A Taste of the Cayman Islands
Caribbean Cuisine
I love the Caribbean. The feel of warm tropical winds on my skin, the smell of salt air, and the food. Oh the food.
We recently took a vacation for a bit of much needed rest and relaxation. The destination? The lovely island and people of Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman islands, which are British territories. Located just south of Cuba, Grand Cayman is an easy 2 hr flight from Atlanta.
When traveling, I always have to try the local foods. In researching Grand Cayman cuisine, chatGPT had the following to say:
The early settlers brought with them the tastes of Africa, Jamaica and the UK, which blended with indigenous island ingredients such as coconut, cassava and plantain. The proximity to South and Central America also influenced the use of spices and peppers, adding a fiery touch to the dishes.
Music to my ears and tastebuds. A little more digging and Grand Cayman is home to many jerk shacks (the food, not the people). After visiting Jamaica a few years ago, I became fascinated with the Caribbean jerk process and flavors. I am actually still refining my own jerk chicken recipe.
In an effort to find the best of the jerk shacks, I interrogated several locals. Two places were consistently recommended, Pepper’s Bar and Grill and Chicken Chicken.
Pepper’s - Pepper’s is a fun restaurant that was literally right across the street from our hotel. They a pretty extensive menu with many Caribbean style options. They are especially known for their BBQ jerk ribs.
(Immediately orders them with a Jamaican style festival)
Ribs were very moist and flavorful, although the spice level was not what I was expecting. Maybe they tone it down a little for the amount of tourist that come through the restaurant. No problem, a couple dashes of their house made hot sauce and we had the nice little bump we needed.
Super friendly staff and extremely quick service from order to receiving your food. Definitely a must try when in Grand Cayman.
Chicken Chicken - Chicken Chicken was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel in an unassuming strip mall. They specialize in fire roasted and jerked chicken. You walk in and are immediately greeted by the sight and smell of a rotating spit of chickens. Beautiful. The value you get for the amount of food here is impressive. Huge portions of jerk chicken with 2 sides and cornbread for around $12. Fair warning, this is where many of the locals go. Their jerk chicken brings the heat. The flavor and spice where spot on for what I consider proper jerk. Their cornbread was soooo good as well. If you want true jerk heat and flavor while in Grand Cayman, this is the place to go.
Grand Cayman Marriott Resort - We stayed at the Marriott resort centrally located on 7 mile beach. Great resort that has something for everyone whether you are a solo traveler, a couple, or a family. The resort did a lot of little things that made the stay more enjoyable. Such as, passing out sliced watermelon by the pool, making s’mores by a bonfire in the evening and making your own body scrub activity.
What is really impressive is the quality of the food on the resort. They have several ‘theme’ nights such as Asado night, Lobster night, and Spanish Tapas night.
Their salted caramel ice cream in a jar may be one of the best desserts I have ever tasted. Ridiculous good.
I saved some of the island’s traditional foods such as the fish rundown and Caribbean steamed whole snapper for the next visit.
Go Visit
If you have the chance, I highly recommend visiting the Cayman islands and experiencing the friendly people, the great food, and taking advantage of island time to slow down for a bit.
Cayman Island Fun Facts
Blue Iguana Recovery: The Cayman Islands are home to the Blue Iguana, one of the longest-living species of lizards, with a lifespan of up to 69 years. They were critically endangered but have seen a population resurgence due to dedicated conservation efforts.
Cayman Crystal Caves: One of the newer attractions in the Cayman Islands is the Cayman Crystal Caves. These stunning caves feature stalactite and stalagmite crystal structures, formed over millions of years. There are three caves that visitors can explore - the roots cave, the lake cave, and the open ceiling cave.
The World's Best Dive Sites: The Cayman Islands are renowned worldwide for their diving sites, offering a mix of coral reefs, underwater walls, and shipwrecks. The islands boast clear water and a spectacular variety of marine life. One of the most famous sites is Stingray City, where visitors can swim with and feed a group of Southern Stingrays.
A Haven for Financial Services: Known as a significant offshore financial hub, the Cayman Islands have more registered businesses than they have people. According to 2021 data, the islands were home to over 100,000 companies, primarily used for tax planning and investment purposes. This is despite the fact that the territory's total population is less than 65,000.