The Dishes You Might Be Served For Breakfast In Jamaica

While some breakfasts from around the world may look similar to what you see on American plates, Jamaican cuisine draws influences from Africa, Britain, and Spain while incorporating the best Caribbean ingredients, making for unique and delicious fare. Much of what is eaten for breakfast on this island is hot, despite the tropical climate, and can be eaten at any time of day, with dinner being just as important as the meal served in the morning. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options that utilize fresh vegetables and fruit, as well as pescatarian dishes, due to Jamaica being in the middle of the Caribbean sea.

In fact, the country's national dish and most popular breakfast choice is a pescatarian one: ackee and saltfish, which is salted cod tossed with a savory, creamy fruit resembling scrambled eggs and often served with onions, scallions, bell peppers, and Scotch bonnet chiles. Saltfish can also be combined with vegetables and fried to form a fritter. Callaloo, a spinach-like, leafy green vegetable, is a popular pairing with these dishes. Another hearty choice for a main course is porridge, which can be made from cornmeal, hominy, oats, plantains, or even peanuts. Cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and milk (or coconut milk if you want to keep it dairy-free) add extra flavor and creaminess. 

Whether you're on the island dining at one of its 13 best restaurants, or an adventurous home cook who wants to make one of these 25 Jamaican dishes you have to try, there are a few side dishes that shouldn't be skipped. To offset the saltiness of the fish, banana or plantain fritters are a sweet choice. Breadfruit is a tropical fruit that, when roasted, tastes like a mix of bread and potato, and cassava is a root vegetable that is steamed to create a healthy alternative to bread called a Jamaican bammy. Actual bread options are available, too, such as fried dumplings, which are buttery; Jamaican festival, which is a sweeter dumpling; and bulla cake, a sweet, spiced treat with flavors of molasses and ginger. 

For healthier sweet options, tropical fruit like guava, mango, papaya, pineapple, and pomegranate all grow on the island and make for an energizing start to the day whether they're served on a plate, juiced, or in a smoothie. Just like Jamaican food, drinks tend to be served hot as well. Other popular breakfast beverages include Blue Mountain coffee, which comes from a specific region in the Blue Mountain range between 3,000 and 5,500 feet (which has cooler temperatures and daily rain), and cocoa tea, which blends nutmeg, cinnamon, and cacao, and makes for a wonderful holiday drink.