“Growing and Growing”—How the Caribbean Became a Hot Spot for Plant-Based Dining

Every year, millions of people head to the Caribbean islands for the sun, the sand, the fascinating history, the beautiful scenery, and the incredible food. If you’re planning on joining them soon, you might be wondering where the best destinations are for plant-based eats. We’ve got you. Find nine top vegan-friendly restaurants in the region below.

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What is typical Caribbean food?

The Caribbean islands are incredibly diverse, and so is their cuisine.

“If you have no prior knowledge of the Caribbean, you would think it is one big place where everyone talks the same and eats the same kind of food,” Taymer Mason, Barbadian food scientist and author of Caribbean Vegan, once told VegNews. “Each island is unique, and that should be respected. Eating Jamaican food—while it is Caribbean—for us in Barbados is like eating food from a totally different country.”

This is largely because each island has a different history. Before the British took control, Jamaica was a Spanish colony, and this influence remains in some of its traditional dishes, like ​​escovitch fish, for example, which is now a popular Jamaican meal but originated in Spain. Multiple reports, including this one from The Takeout, also speculate that colonizers from Britain likely influenced the development of Jamaican patties, too, which are similar to the Cornish pastries.

African influences are also prevalent throughout Jamaican cuisine, due to the transatlantic trade of enslaved people, and it’s the same in Barbados, in dishes like pepperpot and cou-cou (a plant-based dish made with okra and cornmeal). Bajan cuisine, however, wasn’t influenced by the Spanish in the same way, as the island was primarily under British control.

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Despite colonization, across the Caribbean islands, there are still elements of Indigenous traditions in many dishes. Indigenous peoples, particularly the Taíno, made flatbreads from cassava, for example. Today, it’s known as bammy in Jamaica. Indigenous peoples also often cooked with cornmeal, which remains a popular ingredient across Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, where it features in paime, a sweet, steamed pudding often made for special occasions.

While the food of each Caribbean island is unique, some ingredients unite them, and many of them are plant-based. Plantains, for example, are used in cooking on several islands, but the way they are prepared differs. In Puerto Rico, for example, mofongo, a main dish made from mashed fried plantains, is popular, but in Barbados, plantains are more likely to be fried and served as a side with cou-cou.

Fresh fruits, rice, beans, legumes, bold spices, and fresh herbs are also common staples across the Caribbean islands. However, seafood and meat products are also popular. In Jamaica, jerk chicken is a staple, while flying fish is a common dish in Barbados.

The Caribbean’s growing plant-based scene

Before European colonization, the traditional diets of the Caribbean islands were not exclusively plant-based but they were far more reliant on plant-based foods than they are today. Colonizer Christopher Columbus helped to change this during his second expedition in 1493 when he brought farmed cattle to the Caribbean. 

But lately, the Caribbean seems to be embracing more plant-based foods again.

According to vegan restaurant guide Happy Cow, there are more than 30 vegan-friendly eateries across the island of Saint Lucia, for example. It might not sound like a lot at first, but considering the island is only about 27 miles across, if you visit, there’s a good chance you’ll be within driving distance of one. The platform also notes there are more than 70 vegan-friendly restaurants in Jamaica, and there are nearly 40 in the Cayman Islands.

“[The vegan scene] really seems to be growing and growing,” Sian Weinzweig, the co-founder of Grand Cayman vegan restaurant The Edgy Vedge, told VegNews recently. “As people become more and more conscious of the positive effect eating a plant-based diet can have on your health as well as the environment, more people are starting to make the switch.”

She added that the impact of the climate crisis is particularly hard to ignore in the Caribbean. At the time of writing, Hurricane Ernesto has left half of Puerto Rico without power, while July’s Hurricane Beryl demolished buildings across Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica, leaving thousands homeless.

“In Cayman, being susceptible to hurricanes, we see the effects of global warming. Having such a large one so early in the season is frightening for a lot of people here. Hurricanes gain strength in warmer waters and the waters in the Caribbean seem to be warmer than ever this year,” Weinzweig said.

