Bermuda's food is a small, distinctive island cuisine with British, Portuguese, West Indian and North American roots, and three things everyone should try: a bowl of fish chowder laced with black rum and sherry peppers, a fried fish sandwich on raisin bread, and a rum swizzle. This Bermuda food guide covers the Bermudian dishes to order, the local menu terms, how gratuities and the Bermuda dollar work, then goes area by area through where to eat in Hamilton, St George's, the Royal Naval Dockyard, the South Shore beaches, and Flatts and Bailey's Bay. Bermuda is expensive, but it rewards those who eat the local food: the best fish sandwich on the island usually comes from a takeaway counter, not a dining room.
What to eat in Bermuda: 12 dishes to know
Traditional Bermudian cooking is built on local fish, salt cod, onions, potatoes, cassava and pumpkin, with a fondness for rum and pepper. Many dishes are tied to a day of the year. These are the ones worth seeking out.
- Bermuda fish chowder: a dark, rich, tomato-based soup of local fish and vegetables, seasoned with spices. At the table you add a splash of black rum and a few drops of sherry peppers, a sauce of sherry steeped with hot peppers. It is often called the national dish.
- Fish sandwich: fried wahoo, snapper or rockfish on toasted raisin bread with coleslaw, tartare sauce, hot sauce and sometimes cheese. The raisin bread is the Bermudian touch, and arguments over the best fish sandwich are a national pastime.
- Codfish and potatoes: the traditional Sunday breakfast of boiled salt cod and potatoes, topped with a tomato and onion sauce or a butter sauce, and served with sliced banana, avocado and boiled egg.
- Fishcakes on hot cross buns: salt cod and potato cakes eaten in a sweet hot cross bun on Good Friday, when Bermudians also fly kites.
- Cassava pie: a dense, sweet, golden cake of grated cassava with eggs, butter and sugar, layered with chicken or pork. It is the Christmas dish.
- Wahoo and rockfish: the two most prized local fish, grilled, pan-fried or blackened as steaks. Wahoo is firm and mild; rockfish is a meaty, white-fleshed grouper.
- Bermuda spiny lobster: local lobster in season from September to March, grilled or served in the shell. Outside the season, lobster on menus is imported.
- Hoppin' John and peas and plenty: black-eyed peas and rice cooked together, and a stew of black-eyed peas with onion, salt pork and dumplings, both home-style comfort food.
- Mussel pie and shark hash: two old Bermudian dishes now harder to find. Mussel pie is a spiced, sometimes curried pastry pie of local mussels and potatoes; shark hash is minced shark cooked with spices and served on toast.
- Portuguese sweet bread and malasadas: Bermuda has a large Portuguese community, with roots in the Azores, and bakeries sell sweet bread and fried malasada doughnuts, especially on Shrove Tuesday.
- Bermuda onions and loquats: the island was once famous for exporting sweet onions, and Bermudians are still nicknamed "Onions". Loquats, a small orange fruit, ripen in late winter and are made into jams and liqueur.
- Rum swizzle: the national drink, made with dark and gold rum, fruit juices, falernum and bitters, often served by the pitcher. Bermuda's other famous drink is black rum with ginger beer.
How to read a menu in Bermuda
English is Bermuda's language and every menu is in English, with a British flavour in places. These are the Bermudian dishes and terms you will meet.
| Bermudian term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Fish chowder | Dark, spiced tomato and fish soup, not a creamy chowder |
| Sherry peppers | Sherry infused with hot peppers, added to chowder at the table |
| Black rum | Bermuda's dark rum, also added to chowder |
| Fish sandwich | Fried fish on raisin bread with coleslaw and tartare |
| Codfish breakfast | Salt cod and potatoes with sauce, banana, avocado and egg |
| Wahoo | A firm, mild local fish, often grilled |
| Rockfish | A local grouper with meaty white flesh |
| Cassava pie | Sweet cassava cake layered with chicken or pork |
| Hoppin' John | Black-eyed peas and rice cooked together |
| Johnny bread | A simple pan-cooked bread, served with fish |
| Rum swizzle | Rum and fruit juice cocktail, often by the pitcher |
| Catch of the day | Today's local fish, usually wahoo, rockfish or snapper |
| Gratuity included | A service charge has already been added to the bill |
| BD$ / US$ | Bermuda dollars or US dollars, used side by side |
Bermuda's fish chowder is not the cream-based soup a North American visitor might expect, and the gratuity is usually already on the bill. swap.menu explains Bermudian dishes when it reads the menu, converts prices from Bermuda or US dollars to your home currency and flags the gratuity line, so you do not tip twice.
