Fresh Fish, Chocolate, Rum - Yum! Saint Lucia's Epic Food And Drink Scene Is Giving Us All The Cravings
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From the ultimate chocolate experience to rum tasting and Creole cooking, Saint Lucia is a delicious place to indulge your taste buds.
Beautiful Saint Lucia, accessible from London with British Airways, offers a delectable larder for foodies, with many fine restaurants, a good supply of rum and lots and lots of chocolate. If you yearn for a tropical holiday that also tantalises your tastebuds, you need look no further; here you’ll discover a mouth-watering menu of Saint Lucian treats that are sure to get your taste buds tingling. With British Airways you can book with confidence, safe in the knowledge that you can change your date or destination if you need to.
Did we mention chocolate? The island has produced cacao for centuries, and chocolate is an integral part of its legacy. The verdant slopes and rich volcanic soil here are ideal for cacao trees, and a visit to a chocolate estate should be number one on any chocoholic’s to-do list.
Rabot Hotel from Hotel Chocolat, which owns Saint Lucia’s cocoa-producing Rabot Estate, runs enticing signature ‘Bean to Bar’ experiences where you can completely immerse yourself in the rich, delicious world of chocolate production. Even the setting here is exquisite - from the groves, there are striking views of the Pitons and the rainforest, as well as the gigantic peaks of Mount Gimie and its plunging valleys.
Once you’ve admired the scenery, you’ll begin a guided walk among the cocoa trees, learning how to select ripe pods for harvest. Then it’s time to follow the magic chocolate-making process, from the cocoa seedling nursery to the fermenting room and sun-drying station, before trying your hand at grinding and eventually mixing and making your own chocolate bar. The best bit of all? Lots of tasting is required.
Nestled among acres of lush rainforest, tropical gardens, and of course the cocoa fields themselves, Fond Doux Plantation and Resort is a peaceful and eco-luxurious chocolate estate dating back to the 19th century. A stay here is all about the chocolate: tour the cocoa plantations, learn to make chocolate, cook with it, and mix the best rum cocktails, before winding down with an all-natural, organically-grown treatment in the Mama La Terre spa.
Other delectable Saint Lucian treats include some rollicking rum tastings. Go behind the scenes at Saint Lucia’s only rum distillery, Saint Lucia Distillers, to discover how sugar cane is turned into rum, and you’ll be rewarded with the opportunity to sample as many of the distillery’s 25 + rums as you desire, including white and spiced varieties. There are also lots of rum products to tempt you - the rum flavoured creams are divine.
For more rum-filled moments, head for the island’s friendly bars and eateries, where Chairman’s Reserve is the local rum of choice. Some watering holes take their rum offerings up a notch: head to Gros Islet’s tiny waterfront bars to sample their own tantalising tropical punch recipes, or treat yourself to a rum cocktail at the Naked Fisherman, a buzzing beach bar known for its signature drinks: their rum with mango purée, lime juice and homemade jalapeño syrup is guaranteed to set your heart singing.
But the best way to enjoy your rum is to drink it with another island classic: the spectacular Saint Lucian sunset. Rodney Bay, Castries and Soufrière have great beach bars which overlook the horizon, perfect for sunset cocktails. Favourites among locals and visitors alike include Spinnakers, on the popular Reduit beach, and Ladera Resort, set on a ridge high above Anse des Pitons. This romantic hotel bar has mesmerising views of the Pitons as well as the thick forested slopes coating the south-west corner of the island.
When it’s time to eat, you’re also spoiled for choice. From the fresh seafood that is caught on the island’s golden shores every day to the delicious colourful mangoes and rich avocados that thrive throughout its lush interior, the menu in Saint Lucia is always bursting with colour and vitality.
There are lots of modest, colourful and friendly restaurants to sample local fare. For something traditional, try the national dish, green figs and saltfish, prepared with green bananas and salted codfish. Popular eateries include Flavours of the Grill, in the fishing village of Gros Islet, which serves excellent Caribbean fare, including pepperpot stew and curry goat. If you’re here on a Friday evening, you’re in the right spot: from around 8pm till late, a “jump up” street party spreads along Gros Islet’s main drag, with “fish frys” and music into the small hours.
Fans of fine dining should try out the popular Cliff at Cap at Cap Maison, where they also create their own rum. Then there’s the fabulous restaurant at Ti Kaye, a remote clifftop hotel sitting high above one of Saint Lucia’s gorgeous beaches, with a chilled atmosphere and excellent food.
Alternatively, for some of the most imaginative dishes on the island, head back to the chocolate estate and book in at the restaurant at Rabot Hotel, to taste some of the most delectable food on Saint Lucia. Most dishes, savoury and sweet, have cocoa in them in some form or another; there’s a chocolate-infused vinaigrette to dip bread into, a citrus salad with a white chocolate dressing, as well as fillet of pork with a cocoa and herb crust. And, as you might guess, desserts are memorable: go for the nine-stage Chocolate Genesis tasting plate. Bliss.
Dreaming of a Saint Lucia getaway? Book something to look forward to and secure your Caribbean holiday with a deposit starting from £75pp. Book now and change later with flexible booking options. ATOL protected. Find out more at ba.com/saintlucia.
