If you’re making your way from Betty’s Hope to the west coast of the island, be sure to stop at Colesome Farmers Market, where Deire Cole and his family have grown five bountiful acres of produce, fruits, and spices that includes cassava, soursop, passionfruit, bok choy, and much more. A small store on site sells many of these items alongside a number of pickled, spiced, and naturally-sweetened syrups, jams, and hot sauces that make good souvenirs.
For a bit of shopping, Redcliffe Quay is a collection of stores and restaurants that overlook the harbor of St. John’s, one of the oldest parts of Antigua. Enjoy a glass of wine at C & C Wine House, which focuses on South African producers, and shop at Rasta Pasta, an Afro-Caribbean crafts store selling jewelry and handmade bags.
Then there’s Antigua’s famed beaches: shrouded in palms and dotted with coves where white stretches of sand meet glowing blue waters. To really see the shoreline come alive, visit in late April and early May during Antigua Sailing Week—one of the world’s biggest racing regattas.
Where to eat in Antigua
Traditional Antiguan foods include the national dish, fungee (pronounced “foon-jee”), which is made of cornmeal and okra (similar to Italian polenta), and pepperpot, a thick stew made of meat, yams, cassava, and other spices. Saltfish and “chop up,” a mash of boiled vegetables like callaloo and okra, is often served for breakfast alongside “bun and cheese,” a raisin bread that’s sliced open and buttered with soft cheese.
At Half Moon Bay, one of the island’s most popular beaches, grab a table at Smiling Harry’s for laid-back vibes and Antiguan foods like curry goat and ducana—a sweet potato dumpling that’s similar in appearance to a tamale.
For a bit of the French Riviera in the heart of the Caribbean, Catherine’s Cafe in Pigeon Point offers oceanside dining in an open-air space that includes reservable cabana beds. On Sundays, bubbly and cocktails flow for the popular brunch, and small bites include beetroot falafel, blistered plantain, and escargots in garlic butter.
At Sheer Rocks, dine cliffside above the ultramarine waters of Fryes Beach with a tapas-style lunch and a tasting menu that offers bites of crispy fried octopus, roasted artichokes, and smoked beef brisket. Wherever you choose to eat, be sure to try the local hot sauce, a condiment the island takes so seriously that there’s an annual hot sauce competition here.
