As part of my ongoing quest to try every single food stall on Cambridge Market, I recently found myself checking out The Caribbean Barn.

Operating every Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, they bring a taste of the island sun to the square. On this visit, I decided to tackle something truly original and something that should interest every foodie in Cambridge – a Caribbean Sunday Roast!

But what is a Caribbean Sunday roast? Essentially it is your classic British style roast dinner but with jerk chicken and a few other little Caribbean surprises, adding some real zing to what can sometimes feel like a rather common dining experience.

Now, I’ll be honest: at £15.00, I initially thought it was a bit steep for food served out of a market stall, especially when you consider that overheads aren’t quite the same as a brick-and-mortar restaurant. But when it was handed over, I was genuinely surprised by just how much food they manage to pack into one box. It is a proper, hefty portion that certainly left me full.

Jerked Roast

The real headline act was the jerk chicken. You get a leg and a thigh, and it was cooked absolutely beautifully – juicy and tender without falling to bits (which would be a total nightmare eating it in the market). The chicken had a gentle, spicy warmth – not enough to blow your head off, but more than enough to keep the jerk seasoning exciting and accessible for everyone. It is the kind of crowd-pleasing heat that hits the sweet spot, and it worked so well smothered in a thick onion gravy.

The roast potatoes were lovely and crispy, coming in at a decent size. The rice and beans added a second carb option to the meal; they were a really nice touch, though didn’t work quite as well once mixed with the gravy, turning them a wee bit stodgy. The beans worked well and added tasty pops to my fork.

The box also comes packed with roasted carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower, all well-cooked and chopped into small, manageable pieces to help cram everything in. The gravy pulls the entire box together, bridging the gap between traditional British comfort food and Caribbean flavour. It shouldn’t work on paper, but it really does.

Eating a full roast dinner on the go is a bit of a surreal experience, and it’s not something I think I’ve ever done before. I’d definitely recommend grabbing a seat rather than trying to balance it while walking. Now, I’ll be frank – the stall’s immediate seating area needs a bit of work, and on a sunny day, it seems particularly popular with the local wasps 🤣. You are much better off taking your box over to the steps outside the Guildhall or snagging one of the benches on St Mary’s Street to eat in peace.

To wash it all down, I had a fresh mango juice. It was wonderfully vibrant, naturally sweet, and provided that perfect fruity, refreshing lift to cut through the rich gravy and heat of the jerk seasoning. This is just what I needed while sitting in the sun at the market.

A Sunday roast like no other!

The team running the stall are super friendly and clearly passionate about what they are serving up. It is brutally tough to stand out among the stiff competition on Cambridge Market, but a Caribbean Sunday roast is a genuinely unique concept that is both original and well-executed.

During a heatwave, a standard Sunday roast is usually the last thing on anyone’s mind, but adding a bit of Caribbean spice suddenly turns it into a must-try. If you find yourself in a bit of a roast dinner rut, this one is well worth checking out.

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Thanks for reading!