Legend has it that cracked conch originated from a love story. When Calliope, Alexander Maillis’s wife was fasting from meat for the Greek Orthodox Church, he created cracked conch for her. She could eat seafood, so he pounded the traditional Bahamas sea snail with a bottle and fried it — and voila! One of the great Bahamian dishes was born. 

Today, the conch snails are caught fresh and then pounded with a mallet to tenderize it before being dipped in a batter of flour, eggs and seasoning. It’s deep-fried until golden and crispy and served with a squeeze of fresh lime and fries. It’s a year-round favorite in the Bahamas, and you can grab a bite of it anywhere from a fine dining restaurant to a beachside shack.

The waters around the Bahamas have been a rich source of seafood for centuries, and the  Indigenous peoples and early settlers relied heavily on rock lobster. Unlike the cold-water lobsters of North America, Bahamian rock lobsters have no claws, but their meaty tails made them a sought-after delicacy. 

The dish centers around the tail of the spiny lobster. It's typically grilled, broiled, steamed or sometimes fried, depending on preference and seasoned with lime juice, butter, garlic and thymes. Rock lobster is seasonal, with the official lobster season in the Bahamas running from August 1 to March 31. During these months, you'll find rock lobster on menus everywhere, from street vendors to upscale resorts. If your cruise is during lobster season, don’t miss this delicious lobster.

Bahamian stew fish is a hearty, flavorful dish that showcases the islanders' love for simple, comforting meals made with fresh, local ingredients. Stew fish has its roots in the island’s early fishing communities. Before refrigeration, stewing was a common method used to preserve and flavor freshly caught fish. Over generations, Bahamians perfected the recipe by incorporating African culinary techniques, European seasonings and local produce.

The dish typically uses whole, bone-in fish like grouper, snapper or margate. The fish is seasoned, lightly floured and pan-fried to develop flavor before being simmered in a rich, brown gravy made with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, thyme and sometimes spicy peppers. Often, chefs will add lime juice or vinegar for a little brightness, and it's usually served over grits or white rice — often for breakfast or brunch.

Taste the Bahamas’ past when you bite into a johnnycake. These soft biscuits trace back to Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean and the early settlers who combined cornmeal and flour to take on a journey. “Journey cake” evolved into “johnnycake,” and now people use flour instead of cornmeal for a tender, fluffier version. You’ll find these served alongside nearly any other dish you try in the country or sold on its own as street food.

While you can find beans and rice as a duo in many countries, the dish has an island twist here you’ll love. Kidney beans and long-grain white rice are often cooked in coconut milk and local garnishes like thyme, onions, peppers or salt pork. The rice absorbs all of the flavors, so each bite is bursting at the seams with Bahamian spice. Pair this side dish with just about every meal, especially seafood and barbecue.

Seafood, spice and everything nice comes together in this baked cake packed full of fresh crab meat. Bahamian land crab is plentiful along the coast, and with the African and European techniques for cleaning and stuffing the shells found a home here. This delicious dish involves removing the crab meat from the shell and mixing it with local flavors like onions, hot peppers and lime juice before stuffing it back into the shell and baking it. You’ll mostly find this dish during the summer months when land crabs are in season.

Feeling adventurous? Then you’re going to love souse, which can be made with pig’s feet or sheep tongue! If you’re not sure that’s what you’re looking for, you can also find this soup with chicken, fish or turkey wings as its meat, so there are options for everyone. This Souse tangy, savory Bahamian soup comes from British pickling traditions but has merged with African and Caribbean citrus flavors. It’s more of a true broth than the thicker stews you might also want to try. 

Souse is traditionally served as a weekend or special morning dish, especially on Saturdays and Sundays. It’s also a popular "after-party" meal, known for its hangover-curing reputation. So if you drink a little too much on Friday night, grab a bowl of souse and enjoy.

Treat your sweet tooth with a delicious, fruity dessert that’s beloved in the Bahamas. Guava duff is a soft, sweet roll filled with tropical guava and topped with a rich, buttery sauce. The word “duff” is a British culinary term for a steamed or boiled pudding (or dessert), and because of the Bahamas’ colonial past, this dessert made its way to the Caribbean. Over time, the duff was blended with the local guava fruit, creating a twist on a European dessert that you can’t find anywhere else.

Combine two of your favorite things: a sweet treat and rum! Rum cake has roots in European fruitcake brought to the Caribbean by colonists, but local bakers began adding Bahaman rum into it with great results. It’s a light, fluffy cake with deep flavor from the rum — with cakes sometimes soaked for days or weeks in rum. Moist, rich and soaked in sweet island flavor, rum cake is a favorite dessert across The Bahamas. Whether served at a celebration or given as a gift, this boozy, buttery cake is always a crowd-pleaser.

Rum cake is especially popular during the holiday season and for weddings. It's also a popular souvenir or gift, often sold in decorative tins that make for a great memento of your trip.

If there’s one food you can’t miss, it’s fried plantains. These sweet, caramelized, and perfectly golden plantains are twice-fried until the edges are crispy, and the insides are soft enough to melt in your mouth. This side really only exists because of the transatlantic trade routes that brought plantains from Africa to the Caribbean. It’s a great example of something that makes Caribbean food so unique: most dishes are a blend of European, African and local cultures and flavors.

No Bahamian meal is truly complete without something refreshing to sip alongside it. Whether you’re digging into seafood, a hearty stew or a sweet dessert, there’s a traditional island drink that pairs perfectly. Here are a few you might want to try: 

• The Yellow Bird. Made with a mix of rum, banana liqueur, orange juice and pineapple juice, it’s as bright and cheerful as its name suggests. It’s the perfect drink to enjoy on a sunny day by the beach when you’re at port. 
• Goombay Smash. This drink usually blends coconut rum, dark rum, apricot brandy and pineapple juice into one smooth concoction. It’s often served at beach bars and local festivals.
• Sky Juice. Enjoy this drink made of coconut water, sweetened condensed milk and gin. It’s creamy, and surprisingly refreshing, with a little boozy kick. 
• Bahamian ginger beer. Bahamian ginger beer is a non-alcoholic, homemade brew that’s zesty, spicy and full of ginger flavor. It’s made by fermenting fresh ginger, sugar, water and sometimes cloves or lime. Try it with some cracked conch! 

Coconut water. Sometimes the best drink is the simplest. Fresh coconut water, sipped straight from a chilled coconut, is the ultimate island refresher. Packed with natural electrolytes and a lightly sweet flavor, it’s the go-to beverage for staying cool and hydrated in the Bahamian sun.