Isla_Nut

Hi! We are thinking of renting a house on either Eleuthera or Cat Island next summer & eating a few meals in to save a little $$ & more importantly to save beach time! But we really love trying new, local foods when we travel, so we do want to eat some meals out too. Can anyone give me an idea of how much we should budget for meals on either or both of these islands? We may want to go out to one fancy (read expensive) dinner, but we love beach side restaurants & road side stands just as much. Thanks!!

RoamsAround

It's been a while since I've been to Cat Island and even longer side I visited Eleuthrea but here's what I tell people asking about food prices on any Caribbean/Bahamas island:

1) It's difficult to tell how much YOU will need for food since everyone's tastes are different, what type of dishes you select (lobster costs more than chicken) what and how much you drink (soft drinks cost less than liquor and wine can cost anywhere from a few dollars a glass to $100's for a bottle of vintage wine.

2) So, estimate what you'd spend if you dined out on similar meals at similar type restaurants in a city near your own home for the number of meals you think you'll have eating out while on your trip. Add 20% to that number and you'll have a good "food budget" for your trip with probably a little left over at the end.

Callaloo

I think RoamsAround gives good advice. What I can tell you about Cat Island is that there really isn't any "fancy" place to go for dinner -- even the resorts which offer dinner have fairly limited menus, and those meals will cost you more than you'll pay for the equivalent at home. But, similarly, buying your own food will be pricey, with limited selection.

The roadside stands are the cheapest -- try Yardie's near Bennett's Harbour, or the Bluebird near Old Bight. Local food, reasonably priced.