Vegetarian/Vegan Dining in Trinidad & Tobago

Hi All,
My first dining vacation review is regarding my July 4th week vacation in Trinidad & Tobago.
As everyone is well aware, the Carribean islands are known for cuisine that includes primarily fish and other forms of seafood and lots of pork. However, I was able to find some delicious vegan food on my journey!

These islands have their own local favorites, not known in the USA. I tried each of the following:

1. Callaloo Soup - Callaloo is a green, leafy vegetable similar to Spinach. It is made in a soup with squash and potato. Its a wonderful part of an everyday lunch.

2. Dasheen - This is the root of the callaloo plant. It is cut and cooked much like boiled potato.

3. Roti - A percentage of Trinidad's population is of Indian decent. Roti is a West Indian bread which they fill with chickpeas. It can be filled with various type of curries such as chickpea.

4. Doubles - These are mini-bread sandwiches filled with curried channa(chickpeas), mango and delicious hot pepper. They are eaten in between wax paper.

5. Dirty Rice - Veggie rice with beans.

6. Corn Soup - Corn kernels and juices with local spices.

7. Bake N' Veggie - Fried bread filled with raw veggies and whatever topping you choose such as tamarind, mustard, hot sauce.

There are several popular beverages on the island. Sorrel is a fruitlike drink derived from the Hibiscus plant. Coconut juice is also popular.

The Doubles and roti are found not only in restaurants but at streetside vendors and even at the airport. My first double was purchased right outside the Port Of Spain airport and it was so delicious I went back for seconds! A good breakfast choice.

Corn Soup can be found at local stands along the road and touristy areas even on weekends. Bake N Veggie can be found in town and on the road. I purchased mine at one of the many shack vendors on Maracas Beach in northern Trinidad.

Trinidad's capital Port Of Spain has a wonderful vegetarian/vegan cafe type restaurant called Mother Nature. They serve many of the items I describe above. I really enjoyed the delicious meal.

With the African and Indian history on the island, there are many dining choices for vegans and vegetarians.

While more laid-back, scenic Tobago does not offer much in terms of vegetarian/vegan dining, there are a few choices. I ate at the nice Kariwak Village under a thatched roof, partially al-fresco environment. They have buffets on weekends with plenty of vegetables, breads, beans, rice, and fruit juices. For vegan, the staff is friendly & knowledgeable and can tell you which items are made with oil instead of butter/cream/cheese. In my visit, all the veggie items were vegan. There is also a Middle Eastern cafe that serves vegan falafel, hummus and other items.

On Trinidad, I highly recommend a city tour of Port Of Spain including a visit to Maracas Beach, the fort overlooking the city, the Magnificent 7 Mansion Buildings, and a swamp Boat Tour to Caroni Bird Sanctuary to see the Ibis birds.

On Tobago, I recommend an island Tour to see Englishman's Bay and all the other coastal beaches. Another must-see is a glass-bottom boat ride to dive in the aquamarine waters and see the coral and multi-color fish. Finally, make a stop to the rainforest and Argyle Waterfalls to take a dip.

My trip was a wonderful adventure in history partaking in gorgeous scenery and indulging in delicious vegan local food!

I hope you get to experience this my fellow vegetarian and vegan world trekkers! :)