Gratuities, prices and paying the bill
Bermuda has no sales tax or VAT added to restaurant bills. Instead, most restaurants add a gratuity, commonly 17 percent, to every bill, and it should be stated on the menu. If it is included, there is no need to tip more, though some people leave a little extra for outstanding service. If it is not, leave around 15 to 20 percent. Bars and takeaway counters usually do not add one. Our guide to tax and service charges on menus explains how these lines work around the world.
The currency is the Bermuda dollar (BD$, BMD), which is tied to the US dollar, and US notes are accepted almost everywhere. You may get change in a mix of Bermuda and US money. Bermuda dollars are not accepted outside the island, so spend them before you leave. Cards are accepted in nearly all restaurants, cafés and shops, though small takeaways and food trucks may prefer cash. If a card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, decline: our guide to paying in local currency explains why.
Bermuda is one of the most expensive places in the world to eat out, as nearly all food is imported. Lunch specials, takeaway fish sandwiches and pubs are the best value. Lunch is from about noon to 2:30pm and dinner from about 6:30pm to 10pm. Restaurants are busiest from May to October, and some reduce their hours in winter.
Where to eat in Bermuda, area by area
Bermuda is small, about 35 kilometres from end to end, and well served by buses and ferries. Most restaurants are in Hamilton, with others in the old town of St George's, at the Dockyard and along the South Shore. Jump to an area:
Where to eat in Hamilton
Hamilton, the capital, is a small city of pastel buildings and white roofs on a harbour, and it has the widest choice of restaurants in Bermuda. Front Street, facing the harbour, is lined with restaurants and British-style pubs with balconies, where you can eat fish chowder, fish and chips, wahoo steaks and shepherd's pie with a view of the ferries and yachts. The streets just behind, including Reid Street, Queen Street and Church Street, have cafés, bakeries and lunch counters busy with office workers.
For the classic Bermuda fish sandwich, look for takeaway counters and local diners in and around Hamilton, especially north of the centre, where locals line up at lunchtime. In summer, Hamilton has held street festivals on Front Street with local food stalls, music and Gombey dancers. Hamilton is also the best place for Bermuda's international dining, from Italian and Indian to sushi. Many Hamilton restaurants are busiest at weekday lunchtime, so book for dinner on Friday and Saturday.
Where to eat in St George's
St George's, at the eastern end of Bermuda, is one of the oldest English towns in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with narrow lanes, whitewashed limestone houses and old churches. Restaurants and pubs around King's Square and along Water Street on the harbour serve fish chowder, fish sandwiches, local fish and pub food, and on a sunny day the outdoor tables facing Ordnance Island are some of the most pleasant in Bermuda. St George's is quieter than Hamilton and feels more like a village.
Just outside town, Tobacco Bay has a beach bar serving snacks, swizzles and fish sandwiches, and nearby St David's, across the water, is a fishing community with a strong local identity where you can find traditional seafood dishes. On Sunday mornings, some places around St George's serve the codfish and potatoes breakfast. St George's is a scenic bus or ferry ride from Hamilton, and some restaurants close earlier in the evening than in the capital.
Where to eat at the Royal Naval Dockyard
The Royal Naval Dockyard, at the western tip of Bermuda, is a former British naval base turned into a visitor area with the National Museum of Bermuda, craft markets, shops and the main cruise ship terminal. Its old stone buildings now hold pubs, restaurants, cafés, an ice cream shop and a local brewery taproom, serving fish and chips, burgers, fish sandwiches, chowder and rum swizzles. On cruise ship days the Dockyard is very busy at lunchtime.
A short ride from the Dockyard, the quiet village of Somerset has a few local restaurants and waterfront spots around Mangrove Bay, and the parish of Sandys around it is good for a slower lunch away from the crowds. Ferries connect the Dockyard directly with Hamilton, which makes a lunch out west easy. If you are visiting from a ship, eat early or late to avoid the main rush.
Where to eat on the South Shore
Bermuda's South Shore, running through the parishes of Southampton, Warwick and Paget, is where the famous pink-sand beaches are, including Horseshoe Bay, Warwick Long Bay and Elbow Beach. Most South Shore dining is in the resorts and hotels along the coast, which range from beach grills to formal dining rooms with ocean views and menus built around wahoo, rockfish and local lobster in season. The beach cafés serve fish sandwiches, salads and cold drinks.
The South Shore is spread out, and there are fewer independent restaurants here than in Hamilton, so plan meals around where you are staying and the bus routes. For a cheaper lunch, pick up a fish sandwich or a plate from a takeaway in Hamilton or a local grocery deli and eat it on the beach. In summer, sunset dinners on the resort terraces book up quickly.