Research suggests that the food industry is a major contributor to the climate crisis. Animal agriculture, in particular, emits around 14.5 percent of greenhouse gasses. To put that in perspective, aviation is responsible for around 2.5 percent of emissions.

In a bid to help tourists and locals move away from meat-centric diets on Grand Cayman, Weinzweig is on a mission to educate people about plant-based food. She runs “lunch and learns” in corporate offices, where office workers get to try vegan food, and attends health fairs and hosts events. Soon, The Edgy Vedge is hoping to start a Vegan Steak Night, she reveals.

The Edgy Vedge

“The constant challenge is educating people about who we are and what we do,” she says. “Encouraging people to break out of their comfort zones and try something new.”

But Weinzweig confirms she is having success so far. “I’ve had one lady call me over to a table to tell her husband that the chik’n he was eating was plant based because he didn’t believe her,” she recalled. “I just love how far the industry has come in creating plant-based foods that appeal to everyone.”

Where to find plant-based food in the Caribbean: 8 vegan-friendly restaurants to try

You can find out more about The Edgy Vedge below, and we’ve also included a few more vegan-friendly restaurants across the Caribbean islands that are also great for delicious plant-based cuisine, too.

The Edgy Vedge

1 The Edgy Vedge

Camana Bay, Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman’s The Edgy Vedge has something for everyone. There’s spicy black bean soup, vegan crab cakes made with hearts of palm, and big juicy burgers, too. But Weinzweig says that its cauliflower wings are one of its most popular menu items by far. “They are truly delicious, especially the hunny garlic flavor,” she says. “We have even got mentions in ‘best wings’ lists on the island quite a few times!”
Find it here

The Green Zen

2 The Green Zen

Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia

For a totally plant-based experience in Saint Lucia, head to The Green Zen in Rodney Bay. The menu is packed with hearty, nourishing delights like stuffed mushrooms, spaghetti, noodle bowls, salads, and delicious desserts like cheesecakes, cakes, and muffins.
Find it here

The Treehouse

3 The Treehouse

Soufriere, Saint Lucia

Another option in Saint Lucia is The Treehouse at the luxury Anse Chastanet resort in Soufriere. There, you’ll find an entirely vegan concept menu called Emeralds, featuring dishes like Saint Lucian Spring Rolls, Lucian Spice Roasted Cauliflower Tacos, and Ital Coconut Pot Stew.
Find it here

Antojitos Veganos

4 Antojitos Veganos

Bayamon, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is one of the most vegan-friendly Caribbean islands. According to Happy Cow, the territory is home to more than 370 vegan-friendly restaurants. If you’re near Bayamon, head to Antojitos Veganos, where you can enjoy everything from plant-based pancakes to meaty portobello steak.
Find it here

100% HP

5 100% HP

San Juan, Puerto Rico

In the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan, you’ll also find several plant-based eateries, including 100% HP. This is the place to go if you’re in the mood for a meaty burger, a hearty macaroni cheese, or even a bite of sushi. You can also find vegan versions of traditional Puerto Rican dishes, too.
Find it here

TaiJah Mills

6 A Vegan’s Utopia

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Vacation favorite Montego Bay also happens to be home to one of the best vegan-friendly restaurants in the country: A Vegan’s Utopia. Delivering on its name, this little plant-based oasis specializes in everything from fried oyster mushroom chicken to cauliflower wings to ultra-refreshing fruit smoothies.
Find it here

Shahsisters

7 Vegan Cottage

Bridgetown, Barbados

According to one Happy Cow reviewer, this is the best place for vegan food in Barbados. Expect to find a platter of fresh, delicious, flavor-packed plant-based meals prepared just for you by the owner Augustina. It doesn’t get more authentically Caribbean than this.
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Eduardo’s Beach Shack

8 Eduardo’s Beach Shack

Palm Beach, Aruba

Aruba is pure paradise. While you’re taking in the white sand and the clear ocean, stop for a bite at Eduardo’s Beach Shack on Palm Beach. It’s not totally vegan, but there are plenty of plant-based choices to choose from, including vegan assorted tacos with black beans and sweet potatoes and pad Thai noodles with fresh vegetables and peanut sauce.
Find it here