When you’re in The Bahamas, you can kiss your diet (temporarily) goodbye as you say hello to exquisite homemade Caribbean cuisine. On every Bahamian island, you will find a fish fry; a gathering place for vendors to sell their local specialty through shacks and stalls. The biggest Fish Fry is in Nassau, on Arawak Cay: a strip of charmingly hand-painted Fish Fry restaurants that stretch the scenic coast. It started as a small attraction leased by a few farmers but quickly grew to 30-plus stalls punctuated with beachside barbeques.
The Fish Fry serves as a place for Bahamian to come together to share the unique flavours of their home with friends, family, and visitors. Here are some things that you have to experience before leaving:
1. An Extravagant Parade
The Royal Bahamian Police Force Band puts on a performance that celebrates the culture and history of The Bahamas. The Junkanoo Parade occurs every Saturday night in the month of July. The parade also occurs during Boxing Day, Independence Day and New Year’s Eve. You can enjoy this spectacle at Arawak Cay while also sampling freshly caught Bahamian cuisine.
2. The Beachside Barbeques
In the evenings, make your way towards the east side of Arawak Cay. The air is filled with the smell of grilled chicken and sizzling corn. There, you will find vendors selling out of shacks which are half-built from things that have washed up on shore. As you are enjoying the sunset on the beach, you can indulge in some local mixed drinks as well as cigars.
3. The Fish, of Course!
If you want to enjoy fish that is fried every which way, make your way towards the west side of Arawak Cay. Here you will find many two-storey, sit-down style restaurants that overlook the beachside. The menus at these restaurants usually have any type of seafood, with shrimp, conch, and lobster being particular favourites regardless of season. We’d also recommend just asking for the catch of the day and enjoying the bounty of the teeming blue waters, spiced and fried to perfection! The biggest restaurant on this Fish Fry would be the Twin Brothers but if you ask the locals, they will point you in the direction of Drifters or Oh Andros.
A Fish Fry is more than a place or tradition: it’s a culinary institution that feeds your mind, body and soul. When you are on your next vacation in The Bahamas, you must experience the joy of the Fish Fry and immerse in the local culture and history. To help you learn more about the amazing experiences that make up the Bahamian Fish Fry, you can click right here.
