Where to eat in Grenada: oil down, nutmeg and the Spice Isle table

Grenada is the Spice Isle, and the spices are not a gimmick: the island grows a large share of the world’s nutmeg, along with cocoa, cinnamon and cloves, and they run right through the cooking. The food is hearty, one-pot and built on what the land gives.

What to order

Oil down is the national dish and the one to chase, a big one-pot of breadfruit, salted meat, dumplings, callaloo and vegetables simmered in coconut milk with turmeric and spice until the liquid cooks down to an oil at the bottom of the pot. It is a whole meal, and often a communal one. Around it, look for fresh seafood, callaloo, provisions and cocoa tea made from the local beans. Grenada’s spiced rum and its fine chocolate turn up at the end.

The kitchens

Before you go

Oil down takes hours and is often made for a crowd, so it is worth asking ahead. The number on each page is the restaurant’s own.