Isle of Man Food and Drink

Food on the Isle of Man is generally good, with the emphasis on a blend of seafood and local game. As the emphasis shifts to better quality, sustainability, organic and local food, the Isle of Man has started to garner a bit of a foodie reputation for itself; there’s even an annual Food & Drink Festival celebrating the quality and variety of local produce.

 With its rolling hills, fertile land and clear, clean surrounding seas there is much to choose from and all of it packs a flavour punch. Most farms sell garden produce such as milk and eggs, whilst there are a number of grocers, fishmongers, butchers and farmers markets around the island specialising in local fare. Alternatively stop at a country pub, quayside café or fine restaurant to enjoy the rich pickings.

 The island has a host of its own local products and ingredients to show off, from local bread, flour, full-flavoured cheeses and luscious lamb to 60 flavours of creamy, rich Manx ice cream. The same people who make the ice cream, Davisons, are also responsible for producing delicious local chocolates. Another local favourite is bonnag, a type of crumbly, fruity cake not dissimilar to a scone.

Perhaps the island’s most famous food though is the Manx kipper, which has been a tradition since the late 1800s; herrings are caught locally in the Irish Sea, then cut, salted and smoked with oak chips to give them a unique flavour. Smoked salmon is a speciality here as well. Look out too for Manx Queenies, queen scallops served with a white or cheese sauce. Crab and lobster are commercially fished. Cod, ling and mackerel are often fished for the table and freshwater trout and salmon can be taken from the local rivers and lakes.