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What are the popular foods to eat in jamaica?

by Rilee Bones
(Eugene Or.)

Question about: Popular Jamaican Foods

jamaican jerk chicken

Hi, what are the most popular foods to eat in Jamaica?

Answer by Wellesley

Hi Rilee,
Thanks for visiting and double thanks for asking!

I take it that you are looking to vacation in Jamaica or visit Jamaica soon, am I right?

Either way, it looks like you want to get a taste, yes pun intended, of the rich Jamaican culture through the food, and I am excited to share!

If you know anything about the history or culture of Jamaica, you'd know that we enjoy a rich blend of cultures, English, Spanish, Dutch, French, African, Chinese, Indian, Syrian etc.

And that heritage translated 'sweetly' in our foods today.

So without further ado, here is a list of 39 of our most popular Jamaican foods, and certainly what I'd recommend as must eat foods in Jamaica for a visitor or tourist.

These are what I consider signature Jamaican foods!

Note: To learn more about each of the foods, simply click on each.


Dishes & Soups



  1. Ackee & Saltfish
  2. Jerk Chicken
  3. Rice & Peas
  4. Curried Goat
  5. Curried Chicken
  6. Mackerel Run 'Dun' (Down)
  7. Steamed Fish & Okra
  8. Steamed Calaloo
  9. Goat Belly Soup (Manish Water)
  10. Fried Dumplings & Festival
  11. Fried Plantain
  12. Fried Fish & Bammy
  13. Fried Breadfruit (with Ackee & Saltfish)
  14. Roasted Yam with roasted Saltfish
  15. Chicken Foot Soup (Oh yes!)


Desserts & Snacks



  1. Banana Fritter
  2. Blue Draws or Duckunno
  3. Peppered Shrimp (from the southcoast)
  4. Solomon Gundy
  5. Jamaican Patty
  6. Bun & Cheese
  7. Jamaican Fruit Cake
  8. Sweet Potato Pudding
  9. Jamaican Rum Cake
  10. Hard (Water) Crackers (last but by no means least)


Drinks, Juices & Teas



  1. Ginger Beer
  2. Sorrell Juice
  3. Blue Mountain Coffee
  4. Hot Chocolate
  5. Soursop Juice
  6. Carrot Juice - with Condensed Milk &
  7. Sangster's Rum Cream
  8. Traditional Jamaican Irish Moss


Fruits



  1. StarApple
  2. Number 11 Mangoes
  3. Naseberry
  4. June Plum
  5. local apples
  6. Guineps &
  7. A few freshly cut pieces of sugar cane!

I hope this helps!

I welcome your your feedback.



By the way, you can see me showing off many of these foods on my YouTube Channel.

And if you need the recipes, we have dedicated an entire page to free Jamaican recipes here.

See also: Types of Foods Grown In Jamaica and an extensive list of foods from Jamaica.

Comments for What are the popular foods to eat in jamaica?

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 27, 2019
 Weh di fritters?
by: Glynn

I still don't see saltfish fritters.

glynn
Jun 21, 2019
 Sumptuous Jamaican Food pictures
by: Wellesley

Love the comments! Thanks much.

To see pictures of some of these sumptuous Jamaican food, click the link below.

https://www.my-island-jamaica.com/pictures_of_jamaican_food.html.

You'll love it!
Jun 21, 2019
 Nostalgic
by: Nichole

That list brought me right home! I do miss having those Jamaican foods. I especially love the fried breadfruit with ackee and salt fish and the Jamaican apple.
I'll definitely share!
Jun 21, 2019
 Other Foods, etc to have in Jamaica
by: Rowena

Kentucky Fried Chicken (it just taste different in Jamaica), especially the spicy.
Steamed/Roasted Fish with the roasted breadfruit being done with it
Tripe and Beans cooked in coconut sauce
Julie mangoes
East Indian mangoes
Sweet sop
Custard Apples
Blackie/green gage mangoes
Pineapple juice with coconut rum
Tamarind drinks
Homemade Banana cake
Homemade Bread Pudding
Toto
Milo
Banana porridge
Hominy corn porridge
Peanut porridge
Jun 20, 2019
 Must have foods
by: IRIS

Must try any street foods and check out the little shops the locals go to. Fish markets on the beaches and especially the fruits. I love the oranges and wish I could get them at home.
Jun 20, 2019
 popular foods to eat in jamaica.
by: Anonymous

peppered shrimp
red peas soup with salt beef.
starapples
turn cornmeal
rice and peas and chicken
okra and saltfish with green bananas
steamed fish
jerk chicken
curried chicken
curried goat
Jun 20, 2019
 Must eat foods
by: Lisan

1. Fish and bammy
2. Stewed chicken and rice or dumpling
3. Jerked pork or chicken with festival
4. Saltfish fritters
5. Ackee and saltfish

6. Sweet and sour pork
7. Fried chicken neck and chips
8. Fried fish with yam
9. Mackerel and dumpling
10. Juices- sour sop, carrot, strong back
Hope this helps!
Jun 20, 2019
 Must eat foods
by: Gayle

Jerk Pork
Jerk chicken
Ackee & Saltfish or Ackee & Corned pork
Roast, Steamed and Fry fish
Pepper Shrimp
Conch Soup
Goat Head Soup
Curry Goat
bammy
Festival
Roast Yam
Jun 20, 2019
 Foods to eat in Jamaica
by: Suen

Turn cornmeal and steamed fish
Jun 18, 2019
 jamaican food menu
by: Anonymous

Apologies about the late reply, I saw you email and had this to add:

Bulla and Pear,
Ackee soup,
banana fritters,
calaloo and bread,
Dumplin with ital stew,
curry chick peas or lentils,
turnip stew,
wheat porridge,
polenta/ tun cornmeal,
potato pudn

and tell them to drink lots of water.

