Vegetarian Carriacou
Being vegetarian can sometimes be a little tricky if you live on a small Caribbean island. Bunny’s home island of Carriacou (Grenada) is no exception.
Although fresh fruit (and some vegetables) are plentiful on the island, vegetarian food is not particularly popular among the local population. There are no purely vegetarian restaurants in Carriacou (yet!) and you rarely see any local restaurants advertising vegetarian options.
That’s not surprising as traditional Grenadian cuisine is quite heavy on meat and sea food. The national dish, oildown, is a slow-cooking pot full of spiced meat, chicken or fish. Breakfast is often saltfish. One of the most popular soups is a pea soup, typically served with pigtail or other meat.
Not so good for vegetarian Bunnies, eh?
Luckily, there are some traditional dishes that are good for vegetarians as well: Callaloo soup, made from a nutritious, spinach-like green vegetable, and Rotis, wrap style sandwiches which are sometimes available in vegetarian variation. However, if you’re a vegetarian (or vegan) visiting Carriacou, your best bet for great meat- and fish-free dishes are restaurants serving international cuisine.
Check out Bunny’s recommendations for vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Carriacou below.
Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Carriacou
Fig & Bluggoe
Fig & Bluggoe is a really welcome addition to the Carriacou food scene. Brenda and Jeanette have created a lovely, quaint and relaxing garden environment in L’Esterre where they serve tasty, fresh, and locally inspired food that is mostly vegetarian. They also do take-away.
Don’t miss their delicious Doubles, curried chickpeas on flatbread, served every Tuesday. They are the best in all of Grenada, Bunny says. The menu at Fig and Bluggoe changes weekly and includes fresh, seasonal ingredients. Some of the yummy things Bunny has eaten here include veggie burgers, Callaloo fritters, spring rolls, Vietnamese-style noodle salad and different kinds of soups. Jeanette also bakes delicious bread. Home-made ice-cream and lovely pies, cakes or muffins are often served for dessert.
In addition, you can book Brenda and Jeanette to give you a cooking course in the comfort of your own home. Highly recommended by Bunny!
Paradise Beach Club
Paradise Beach Club is the place to be in Carriacou. It has a perfect location directly on Paradise Beach, with views towards Sandy Island. It also has some of the best food on the whole island, if not country.
Chef Jesson, who used to work in a 5-star hotel in Grenada, is excellent. There is a vegetarian option on the daily-changing menu and the chef is always ready to accommodate vegans as well. The food is tasty and fresh and the presentation is also top notch - the dishes are simply beautiful (and make for great Instagram photos).
Cocktails and desserts at Paradise Beach Club are equally delicious. Just be aware of the rum-based drinks! They are strong.
In addition, Paradise Beach Club has theme nights, day passes, picnic lunch trips to Sandy Island, afternoon tea offerings, perfect sunsets, just the right ambience and nice music that doesn’t blast your hearing. This is a Caribbean beach restaurant done right, Bunny says.
Gallery Bistro
Gallery Bistro is another one of Bunny’s favourites in Carriacou. It has a very central location in Tyrell Bay and a dinner menu full of excellent curries.
Chef John will gladly cook a vegetarian curry for you, sometimes even with homemade paneer cheese. They also have freshly baked nan bread, poppadom, the whole deal. The food will be deliciously spicy if you so wish (yes, please), but can also be made less hot or even mild for people not as fond of spiciness as Bunny.
As for drinks, Anne makes the best gin tonics on the island. Gallery Bistro also stocks non-alcoholic beer - a rare but welcome feature in Carriacou.
Kayak Kafe & Juice Bar
Kayak Kafe is a cute, colorful place located right by the sea in Carriacou’s biggest town of Hillsborough. The owner Sally is vegetarian, so you know you’re in good hands here.
Bunny loves their Spanish omelette for breakfast. Kayak Kafe also offers vegetarian bean burgers, vegetarian rotis (the best on the island!), vegan sausages and Callaloo soup. Drinks, such as fresh juices and smoothies, are delicious.
In short, if you find yourself in Hillsborough, Kayak Kafe is not to miss.
The Lookout Lounge at Cassada Bay Resort
Carriacou’s newest restaurant, The Lookout Lounge at Cassada Bay Resort, is a beautiful place with friendly and very competent staff. The menu is not particularly vegetarian-friendly but there is always a vegetarian option for an appetiser and main course. All the dishes Bunny has tried there, including a vegetarian risotto, a Callaloo lasagna and a goat cheese salad, have been very good.
Bunny also loves their extensive drinks menu that includes a number of exciting mocktails. And the view from the terrace towards Saline Island and White Island is simply gorgeous.
Pizza Meh Heart
Pizza Meh Heart is Carriacou’s premier pizza place. It is located on the windward side of the island, so a bit of a drive from Tyrell Bay or Hillsborough, but well worth the extra effort.
The menu includes a couple of vegetarian pizzas, but you can also design your own, choosing ingredients from an extensive list. Pizza by the slice is also available. And, of course, all manner of cold drinks are on offer.
Bunny loves the place because she can always count on them to have jalapeños. There’s no good pizza without jalapeños, Bunny says. But even if you’re not a jalapeño-lover like Bunny, you can rest assured that Pizza Meh Heart offers the best pizzas on the island.
