Cayman’s Best…

Quick Lunches

The weekday lunch run is one of the busiest times of day as many of us leave work to grab a quick bite. Even though I tend to visit buffet and cafeteria-style restaurants most of the time, I ultimately visit restaurants that are as delicious and as they are efficient.
Here’s my list of #CaymansBest restaurants serving quick lunches that’ll get you fed and back to work in no time.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts is located on the side of A.L. Thompson’s and is known for their healthy meals, including Keto and vegetarian options. It is a cafeteria -style layout where diners can choose to have a daily soup, grab-and-go sandwiches, made-to-order meals or the daily buffet which include proteins, sides and sauces. They even post their menu on their social media pages and website the day before so you can plan ahead. I tend to go for their Mexican pulled pork tacos, as well as the roasted chicken breast with creamy mushroom sauce, French garlic green beans and roasted veggies.

Carnivore

Carnivore is a one-of-a-kind butcher shop offering high quality products to those who love to cook with fire, but they also have a tasty menu worth visiting during your lunch hour. As the name suggests this spot is purely for meat eaters with the lunch menu consisting mostly of sandwiches, including the Prime Time Burger and Tuscan Chicken Sandwich, and a handful of meaty salads and sides, such as the Brussels Caesar Salad and Street Corn Salad. Guests can also order from the ‘Hunt & Gather’ section where they choose a meat out of the butcher’s case for the Carnivore chefs to prepare with a side dish of your choice.

Chicken! Chicken!

If you follow my social media then it will be no surprise to you that Chicken! Chicken! made this list seeing as I visit it weekly. Their inexpensive prices, cafeteria-style service and large portions are a huge draw for many residents. They are known for their Caribbean wood-roasted chicken where diners can get a choice of leg & thigh, breast & wing or half chicken with two sides, corn bread and a delicious herb sauce for CI$8-11, respectively. They also have a limited choice of salads and wraps using rotisserie chicken, and they make an amazing spicy & boneless jerk chicken too. I tend to order jerk chicken or the rotisserie leg & thigh with spicy crisp vegetables, garlic & herb potatoes, rice & beans, sweet tarragon carrots or buttermilk mashed potatoes. Basically you can’t go wrong with the sides so mix them up and find your faves.

China Village

I’ve been going to China Village’s lunch buffet since my school days when I worked summer jobs and it’s still just as convenient and tasty as before. China Village doesn’t have the most active social media accounts so calling them to find out what’s on the buffet menu is encouraged since it changes daily. I can tell you that you can always expect fried rice, steamed rice, lo mein and steamed veggies to be there, but the proteins change regularly and can include roasted pork, sweet & spicy chicken and pepper steak. The meals are inexpensive, filling and hit the spot if you are looking for a quick Asian inspired lunch.

Island Taste

Island Taste is a favourite lunch spot in Cayman for their cafeteria-style selection of Caymanian and Caribbean food. It gets pretty busy from 12pm onwards, but the line moves fairly quickly. The menu changes daily and can be found on their website and social media pages and it should be noted that it’s a takeout-only restaurant with no seating. I am a huge fan of their Cayman Style Beef and Salt Beef & Beans with a side of rice & beans, coleslaw/ potato salad and fried plantain, so I tend to visit on Tuesdays & Thursdays respectively. If you don’t want a plate full of Caribbean food then head straight to the cash register and get a sausage roll or patty for less than $2!

Supermarkets

A popular lunch option for those who work near them are supermarkets because there is so much choice nowadays. The most popular supermarkets for lunch include Hurley’s, Foster’s Bay Market and Kirk Market. Hurley’s did a revamp of their supermarket in 2019 that extended their current hot lunch area and added stations for pizza, sushi, paninis and even burritos. They also added an indoor seating area by the checkout for anyone who wants somewhere to comfortably dine. The newly built Foster’s Bay Market in Camana Bay is absolutely massive and has the largest selection of stalls with multiple self- serving buffets that change daily, as well as an area for pizza, pasta, sushi, sandwiches and much more. You can also dine in their outdoor seating area after you checkout. Lastly, there’s Kirk Market which is known as a high quality supermarket and features a variety of cuisines at their buffet each day including Caribbean and international favourites and an area to build your own salads and sandwiches. Click the links above to visit each supermarket’s website and learn more about their daily offerings.

Pico Taqueria

If you are feeling for some grab & go Mexican-inspired cuisine then you’ll need to visit Pico Taqueria in the Technology Centre. They offer the Mexican classics of tacos, burritos and nachos, as well as healthier options that include the salad bowl and burrito rice bowl. As you move along the line you have to choose one of their proteins (chicken, carne asada, pork carnitas, beef barbacoa, sweet potato or shrimp) then add on a selection of toppings including black beans, cheese, pico de gallo, pickled onions, guacamole and crema. It’s been busy every time I go after 12pm so be prepared for a little wait, but the price point and flavours make it worth it. I tend to go with the healthier option by ordering the salad bowl and topping it with grilled chicken, black beans, cheese, charred corn pico de gallo, pickled red onions and the chipotle crema. If you want a quick snack I suggest ordering a side of tortilla chips with their signature queso, guacamole or pico de gallo.

The Market & The Caboose

The Brasserie in Cricket Square has established itself as a Caribbean fine dining restaurant, but the area is always buzzing at lunchtime for two of their more casual branches, The Market & The Caboose. If you are craving a freshly made salad with toppings galore, tasty soups, hot lunches or custom-made sandwiches then you need to head into The Market. The specials on soups, sandwiches and hot lunches change daily so you can always expect something new. On the other hand, if you are looking for a hearty meal then you’ll love The Caboose for their smokehouse meats, sides and corn bread. It’s not only for us carnivores as vegetarians can choose to have the BBQ tofu and a bowl of their veggie-focused sides. I tend to order their juicy brisket (you can ask for a less fatty piece if preferred) with the classic Tangy BBQ sauce, pulled pork with the vinegar-based Carolina BBQ sauce and I always mix up my sides, with some of my favourites being the beet & star fruit salad, rice & beans, marinated greens and baked beans. Learn more about The Brasserie by visiting their page in my George Town District Guide.