The Flavours of Bermuda

Uniquely positioned in the North Atlantic between North America and Europe, Bermudian culture has been a blend of British, Portuguese, African, Caribbean and Native American influences for centuries. Similarly, Bermudian cuisine melds flavours from each of these places into dishes you won't find anywhere else. Find Creole spices blended into proper English dishes, and other unexpected combinations.

Given how it's surrounded by water on all sides, Bermuda was bound to offer incredibly fresh sea-to-table offerings, from tuna and wahoo to spiny lobster. Topping the list of quintessential Bermudian dishes are fish chowder – complete with Black Seal rum and sherry peppers, of course – and a fried fish sandwich, preferably served on raisin bread with all the fixings. In fall and winter, find freshly caught spiny lobster on the menu.

Bermuda’s renowned climate and soil quality create a perfect growing environment for a range of fruits and vegetables – from loquats to those onions Bermuda is famous for. Every season has a different harvest offering its own set of flavors. In winter, find hearty greens like broccoli and hard squashes like pumpkin. In spring months, loquats and suriname cherries are on the menu. Find bay grapes and paw paw in summer dishes and harvest fresh guava, spinach and turnips in the fall.

On weekend mornings, Bermudian breakfast plates tend to be piled high with steamed or boiled salt codfish. Served alongside it are potatoes, a hard-boiled egg, sliced bananas and, of course, onions. Sometimes you'll find it topped with avocado slices. Another Bermudian tradition to keep an eye out for: Hoppin' John, a savoury dish made from peas, rice and island seasonings.

When it comes to fish's presence in Bermudian cuisine, the codfish breakfast is just the start. Out here, you can, as some have already done, eat fish at every meal. Fish sandwiches loaded up with Bermuda onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, hot sauce and coleslaw are on the menu at popular lunch spots like Art Mel's Spicy Dicy. As for dinner, beloved seasonal favourites include spiny lobster in fall and winter and yellowfin tuna in sping and fall.

With so many locally grown fruits and spices on hand – not to mention varieties of rum – Bermuda was bound have tonnes of options for sweet tooths, be it for breakfast (malasadas, or Portuguese donuts), afternoon tea (cinnamon buns and other pastries from Sweet SAAK Bakery) or dessert (moist rum cake, banana fritters or Black Seal Rum chocolate mousse). Even old-world sweets like syllabub, an English dessert said to date back to Henry VIII's time, have a Bermudian twist; out here, they're served with mango or guava jam.

Two classic beverages were born in Bermuda – the Dark ‘n Stormy® and the Rum Swizzle. The first is a refreshing libation that layers dark rum – Gosling's Black Seal Rum, of course – atop an iced glass of ginger beer (Barritt's, made in Bermuda, is best), garnished with a wedge of lime. A sweeter option, the Rum Swizzle blends Black Seal Rum, amber rum and island fruit juices, which is finished off with a splash of falernum. Sample them in the place where they were first concocted. Learn more about Bermuda's Classic Cocktails.

Still thirsty? Stormies and swizzles are just the beginning. With so many delectable botanicals on island – and a truly innovative spirit that infuses life out here, creative craft cocktails are huge here. Get lost with a Bermuda Triangle, which blends three types of rum with orange and pineapple juices, at Mickey's Beach Bistro. Or, opt for a prickly pear martini – its namesake ingredient is grown on island – at Wahoo's Bistro. See more original cocktails made in Bermuda.

Few things are more suited for one another than a salty sea and an icy rum beverage, so it's no wonder cocktail cruises abound out here. See the awe-inspiring sights of Bermuda's Great Sound, swizzle (or champagne) in hand, during a sunset cruise. Learn about the island and its rum-making legacy during Gosling's rum-tasting cruise, a 90-minute sunset ride that's guaranteed to put you in the island spirit. Or, take in the dramatic coastal features of Harrington Sound during an evening cocktail cruise. Explore more enticing options with the Island Tour Centre.