Haitian foods reflect the influences of Africa and France. The cuisine, like the language, is Creole in nature, blending these influences. Foods are simple and based on what is available in the tropics, with spice and a history rooted in African origins and complex French flavors. Some authentic Haitian dishes to try are as follows.

1. Poulet Aux Noix
Poulet Aux Noix (or chicken with cashews) is a specialty of northern Haiti. The chicken is cooked in a tomato-based sauce that includes cashew nuts. The town of Cap-Haitien is a center for this local dish.

2. Mayi Moulen ak Sòs Pwa
Mayi Moulen ak Sòs Pwa, Poul an Sòs is the name for cornmeal cooked with beans and stewed chicken. Stews, in general, are a common dish in Haiti and usually served over cornmeal or rice. This particular hearty dish is flavored with sweet spices such as cloves and star anise that make Haitian cuisine memorable. Street food stands offer varieties of stew that are excellent and affordable.

3. Griyo
Griyo or fried pork is perfect for meat lovers. This traditional dish is typically served with cabbage salad or a spicy mix known as pikliz, which is made of onions and other vegetables that have been marinated in a vinegar sauce. This dish can be found at both high-end and casual restaurants throughout Haiti often accompanied by cold beer.

4. Lanbi an Sòs Lanbi Kreyol
Lanbi an Sòs Lanbi Kreyol is a dish of conch with creole sauce. Conch is common in Haiti and offers one of the most distinctly local items on restaurant menus. The conch may be grilled and cooked in a tomato-based sauce. A definite must-try for seafood lovers.

5. Tassot/Taso
Tassot/Taso is meat that has been spiced and dried, then fried. The dish frequently made from goat meat or beef, and it is served with a side of fried plantains. The specs make it especially tasty and popular with diners.

6. Mayi Moulen Kole ak Legim
Mayi Moulen Kole ak Legim is a dish of cornmeal, beans, and a vegetable stew. In the tradition of hearty Haitian stews, this vegetarian offering can also be found at street food stands. The consistency of the cornmeal is somewhere between polenta and cream of cornmeal. This dish is so popular in some sectors that diners must order it early before vendors run out.

7. Diri ak Fèy Lalo ak Sirik
Diri ak Fèy Lalo ak Sirik is a stew made of crab and a spinach-like green-leafed vegetable known as talo. It is a rich and hearty dish that is a specialty of Haiti’s rice-producing region of Artibonite

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