Where to eat in Flatts and Bailey's Bay
Flatts Village is a small waterfront village on the inlet that leads into Harrington Sound, home to the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo. It has a few restaurants and bars by the water, popular for fish chowder, local fish and sunset drinks, and it is a pleasant stop between Hamilton and St George's. The roads around Harrington Sound pass coves, docks and small restaurants serving seafood.
Further east, Bailey's Bay in Hamilton Parish is known for the Crystal Caves and for the rum swizzle, which a local pub here claims to have created. It is a good area for a swizzle, a fish sandwich and an ice cream from one of the parlours, and for a lunch break on the way to or from St George's. Both Flatts and Bailey's Bay are on the main bus route along the north shore.
Vegetarian, vegan and allergy tips
Bermuda's restaurants are used to visitors with dietary needs, and most menus in Hamilton and the resorts have vegetarian and vegan dishes, often labelled, as well as gluten-free options. Traditional Bermudian food is harder: fish chowder is made with fish stock, peas and plenty and hoppin' John often contain salt pork, and cassava pie is layered with meat. The word is simply vegetarian, and staff will usually check with the kitchen.
Fish is everywhere, and fried fish sandwiches may share oil with shellfish. Sherry peppers and black rum are added to chowder at the table, which matters if you avoid alcohol. Raisin bread contains wheat and sometimes egg. Our guide to eating abroad with food allergies explains how to make an allergy clear to kitchen staff, many of whom come to Bermuda from overseas.
Bermudian food terms and ordering phrases
Bermudians speak English with their own accent and slang, and good manners matter. These phrases help.
Good morning / Good afternoon Always greet before asking anything. In Bermuda it is considered rude to skip the greeting
Fish sandwich on raisin bread, please Ask for coleslaw, tartare, hot sauce or cheese as you like
Rum and sherry peppers with the chowder How Bermudians season fish chowder at the table
Is the gratuity included? Usually yes, commonly 17 percent
A pitcher of swizzle for the table Rum swizzles are often ordered by the jug
What's the catch today? Usually wahoo, rockfish or snapper
Onion A Bermudian, after the island's famous sweet onions
Ace boy / ace girl Bermudian slang for a best friend
How swap.menu helps you eat in Bermuda
Bermuda's menus are in English, but sherry peppers, hoppin' John, cassava pie and codfish breakfast need explaining, and with prices among the highest in the world it helps to know what you will pay. Photograph the menu with swap.menu and every dish is explained, prices are converted from Bermuda or US dollars to your home currency, and the gratuity line is flagged before the bill arrives. Menus you scan are saved, so you can compare restaurants on Front Street before you choose.
Visitors from Germany, Italy, Brazil, Japan or anywhere else can read the whole menu in their own language, in 29 languages, with the English name kept beside each dish, and add notes such as "no shellfish" for the kitchen. Try it now on a sample menu with the free demo, or see travel pass prices.
Off to Bermuda? Your first 3 menu scans are free, and a travel pass starts from $4.99 with nothing that renews.
Start free with 3 scansBermuda food FAQ
Do you tip in restaurants in Bermuda?
Most restaurants add a gratuity, commonly 17 percent, to the bill, so an extra tip is not needed. If no gratuity has been added, leave around 15 to 20 percent. There is no sales tax on restaurant bills.
What is the national dish of Bermuda?
Bermuda fish chowder, seasoned with black rum and sherry peppers, is usually called the national dish. The fish sandwich on raisin bread and the Sunday codfish and potatoes breakfast are just as loved.
Is Bermuda expensive to eat out?
Yes, Bermuda is one of the most expensive places in the world to eat out, because almost all food is imported. Takeaway fish sandwiches, pub lunches and lunch specials are the best value.
Can I use US dollars in Bermuda?
Yes. The Bermuda dollar is tied to the US dollar and US notes are accepted almost everywhere. Change may come in Bermuda dollars, which you cannot use outside the island.
Is tap water safe to drink in Bermuda?
Hotels and restaurants serve treated water that is safe to drink. Many homes collect rainwater from their white stepped roofs into tanks, so if you are staying in a private rental, ask whether the water is filtered, or drink bottled.
How can I understand Bermudian menus and prices?
Learn a few dishes such as fish chowder, codfish breakfast and cassava pie, and remember that most bills include a gratuity. Or photograph the menu with swap.menu, which explains every dish, converts prices to your currency and flags the gratuity.
Travelling further? Read our food guides for nearby destinations:
- United States food guide
- Canada food guide
- Bahamas food guide
- Turks and Caicos food guide
- United Kingdom food guide
- Portugal food guide
Or browse every travel food guide.
