Grenada's crops include all kinds of citrus, along with mangoes, papaya (pawpaw), callaloo (similar to spinach), dasheen (taro, a root vegetable), christophene (a squash, also known as chayote), yams (white, green, yellow, and orange), and breadfruit. All restaurants prepare dishes with local produce and season them with the many spices grown throughout the island. Be sure to try the local flavors of ice cream: soursop, guava, rum raisin, coconut, and nutmeg.
Soups—especially pumpkin and callaloo—are divine and often start a meal. Pepper pot is a savory stew of pork, oxtail, vegetables, and spices. Oildown, the national dish, combines salted meat, breadfruit, onions, carrots, celery, dasheen, and dumplings all boiled in coconut milk until the liquid is absorbed and the savory mixture becomes "oily." A roti—curried chicken, beef, or vegetables wrapped in pastry and baked—is similar to a turnover and more popular in Grenada than a sandwich.
Fresh seafood of all kinds is plentiful, including lobster in season (September–April). Conch, known here as lambi, often appears curried or in a stew. Crab back, though, is not seafood—it's land crab. Most Grenadian restaurants serve seafood and at least some local dishes.
Rum punches are ubiquitous and always topped with grated nutmeg. Clarke's Court, Rivers, and Westerhall are local rums. Carib, the local beer, is refreshing, light, and quite good. If you prefer a nonalcoholic drink, opt for fruit punch—a delicious mixture of freshly blended tropical fruit.
What to Wear: Dining in Grenada is casual. At dinner, collared shirts and long pants are appropriate for men (even the fanciest restaurants don't require jacket and tie), and sundresses or dress pants are fine for women. Reserve beachwear and other revealing attire for the beach.
