For all of the epicureans and foodies hoping to escape the cold this winter, look no further than the idyllic island of Martinique. Located in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean Sea, Martinique is an ideal warm weather destination welcoming tourists with open arms to experience their unique Creole cuisine made with a French flair. Martinique is an island filled with a rich and unique culinary culture that is worth exploring on and off the resort. Infusing French cooking styles with Creole flavours; traditional local foods showcase the hybridity of the diverse culinary landscape on the island.
Hidden in Pointe Thalémont au François, Le Plein Soleil is a stunning 3-star hotel with a view of the Baie de François. A local gem, this boutique hotel is colourfully decorated and has an exquisite onsite restaurant led by Chef Nathanaël Ducteil. Mixing together French and Caribbean cuisine, this refined menu offers guest with a chic interpretation of traditional dishes.
For the more contemporary traveller, venture over to Les Trois-Ilets to experience La Suite Villa, a trendy 5-star hotel perched on top of a hill that overlooks Martinique’s capital Ford de France. Each room has been designed to satisfy your sweet tooth filled with playful décor items inspired by candy and French confectionary items. The onsite restaurant, Le Zandoli, menu was designed by their chef Ivan Duchene who experiments and reinvents traditional Creole dishes with his own French flair made with only the finest local and fresh ingredients.
But for those looking to experience the true taste of Martinique, venture off the resort to explore the island and dine like a local. Located on the northwest tip of the island in Le Prêcheur, under the direction of Thierry Dasini Lari Z’Abime has been able to keep traditional creole dishes alive in Martinique creating a menu filled with local sourced flavours.
Hop on over the Atlantic coast along the northeast side of the island to try traditional Creole cuisine at Restaurant Le Point de Vue in Sainte-Marie. This cozy beachfront restaurant serves up generous portions of such local favourites as Chicken Colombo, Conch Stew and locally grilled fish like snapper at an affordable price with an unparalleled view of the ocean.
Want to learn how to make all of the delicious dishes yourself? Pay a visit to Les Ateliers Médélices to learn how to cook with local ingredients and create authentic creole dish from scratch.
All images were taken by the author with the Nikon 1 J5 and are copyrighted for use only in this article.
