Delhi’s Caribbean summer at Latoya

This summer at Latoyá, the season arrives with smoky grills, tropical fruit, citrus-heavy plates, and a Caribbean-inspired menu designed to offer Delhi’s diners a brief escape from the relentless heatwave inside its cosy interiors and Latin American-inspired ambience.

All about Latoya’s new summer menu

The summer menu draws from the flavours and cooking techniques of Caribbean coastal cuisine while blending them with ingredients more familiar to Indian palates. “In summer, everyone wants freshness and aroma,” says sous chef Vinay Gupta. “Watermelon, melons, lemons, mangoes—these are the flavours people naturally crave for.”

Though Caribbean cuisine remains relatively uncommon in Delhi, Gupta says the overlap between Indian and Caribbean ingredients made the concept feel approachable. “Most of the ingredients, such as the use of poblano, serrano, habanero, pasilla, guajillo, and arbol chillies across the menu, are almost the same. Except the chillies,” he explains.  

The offerings open on a bright, refreshing note with the Mango, Avocado & Cucumber Salad—one of the chef’s personal favourites. Combining soft, buttery textures with crunchier elements like cucumber and arugula, the salad balances sweetness, creaminess, and saltiness through feta cheese and a raw mango-roasted cumin dressing. “Both mango and avocado are soft textures, so we wanted crunch from cucumber and arugula,” says the chef.

Smoke and char play a major role throughout the menu—a nod to Caribbean cooking traditions. “They are very fond of charred grilling and asada-style roasting,” Gupta explains. That influence appears strongly in dishes like the Jackfruit Barbacoa Tacos, where slow-cooked jackfruit delivers an unexpectedly meaty texture, topped with avocado crema and crispy pepitas, and served on house-made masa tortillas. The tortillas themselves involve a lengthy process where corn is soaked in alkaline water for nearly 24 hours before being ground into masa.

For those seeking something heartier, the Chicken A La Brasa arrives deeply seasoned and smoky, paired with fragrant lime rice, grilled vegetables, and aji verde—a green jalapeño-coriander sauce that feels reminiscent of a spicy green chutney.

Seafood lovers can opt for the Seabass, Kokum & Melon Ceviche. The seabass is first cured with lemon, sugar, and salt before being paired with a kokum-infused leche de tigre—often called “tiger milk”—a sharp, citrusy marinade made with chilli, herbs, and lemon. Compressed melons and basil bring sweetness and freshness to the plate, while kokum lends it a familiar coastal Indian touch.

Alongside the food menu, the menu has also introduced two frozen summer slushies featuring tequila, mezcal, tamarind, passionfruit, coconut, watermelon, and citrus—a fitting response to Delhi’s scorching temperatures. 

At its best, the menu succeeds in making Caribbean-inspired dining feel playful, vibrant, and surprisingly familiar.

Available till June 30 at Latoyá, Eldeco Centre, Shivalik Colony, Saket. Meal for two: approximately ₹2,500.

This article is written by Adithi Reena Ajith