Bahamian cuisine and culture walking tour

On this guided walking tour, you’ll spend a morning or afternoon exploring the historic districts of Nassau, while trying a variety of Bahamian delicacies. Your guide will take you from the tree-lined avenues of downtown Nassau, past the pastel-painted Georgian architecture and artisanal boutiques, to quieter, residential districts where visitors rarely wander.

As you explore, your knowledgeable guide will explain the history behind The Bahamas’ only city, from the 18th-century pirates who hid here to its place in the American Civil War and the previously enslaved Africans who settled here.

Each culinary stop has been picked to showcase some of the best family-owned restaurants, street-side eateries and local producers. You’ll have the opportunity to meet the chefs themselves and sample a range of island delicacies, from dense, buttery rum cake and artisanal chocolate to conch salad — the Bahamian national dish.

At the end of your tour, you’ll receive some recipes to try at home, as well as some local recommendations for restaurants and cafés you might like to try during your stay on the island.

You’ll meet your guide in Rawson Square in downtown Nassau, a public space dotted with commemorative statues and fountains. Then, as part of a small group, you’ll take a guided walk past the boutiques and shopping malls of Bay Street and the pastel-pink Georgian parliament buildings.

Over the next three hours, you’ll visit a variety of locally owned eateries that are specialists in authentic, Bahamian dishes and produce. There’ll be time to meet the chefs and producers who’ve prepared the samples you’ll taste, many of whom will share their recipes and cooking tips.

Fresh seafood is an important part of island cuisine, and you can sample conch salad, the national dish. A particularly welcome treat on a hot day; peppers, onion, tomato and conch meat are marinaded in a zingy citrus marinade. As conch is one of the most popular local ingredients, you might also get to sample it prepared in a variety of alternative ways, including fried in a crispy, spiced batter.

You’ll also have an opportunity to try pigeon peas and rice, a staple dish served alongside almost every meal, and traditional steamed chicken. For dessert, buttery rum cake drizzled with a thick rum sauce is made to secret family recipes across the city. To finish, you’ll meet an artisan chocolatier who makes fair trade chocolates from local produce.

As you walk around the city, your guide will share their local knowledge on restaurants, cafés, music venues and other highlights to help you get your bearings for your stay in Nassau.