Food in Bermuda

While some travelers prefer a tranquil stay by the ocean, others are eager to immerse themselves in local culture. Fortunately, dining options in Bermuda can accommodate both the footloose and the formal vacationer.

Restaurants

The cost of dining in Bermuda can be high because many ingredients must be imported from the United States. Travelers should have no problem finding moderately priced meals but are reminded that local specialties such as rockfish, oysters, and lobster (called "guinea chick" by locals) will be more affordable, as they are more readily available on the islands.

It is important to remember that dining on the island is almost always a formal affair, especially since gourmet dining has become so popular on the island. Resort casual (think sun dresses, polos, and khakis) is the dress code even in the most casual of settings.  Some restaurants will require business level attire, so men should bring a sports jacket, and women modest and semi-formal dress. 

During the peak tourist season, reservations are a necessity.  Plan ahead, and ensure that you have a table by calling well in advance -- this will also be an oppurtune time to enquire about the dress code at the restaurant.

Culinary Styles

Food

Traditional Bermuda fare is influenced by West Africa, Europe, and India, though on a day-to-day basis, islanders eat food similar to that found in the United States beause most of their food is imported from there.  Most meals consist of seafood in one way or another (including breakfast) and a medley of vegetables.  Wahoo, snapper, mahi mahi, rock fish, white fish, tuna, shark, and mussells are commonly steamed, fried, baked, made into stews, chowders, fritters, hashes, and pies.  These dishes are eaten alongside beans, onions, cherries, sweet potato pudding, johnnycakes, cassava pie, potatoes, and bananas. Many dishes are flavored with brandy or wine marinades.  Read more about the culinary styles of Bermuda here.

Desserts are typically banana and sweet potato based and flavored with rum, making each bite tingle on the tongue.  Examples include Bermuda rum cake, sweet potato pudding, and a variety of jellies and jams.  A point of interest among Bermuda's local offerings is honey.  Honey harvested in Bermuda actually costs more money on the island than the honey imported from foreign countries such as Canada.  This is because the bees in Bermuda have access to exotic plants not as easily accessible to bees elsewhere, and the honey produced because of this is highly sought after around the world.

Beverages 

Despite the lack of distilleries in Bermuda, the ingredients for rum are shipped to the island and mixed here.  Bacardi, North Rock Brewing, Gosling's of Bermuda all produce spirits.  A few of Bermuda's popular mixed drinks include:

• Milk Punch: milk, lemons, and black rum.
• Rum Swizzle: black rum, guyana rum, apricot brandy, lime or lemon juice, honey, and bitters.
• Shandy: lager beer, ginger beer, lemonade.
• Shrub: sour oranges, lemon, and rum.
• Dark'n'Stormy: Black Seal Rum, Barritts Ginger Beer, land a lemon wedge.

Regardless of whether vacationers are searching for a quiet, romantic dinner for two or an accommodating meal for the whole family, there is never a shortage of options in Bermuda.