the years of slavery.
Salted codfish was inexpensive and abundant, and while this assorted plate is traditionally considered a breakfast meal, it has since evolved into a household dinner classic.
Mussel Pies
Bermudians love a mussel pie, and the local custom is to have the lid of the hot pie sliced open and a dollop of mayonnaise inserted. With a filling of mussels, papaya, onions, potatoes, bacon, curry powder, lemon juice and thyme, these pies are a flavour bomb influenced by Caribbean and British cuisines.
The mussels are sourced from local waters, making for a delightfully fresh filling. Bermuda Pie Company in St. George’s is one of the most-loved spots to indulge in this speciality.
You can learn more about the country’s foods, alongside information on things to do and places to visit, at www.gotobermuda.com.
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