Visitors to the US Virgin Islands will find an inviting mix of Caribbean and American cuisine, as well as some absolutely palate-caressing local dishes, mainly featuring seafood, particularly snapper and conch, along with a plethora of other (primarily locally grown) ingredients, including spices and herbs! Some of the dishes that you should definitely consider baptising your taste buds in, though, are the following, but do feel free to add as many more to the list as you find worthy of mention during your USVI vacations and culinary ventures!
Callaloo – Spicy and Appetising
Callaloo is a stewed soup made from dasheen leaves of a plant known as taro cabbage. The dish originated in West Africa and was brought to the Caribbean by slaves from Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. In fact, many of the dishes on this list were brought over by African slaves to the islands and gained a special identity over time, with each generation of cooks adding something exciting to the mix.
Callaloo is usually served as a side dish or appetiser; it’s not meant for main courses like rice and peas or jerk chicken. You can eat callaloo with rice or bread for breakfast or lunch, but it’s particularly good with fish dishes such as conch fritters and grilled tuna steak since they go well together, bringing a fantastic combination of spicy and mild!
Fungi – A Side Dish of Cornmeal, Water, and Okra
Fungi is a very popular side dish in the US Virgin Islands. It's similar to grits or polenta but has a distinct flavour and texture that makes it unique. Fungi is made from water and cornmeal, which gives it an earthy flavour; this allows fungi to be served with many different dishes, including fish and chicken. They are also often served as vegetarian dishes when paired with vegetables such as okra.
Fungi is easy to make and can be made in large quantities. No wonder it is such a popular food served at parties, festivals, and other events. What is also noteworthy about fungi is that it is a kid-friendly dish because it's nutritious, but not too spicy.
Johnny Cakes – Fried Delight
Johnny cakes are a type of fried bread similar to soft doughnuts. They're served for breakfast or as a snack with butter, syrup, or honey. They're made by mixing flour, baking powder, and salt into a thick batter, which is then dropped into hot oil or fat until it puffs up and turns golden brown on both sides. The finished cakes are usually sprinkled with sugar for sweetness and served alongside syrup or jam for dipping! Along the US Virgin Islands, you will also find Johnny Cakes accompanying BBQ chicken, souse, buljol, curried dishes, pot fish, and other island favourites.
Pate – When Conch, Crab or Fish Meet in a Pastry Shell
Pate is a type of food that is made from fish or meat. It often has a smooth consistency, similar to pudding, and can be eaten as a snack alone or can be served with crackers. Most of the time, pates are stuffed with ingredients like vegetables, scotch bonnet peppers, salt fish, conch, various types of meats, whelk, and spices. If you're looking for something more substantial than the crispy and crunchy deep-fried pate, though, try the Virgin Islands' famous conch fritters. These tasty fried balls are made from conch shells and served with various dipping sauces like tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.
Stewed Goat or Oxtail – Hearty and Filling (vol.1)!
If you’re looking for a hearty meal, stewed goat or oxtail over rice or mashed fungie is just the ticket. Goat meat is a staple of the US Virgin Islands cuisine and oxtail is often served as well. For many people, this type of dish can be an acquired taste, but those who enjoy it will tell you that the slow-cooked flavours are exquisite. The meat should fall off the bone and soak into your side dishes, mixing with their spices and sauces to create something quite special.
Cow Foot Soup – Hearty & Filling (vol.2)!
Also referred to as cow heel soup, it is a nutritious and comfort food with African roots that usually features vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, and okra. To make it even more flavoursome, the recipe also has spices and herbs, alongside flour dumplings and, of course, beef pieces and gelatinous and tender cow heel. For many travellers, it is a great alternative to the chicken soup we are all used to eating!
Red Grout - Paradise for Those With a Sweet Tooth!
Perhaps the most popular dessert in the US Virgin Islands is made from tropical fruits that grow on the island and locally-distilled rum. Red Grout is a typical Transfer Day treat that mixes tapioca, guava, and other sweet ingredients. Other US Virgin Islands desserts that locals and tourists alike absolutely love are banana fritters, coconut tarts, dum bread, rum cake, and ice cream made from cream and fresh fruit.
Grilled Chicken – Often Served With Macaroni and Cheese
Chicken is a beloved food in the US Virgin Islands often served with macaroni and cheese, but it can also be fried and served over rice and beans.
Most Popular US Virgin Islands Drink
Like many Caribbean islands, rum plays a big part in life here—and not just any old rum! St John Distillery is home to Cruzan Rum, one of the largest producers in the world. It's easy to taste why: try a sip from one of their bottles on display behind the glass at Coconut Coast Bar & Grill or get some free samples at Cruzan Rum Plantation & Estate and chances are you will be able to fully elaborate on this question yourself!
The distillery offers tours daily year-round; however, if you're visiting during peak season (December through April) tours may be limited due to high demand so plan accordingly! The tour begins with an introduction inside where guests learn about how each step is done before heading outside where they learn more about fermenting techniques which leads into a tasting room where guests can sample three different flavours: original dark brown sugar infused with caramelised molasses flavour which creates smoothness followed by intense heat as it goes down throat creating tasty combinations rarely found anywhere else in the world.