Best Regards
Oshane Williams
O. K. Williams
Jun 18, 2019
 Overlooked delicacies
by: John Blenkiron

Despite the many tasty traditional dishes there are some foods that are overlooked because of their simplicity.

I have had rave comments about how delicious the Jamaican avocado pear tastes in comparison to the Californian or Mexican ones in the supermarkets abroad.

Others have commented on the delicate taste of the Cho Cho as a vegetable dish.

When it comes to citrus many have exulted over the taste of an ortanique orange.

But what many miss is the natural clean grapefruit taste of the soft drink TING.
Jun 18, 2019
 the list goes on
by: Anonymous

Hi wellesley

Wow
Must eat jamaican food:
Jerk chicken
Ackee n saltfish
Roast yam n saltfish
Roast breadfruit with curried chicken
Potato pudding
Steam fish with crackers
Salt mackerel rundown with roast breadfuit
Stew peas n white rice
Cucumber juice with ginger
Carot and beetroot with ginger
Soursop with lime/ mix up with milk dragon supligen irish moss

And the list can go on
Jun 18, 2019
 Great must eats in Jamaica
by: Anonymous

jerk chicken
jerk pork
mackerel run down
manish water
ackee and salt fish
roast yam and salt fish
steam fish with okra and crackers
sweet potato pudding
bammy and pear or fried fish
coconut water
Jun 17, 2019
 foods to eat in jamaica
by: Joan

Hi Wellesley,

Without reading your answers here is my suggestions

fried fish and bammy, steam fish and crackers (gravy style). My kids favourite, lobster pizza from Jakes in Treasure Beach. Fried dumplings , ackee & saltfish, rundung with dasheen and cartwheel dumpling; okra & saltfish with green banana, jerk chicken; roast turbit fish; manish water; curry goat; callaloo & saltfish

Then there is rum punch; sorrel; soursop juice; carrot juice with the local carrots; peanut punch; cane juice; chocolate tea; ginger tea.

Gizzada; grater cake;potato pudding; yam pudding; bun & cheese; Tastee patty & meat loaf ( first thing my cheldren request as soon as they land in Ja).

My list is by no means exhausted, but I am now getting home sick.
Thank you.

Joan
Jun 17, 2019
 My Favorite Food and Drinks
by: Anonymous

I enjoyed everything I had to eat in Jamaica as everything is fresh.

I love jerk pork, Jamaica have the best KFC. The drinks are so nice love bag juice, sour sapp and the soft drinks taste good.

Love breakfast, hard food with ackee and salt fish. mixed fruits I eat till i was full.

Can,t wait to back. Steam fish fry fish delicious!
I enjoyed buying water coconut from sellers on the road side.
Jun 17, 2019
 Food List
by: Anonymous

Well Wesley, your list covers the popular foods. We enjoy most of the Jamaican dishes here in Canada (wife is a great cook) but some of the fruits are not available here so would say we eat and drink about 95% of your list when we get together with other Jammies.

Jun 17, 2019
 Foods to try in Jamaica
by: Anonymous

Must not forget Festival! I chase it down every time I go to Jamaica. Best I tried was at Scotchie's.
Soursop fruit was another great discovery of mine when I was there 2 weeks ago.
Jun 16, 2019
 My favorites
by: Paula

When I am in Jamaica I always have to have the cornmeal porridge!! I love it!My favorite drink is Red stripe Sorrel and lets not forget the Jamaican apple!!
Jun 16, 2019
 Inacuracies
by: Robert fr Manchester

Correction. The question was phrased improperly because judging from the lines at KFC all week it should probably top the list. That aside though how could you have left out Jerk Pork, White Rum and Julie Mango?
Jun 16, 2019
 Popular foods to eat in Jamaica
by: Fayonia

Gizzada
Coconut drops
Jelly meat and coconut water
Gungo Rice and Peas
Stew peas with pigtails
Roast ripe breadfruit unfried
Saltfish fritters
Gungo peas soup

Cerasee Tea
Lemonade with lime and Ice
Grapefruit meat with sweet milk
Jun 16, 2019
 Jamaican food
by: Anonymous

I can't wait to get there to enjoy the food drinks and fruits especially the number 11 mango
Jun 16, 2019
 10 must eat food in jamaica
by: Bridget

Parriot Fish,
bammy,
sweet sap,
East Indian mangoes,
rundown,
roasted breadfruit ,
sour sap juice,
breadfruit salad,
slice harddough bread and butter,
stout ice cream


Sent from my iPhone
Jun 16, 2019
 39 foods to try
by: Toni

I have had almost all the highlighted items you included. Cant get enough callaloo. The only thing I need to try again are the guineps. Had a hard time with those. Also, I tried and failed in cooking okra. Will try next time I'm there as well.
Keep up the great work. Always look forward to Sundays.

Toni

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