Caribbean flavours on the Greens!

January 8, 2017

The Queen’s Park Savannah remains the premier destination for authentic street food in Trinidad and Tobago, specifically within the designated gastronomic hub known as the Greens. This open-air food court serves as a central repository for the nation’s culinary heritage, offering a diverse array of traditional delicacies such as pholourie, boiled corn, and bake and shark.

While the landscape of Port-of-Spain has evolved with the introduction of modern architecture like the National Academy for the Performing Arts, the Greens maintains its cultural relevance as a communal space for families and food enthusiasts.

The transition from scattered vendors to a consolidated market has improved accessibility for locals and tourists seeking genuine Caribbean flavours in a safe, vibrant environment. This article explores the enduring appeal of the Greens, the variety of indigenous dishes available, and its significance as a social institution in Trinidadian life.

Key Takeaways

The Greens serves as a consolidated hub for traditional Trinidadian street food at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
Local vendors offer a wide range of Caribbean classics including pholourie, jerk meats, and hot sada roti.
The area functions as a safe communal space for families to enjoy leisure activities and outdoor dining.
Historical continuity is preserved through the availability of nostalgic treats like sno-cones and artisanal ice cream.
Modern infrastructure developments have not diminished the cultural or gastronomic significance of this Port-of-Spain landmark.

A culinary landmark in Port-of-Spain

By Nerissa Hosein. As a child growing up one of my best memories is going around the Queen’s Park Savannah with my parents and my grandparents. Almost every Saturday evening after my grandfather came home from work he would take us all for boiled corn and pholourie on the Greens. Sometimes we’d be lucky enough if the Coney Island was in Port of Spain also and we’d get to go on the Ferris wheel or the scrambler. It was so much fun!

Nowadays, the Coney Island is no more, the National Academy for the Performing Arts building has taken the spot where the Ferris wheel once rested. But I can still go to the Greens and get my boiled corn and pholourie. At least some things never change.

The Greens a Trini food haven

Although we don’t go every weekend, I go as often as I can because I still love the vibe there. The vendors are no longer scattered around the Queen’s Park Savannah but now placed in one part which makes it a lot more convenient this is the area known as the Greens. It’s a Trini Food Haven. No longer only boiled corn and pholourie, you can now get all the Caribbean classics like jerk food, bake and shark, hot sada roti, gyros, BBQ and many other local flavours.

Drive down any Saturday or Sunday afternoon after 6.00 and the place is packed with people. They come for the food, to enjoy the fresh air, to let their kids run around the grass, or ride their bikes and skateboards, while some adults just grab a pull-out chair and enjoy the night’s activities.

The flavours are still all there. If you’re lucky you can even catch the sno-cone vendor out. It reminds me so much of long time days. I still love my pholourie the best. My kids love the ice cream and they love being able to run around and kick their ball. I admit I love the ice cream too because you can surely go and get the old time flavours like peanut and Guinness.

It’s one of the few places in Trinidad that has stayed relatively safe and convenient for all types of people to go and have fun.

April 2016 – Issue 21 www.sweettntmagazine.com

Centralised street food hub at the Queen’s Park Savannah

The transition of the Queen’s Park Savannah from a scattered collection of roadside stalls to the organised collective known as the Greens represents a significant evolution in Port of Spain’s urban culinary landscape. Historically, vendors operated independently around the vast perimeter of the world’s largest roundabout, requiring patrons to navigate heavy traffic to sample different delicacies.

By consolidating these micro-entrepreneurs into a single designated zone, the city has created a streamlined gastronomic destination that enhances the consumer experience without sacrificing the authenticity of the street food culture. This centralisation facilitates easier access for both local families and international tourists, providing a one-stop location to experience the breadth of Trinidadian cuisine.

Diversity of traditional Caribbean classics

The Greens serves as a living menu of the multicultural heritage that defines the Trinidadian palate, offering an extensive range of indigenous dishes. While traditional staples like pholourie, seasoned split pea dough balls served with spicy chutneys, and boiled corn remain foundational, the variety has expanded to include a wider Caribbean repertoire.

Patrons can access jerk meats reflecting Jamaican influence, alongside local favourites such as bake and shark, hot sada roti, and charcoal-grilled BBQ. This culinary diversity ensures that the Greens remains a relevant destination for food enthusiasts seeking high-quality, authentic flavours that are prepared using traditional methods and fresh, local ingredients.

Communal spaces and family leisure activities

Beyond its function as a food court, the Greens operates as a vital social institution and a rare safe haven for communal interaction in a modern urban environment. The open grassy expanses provide a necessary lung for the city, where families gather to engage in recreational activities such as cycling, skateboarding, and football.

The atmosphere is characterised by a sense of security and inclusivity, allowing parents to relax while children play in a supervised yet free-spirited setting. This dual utility as both a dining hub and a recreational park reinforces the Greens’ status as a cornerstone of Trinidadian lifestyle, bridging the gap between commerce and community well-being.

Preservation of heritage through nostalgic flavours

In an era of rapid globalisation and the proliferation of international fast-food chains, the Greens remains a bastion for nostalgic Caribbean treats that evoke a sense of national identity. Vendors continue to provide artisanal products that are increasingly difficult to find elsewhere, such as hand-cranked ice cream featuring uniquely local flavours like peanut and Guinness.

The presence of the traditional sno-cone vendor, complete with a variety of syrups and condensed milk, serves as a sensory link to the past for older generations while introducing these cultural markers to the youth. These offerings ensure that the collective memory of the nation is preserved through its taste buds, maintaining a connection to simpler times.

Cultural resilience amidst modern infrastructure

The physical landscape of Port of Spain has undergone significant changes, most notably with the construction of the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) on grounds once occupied by seasonal attractions like the Ferris wheel. However, the cultural weight of the Greens has proved resilient against this encroaching modernisation.

While the “Coney Island” amusement park may have faded into history, the fundamental ritual of visiting the Savannah for street food remains unshaken. This endurance highlights the importance of the Greens as a permanent fixture in the cultural psyche of Trinidad and Tobago, proving that while the city’s skyline may transform, its essential culinary and social traditions remain steadfast.