This information is a part of a mini sequence devoted to spotlighting Black historical past and tradition in locations across the globe, and one of the best methods to expertise them the following time you go to.
Barbados is named one of many Caribbean’s most picturesque gems—and it has a connection to the USA that many individuals won’t know. About one half of all of the earliest enslaved African laborers despatched to South Carolina arrived through Barbados, as a substitute of instantly from West Africa, in accordance with The Lowcountry Digital Historical past Initiative.
That shut hyperlink between Barbados and the state of South Carolina drew Martinique Lewis to this island nation of 281,000 nestled within the jap Caribbean. Lewis is a range in journey guide and the president of the Black Journey Alliance, a non-profit that encourages range and fairness within the tourism house, and hosts the TV present Black Journey Throughout America, which is able to premiere this month on Nationwide Geographic.
“Barbados was eye-opening due to its direct relationship between Black individuals who have been introduced [there] from Africa, and Black People,” she says.
Barbados holds a particular piece of Lewis’s coronary heart—actually: She met her boyfriend there throughout a earlier journey to the island. Listed below are a few of her suggestions on what to eat, one of the best issues to do, and the place to remain for a Black historical past expertise in Barbados.
The place to eat in Barbados
Vacationers headed to Barbados can anticipate to see numerous seafood on the menu, and lots of of Lewis’s Black-owned eating suggestions are based mostly on her love of seafood. The Seafood Shack, positioned alongside Worthing Seaside, shouldn’t disappoint vacationers searching for recent, regionally sourced seafood. The restaurant affords a myriad of dishes, from a build-your-own seafood broil to salmon bites to lobster tails.
At Cuz’s Fish Shack the menu is straightforward, consisting of sandwiches often known as cutters. Although these are pretty easy—freshly grilled fish with cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a Hawaiian roll—Lewis describes them as “probably the greatest fish sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life.” Whereas the shack is positioned in a preferred vacationer space between resorts, it’s an eatery for which locals and foreigners alike head to the seashore space after they’re hungry.
North of Bridgetown, Chef Michael Hines X West Bar and Restaurant is a trendy possibility for anybody staying on the west coast. Situated at Lime Grove Way of life heart, Chef Michael’s idea is ideal for foodies and people who desire a luxurious expertise with tasty meals and drinks, from burgers and fritters to a rack of lamb, hen curry, and salmon.
And no journey to Barbados is full with out a cease at Champers Restaurant, a seafood spot on Rockley Seaside with panoramic views of the ocean. Seize a seat on the outside terrace, or inside within the eating room, which options an artwork gallery with native and Caribbean artists. Signature dishes embody shrimp and fish pasta, Cajun Atlantic Salmon, and barracuda.
The place to remain
Tourism investments in Barbados have seen an inflow of U.S. resort chains in shut proximity to one another in Bridgetown, the island’s capital metropolis. Vacationers looking for a vibe that doesn’t really feel like a sequence resort might take into account Sundown Lane, a small apartment-style resort positioned only a stone’s throw from the seashore—and the place Lewis herself stays throughout journeys to the island.
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