Crazy Beach Corner
Crazy Beach Corner is a particular favourite of the yachties, thanks to its breezy location right on the beach in Tyrell Bay.
Bunny likes the place because of their excellent veggie bean burger with potatoes and home-made, spicy sauce. Seriously yummy! Their menu also includes some interesting vegetarian tapas options, such as hummus, guacamole, mushrooms, olives etc, but Bunny is yet to try those. She simply cannot resist the lure of the veggie burger.
Tim’s Sunset Bar and Restaurant
Tim’s Sunset Bar and Restaurant is a real treat on the beach! Located directly on the gorgeous Anse la Roche beach, Tim’s Sunset Bar and Restaurant is a delightful, toes in the sand establishment. There is no menu as such, but Tim is always able to cook something vegetarian. His vegetarian staples include a delicious potato dish, rice, lentils and salads, and they are always very tasty.
Bunny also loves the signature dessert at Tim’s: liqueur soaked, battered banana which is drizzled with chocolate and simply mouthwatering.
Anse la Roche is a little tricky to get to, requiring a boat ride or a hike down a forested hill, but it is a must visit in Carriacou if you are staying a while. High marks from Bunny!
Bogles Roundhouse
Bogles Roundhouse is high-end eating Carriacou style. The menu does not include many vegetarian options, but there is some flexibility if you ask in advance. Goat cheese quiche and eggplant parmesan seem to be vegetarian staples on the menu, and both are very good. Their home-made bread is also yummy.
In addition to tasty food, Bogles Roundhouse offers a lovely ambiance. This is the place to go for a romantic meal or special occasion, followed by their famously delicious home-made ice-cream. Bogles Round House makes the best ice-cream on the island, Bunny says.
Las Iguanas
Las Iguanas is located on the grounds of Carriacou Marine in Tyrell Bay. Due to its location, it is popular with yachties.
Vegetarian options for breakfast include omelettes, scrambled eggs and yogurt with granola and fruit. On Thursdays and Saturdays, vegetarians can also delight in pizza nights at Las Iguanas. Their authentic Italian-style thin-crust wood fired pizzas are very tasty, Bunny says.
The Original Slipway
After some years of inactivity, the Original Slipway has reopened at its prime beachfront location beside the Tyrrel Bay Marina. Although Slipway does not particularly cater to vegetarians, there is always at least one vegetarian option on the changing menu. It is often a salad, or perhaps a pasta, but you can count on it being delicious. There may also be some flexibility if you contact them in advance and request vegetarian options.
Bunny likes the Original Slipway because they have very friendly, efficient service, excellent, fresh bread and great desserts, including that mouth-watering Roundhouse homamade ice-cream.
Barakena
Barakena is a friendly local place right in the heart of Tyrell Bay. The menu changes regularly and is meat/fish heavy but Alex is always happy to accommodate vegetarians as well. Bunny has been impressed with their excellent falafel and fresh and tasty salads. Their tempting cocktails and cold beer go nicely with sunset views over Tyrell Bay.
Barakena also knows how to throw a good party - be prepared for loud music (Bunny’s usually in bed by the time the music starts…).
Frogs Restaurant Bar
2023 UPDATE: Frogs is currently closed/potentially moving to a new location.
So far, Bunny has only visited Frogs Restaurant Bar for their breakfast. Their French croissants are a real treat in Carriacou…
Bunny is yet to try any of the dinners on offer but the Frog’s apero tapas menu with hummus, samosas and bruschetta certainly seems interesting - and very vegetarian friendly! They also bake excellent baguettes, available at the restaurant as well as Alexis Food Stores.
What About Them Vegans?
The more restricted your diet is, the more difficult it is to find options in Carriacou. Bunny herself is a wannabe vegan so she is always keeping her eyes open for vegan options wherever she eats.
In Carriacou, vegans should be able to always find something tasty to eat at Paradise Beach Club, Fig & Bluggoe and Kayak Kafe.
As for the other restaurants, it’s best to contact them in advance and make sure they will be able to serve you something vegan. Always make sure to explain that vegan also means “no fish” as there is sometimes confusion about the term. Don’t assume everyone you talk to in Carriacou knows what vegan means.
Vegetarian Self-Catering
Self-catering is not necessarily an easy option either for vegetarians/vegans. You may have to be prepared to visit a number of shops to get all the ingredients you need. Local fruit is delicious and inexpensive - but only when in season. The availability and price of most vegetables is a different story.
Alexis Food Stores in Tyrell Bay is your best overall grocery shop on the island. Patty’s Deli in Hillsborough carries many items that you might consider essential at home but that are rare in Carriacou. A number of small grocery shops around the island may have the item you are looking for, but it is always an adventure if you want to cook something complicated in Carriacou. Be prepared, Bunny says.
Of course, there is always the option of ordering groceries from the well-stocked IGA in Grenada. They have quite a good website and their delivery to Carriacou is free, you just have to pay 5EC per cardboard box for the ferry transfer. The IGA carries, for example, vegan Beyond Meat products and a number of other goodies not available anywhere in Carriacou.