Visitors to the US Virgin Islands will find an inviting mix of Caribbean and American cuisine, as well as some absolutely palate-caressing local dishes, mainly featuring seafood, particularly snapper and conch, along with a plethora of other (primarily locally grown) ingredients, including spices and herbs! Some of the dishes that you should definitely consider baptising your taste buds in, though, are the following, but do feel free to add as many more to the list as you find worthy of mention during your USVI vacations and culinary ventures!
Callaloo – Spicy and Appetising
Callaloo is a stewed soup made from dasheen leaves of a plant known as taro cabbage. The dish originated in West Africa and was brought to the Caribbean by slaves from Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. In fact, many of the dishes on this list were brought over by African slaves to the islands and gained a special identity over time, with each generation of cooks adding something exciting to the mix.
Callaloo is usually served as a side dish or appetiser; it’s not meant for main courses like rice and peas or jerk chicken. You can eat callaloo with rice or bread for breakfast or lunch, but it’s particularly good with fish dishes such as conch fritters and grilled tuna steak since they go well together, bringing a fantastic combination of spicy and mild!
Fungi – A Side Dish of Cornmeal, Water, and Okra
Fungi is a very popular side dish in the US Virgin Islands. It's similar to grits or polenta but has a distinct flavour and texture that makes it unique. Fungi is made from water and cornmeal, which gives it an earthy flavour; this allows fungi to be served with many different dishes, including fish and chicken. They are also often served as vegetarian dishes when paired with vegetables such as okra.
Fungi is easy to make and can be made in large quantities. No wonder it is such a popular food served at parties, festivals, and other events. What is also noteworthy about fungi is that it is a kid-friendly dish because it's nutritious, but not too spicy.
Johnny Cakes – Fried Delight
Johnny cakes are a type of fried bread similar to soft doughnuts. They're served for breakfast or as a snack with butter, syrup, or honey. They're made by mixing flour, baking powder, and salt into a thick batter, which is then dropped into hot oil or fat until it puffs up and turns golden brown on both sides. The finished cakes are usually sprinkled with sugar for sweetness and served alongside syrup or jam for dipping! Along the US Virgin Islands, you will also find Johnny Cakes accompanying BBQ chicken, souse, buljol, curried dishes, pot fish, and other island favourites.
Pate – When Conch, Crab or Fish Meet in a Pastry Shell
Pate is a type of food that is made from fish or meat. It often has a smooth consistency, similar to pudding, and can be eaten as a snack alone or can be served with crackers. Most of the time, pates are stuffed with ingredients like vegetables, scotch bonnet peppers, salt fish, conch, various types of meats, whelk, and spices. If you're looking for something more substantial than the crispy and crunchy deep-fried pate, though, try the Virgin Islands' famous conch fritters. These tasty fried balls are made from conch shells and served with various dipping sauces like tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.
Stewed Goat or Oxtail – Hearty and Filling (vol.1)!
If you’re looking for a hearty meal, stewed goat or oxtail over rice or mashed fungie is just the ticket. Goat meat is a staple of the US Virgin Islands cuisine and oxtail is often served as well. For many people, this type of dish can be an acquired taste, but those who enjoy it will tell you that the slow-cooked flavours are exquisite. The meat should fall off the bone and soak into your side dishes, mixing with their spices and sauces to create something quite special.
Cow Foot Soup – Hearty & Filling (vol.2)!
Also referred to as cow heel soup, it is a nutritious and comfort food with African roots that usually features vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, and okra. To make it even more flavoursome, the recipe also has spices and herbs, alongside flour dumplings and, of course, beef pieces and gelatinous and tender cow heel. For many travellers, it is a great alternative to the chicken soup we are all used to eating!
Red Grout - Paradise for Those With a Sweet Tooth!
Perhaps the most popular dessert in the US Virgin Islands is made from tropical fruits that grow on the island and locally-distilled rum. Red Grout is a typical Transfer Day treat that mixes tapioca, guava, and other sweet ingredients. Other US Virgin Islands desserts that locals and tourists alike absolutely love are banana fritters, coconut tarts, dum bread, rum cake, and ice cream made from cream and fresh fruit.
Grilled Chicken – Often Served With Macaroni and Cheese
Chicken is a beloved food in the US Virgin Islands often served with macaroni and cheese, but it can also be fried and served over rice and beans.
Most Popular US Virgin Islands Drink
Like many Caribbean islands, rum plays a big part in life here—and not just any old rum! St John Distillery is home to Cruzan Rum, one of the largest producers in the world. It's easy to taste why: try a sip from one of their bottles on display behind the glass at Coconut Coast Bar & Grill or get some free samples at Cruzan Rum Plantation & Estate and chances are you will be able to fully elaborate on this question yourself!
The distillery offers tours daily year-round; however, if you're visiting during peak season (December through April) tours may be limited due to high demand so plan accordingly! The tour begins with an introduction inside where guests learn about how each step is done before heading outside where they learn more about fermenting techniques which leads into a tasting room where guests can sample three different flavours: original dark brown sugar infused with caramelised molasses flavour which creates smoothness followed by intense heat as it goes down throat creating tasty combinations rarely found anywhere else in the world.