World-renowned for its cuisine, Martinique offers an unforgettable culinary experience, combining Creole and French expertise, a mix of Indian spices and African hospitality. Visitors will surely be amazed by the incredible flavors of Martinican cuisine, and by its generosity, which is often associated with the warmth of its people.
Culinary specialities
• Le Féroce
Often eaten as a starter, Le Féroce is a typical dish based on avocado, desalted shredded cod, manioc flour and chili pepper.
• The accras
These small fried fritters, both soft and crispy, prepared with cod, prawns or vegetables, are usually eaten as a starter with a spicy sauce.
• Le Trempage
Originally made from seasoned codfish mixed with flour spread on wet bread, the recipe has now been diversified with shrimp or chicken. This typical plate has to be eaten with the fingers, which makes it a convivial experience not to be missed.
• The "Ti nain morue"
It is impossible to talk about Martinican cuisine without mentioning the "Ti nain morue”: green bananas cooked in water like vegetables and then served with dried codfish, with a vinaigrette sauce.
• Le poulet boucané
Le poulet boucané is the island’s ultimate street food, usually prepared by food-trucks along the roadside. The chicken meat is first marinated before being smoked on the grill, which offers a very special taste that the people of Martinique love.
• Banana gratin
As one of the most appreciated side dishes in Martinique, the Banana gratin consists of a mixture of béchamel and plantain - large yellow bananas that need to be cooked beforehand in water - which are then gratinated in the oven with cheese on top.
• Chocolat Elot
Made exclusively from natural products, the Chocolat Elot’s is made from 50% of cocoa beans grown in Martinique plus natural vanilla and Galion brown sugar made from the Martinican sugarcanes, which gives it all its finesse and absolutely unique taste.
For inspiring culinary and rum cocktail recipes: click here.
Martinique’s top restaurants
• La Table de Marcel
In the heart of Fort-de-France, facing one of the most beautiful bays in the world, La Table de Marcel is the restaurant of Martinique's starred Chef Marcel Ravin at the Hotel Simon. His guests will be delighted with a creative cuisine which spotlights local products. Sunday brunches are an especially remarkable experience, not to be missed.
• Le Bredas
Located in Saint-Joseph, Le Bredas restaurant takes its name from its owner, the outstanding Chef Jean-Charles Brédas. World-renowned for his contribution to the Creole gastronomy, the award-winning chef offers in his restaurant a gastronomic cuisine with local products and surprising flavors associations.
• Le Zandoli
Nestled on the heights of Trois-îlets with a panoramic view on the magical bay of Fort-de-France, the hotel La Suite-Villa’s restaurant offers an original and refined menu, constantly renewed, which combines fresh and local products, thanks to the privileged relationships that the Chef Florent Boucher has built with fishermen and farmers on the island.
• Ti Sable
Located directly on the superb beach of Grande Anse d'Arlets, Ti sable offers a moment of deep relaxation. Laying down on deckchairs in a paradisiacal setting, guests will appreciate a tasty cuisine, which values fresh and local products. On Sunday lunchtime, visitors will be plunged into the Martinican culture with a surprising Creole buffet and live concerts.
• Le Steel Pan
Hidden in the parking lot of La Véranda shopping centre’s in Fort-de-France, Le Steel Pan is an atypical restaurant which offers its visitors a culinary journey full of colors. On the plate: Caribbean surprising flavors and fresh products, from vegetables to fish and meat.
• Le Petibonum
This unassuming gourmet seaside French-Creole restaurant on the beach of Le Carbet called Plage du coin (Area or Neighborhood Beach), a village located in Northwestern Martinique, is also one of the best and most popular beachside bars. Guests sit on a huge covered wooden terrace to enjoy great rum cocktails and dine on some of the best food on the island, including grilled fish and lobster plucked fresh from nearby waters. The lively owner and chef, Guy Ferdinand, is affectionately nicknamed Chef Hot Pants for the hot pink or red shorts he occasionally wears.
For an extensive list of great restaurants in Martinique, click here.
Another way to discover Martinique’s cuisine
Martinique offers its visitors the chance to participate in cooking classes to discover the secrets behind its greatest typical dishes. It is the perfect opportunity to share an unforgettable moment with friends and family. On the menu of the workshops: conviviality, sharing, pleasure and discovery. See below two of the greatest cooking classes in the French Caribbean Island.
• Les Ateliers Médélices
Sisters Laurence and Laetitia Biron launched Les Ateliers Médélices in 2014, aiming to promote Martinique’s culinary heritage by offering workshops led by local chefs. And that's where the originality of the Ateliers Médélices lies: the opportunity to bring together food and local products lovers with great chefs and talents from Martinique.
• La Mauny Distillery
The famous La Mauny Distillery invites visitors to participate in cooking classes in its own garden. On the agenda: a 3-course Creole-style lunch with an appetizer, main course, and dessert before heading on a distillery tour.
ABOUT MARTINIQUE (us.martinique.org)
The French Caribbean Island of Martinique is also known as the Isle of Flowers, The Rum Capital of the World, the Birthplace of coffee in the New World, The Isle of the Famed Poet (Aimé Césaire) – Martinique ranks among the most alluring and enchanting destinations in the world. As an overseas region of France, Martinique boasts modern and reliable infrastructure – roads, water and power utilities, hospitals, and telecommunications, services all on par with any other part of the European Union. At the same time, Martinique’s beautifully unspoiled beaches, volcanic peaks, rainforests, 80+ miles of hiking trails, waterfalls, streams, and other natural wonders are unparalleled in the Caribbean, so visitors here truly get the best of both worlds. The currency is the Euro, the flag and the official language are French, but Martinique’s character, cuisine, musical heritage, art, culture, common language, and identity are of a distinctly Afro-Caribbean inclination known as Creole. It is this special combination of modern world conveniences, pristine nature, and rich heritage that has earned for Martinique several notable distinctions in recent years. Hot off the press: Martinique has earned Silver honors in Travel Weekly’s 2020 Magellan Awards as an Art & Culture Caribbean Destination. In December 2019 and for the second year in a row, Martinique was named “Culinary Capital of the Caribbean” by the Caribbean Journal. The island was also recognized in January 2019 by OprahMag.com and in first place in their list of “The 19 Best Winter Getaways.” Martinique was also featured in the Caribbean Journal’s Best Caribbean Islands to visit in 2019. Martinique has also been featured in Travel + Leisure and the New York Time’s “52 Places to go in 2018.”