June is Caribbean-American Heritage Month, and if you're the person responsible for office meals, that's a good reason to put island cuisine on the calendar. Caribbean food pulls from dozens of islands and culinary traditions. The flavor profiles vary, but the cooking formats are built for group eating. Shared trays of protein and rice, handheld pastries, and fried sides that hold up on a table for an hour. It's the kind of food that works for catering without needing a lot of adaptation.
This guide covers what to order, how much to get, and how to make sure the spread works for a group with different tastes and dietary needs. Whether you're ordering from a Jamaican restaurant, a Puerto Rican spot, or a Dominican kitchen, the core categories are the same. Once you know the formats, you can order confidently regardless of which restaurant is closest to your office.
1. Coconut shrimp for a light start
If your Caribbean catering spread includes a starter, coconut shrimp is an easy place to begin. Each piece is bite-sized, lightly battered with shredded coconut, and easy to eat standing up, which makes it useful for events where people are mingling before sitting down to eat.
Coconut shrimp shows up on Caribbean menus from Bahamian seafood spots to Jamaican and Dominican kitchens. The shrimp are usually paired with a sweet-and-tangy dipping sauce: mango chutney, pineapple-habanero, or a citrus-based mojo. They're mild, slightly sweet, and approachable enough for people who haven't tried Caribbean food before.
Portions: for a group of 20 or more, one or two shrimp platters with dipping sauces are enough to open the meal. Plan on about three to four pieces per person. If you're running a lighter event, like a mid-afternoon team gathering, coconut shrimp on its own can carry the spread without needing a full entree behind it.
2. Empanadas and pastelitos: an island cuisine classic
Almost every Caribbean country has a version of the stuffed pastry. In Cuba and the Dominican Republic, they're pastelitos. In Puerto Rico, empanadillas. Jamaica has its beef patties, with their distinctively golden, turmeric-tinted crust. The fillings change, the dough varies, but the format is the same: a handheld, self-contained pastry that works for grab-and-go eating.
This is the Caribbean food item that tends to need the least explanation when you put it on a table. The format is close enough to an empanada or a hand pie that most people just pick one up without asking questions.
Beef and chicken are the most common fillings. If you add a vegetable option, you've covered most dietary needs without a separate menu.
Portions: plan on one to two per person as a snack, two to three if they're a main component of the spread.
3. The Main Event: Jerk Chicken and Roasted Proteins
Every Caribbean kitchen has a signature way of preparing chicken. In Jamaica, it's jerk: marinated in allspice, thyme, garlic, and Scotch bonnet peppers, then grilled or roasted until the outside is charred and smoky. In Puerto Rico, you'll find pollo asado rubbed with adobo. Dominican restaurants serve pollo guisado, a braised chicken in a tomato-based sofrito sauce.
For Jamaican food catering specifically, jerk chicken will be the most available option on most menus. It's the dish people recognize, and it holds up well in trays. One thing worth confirming before you order: heat level. Jerk seasoning ranges widely depending on the restaurant. Some places go heavy on the Scotch bonnet; others keep it moderate. A quick note to the caterer asking for mild-to-medium heat avoids the situation where half the table can't finish their plates.
The key when ordering is to have at least one protein the whole table can eat comfortably, plus a second option for variety. Two proteins, two different flavor profiles. That covers most groups.
Portions: plan on two pieces per person if the chicken is bone-in. If it's coming sliced or pulled, most caterers portion it automatically.
4. Curry goat or curry chicken for a slow-cooked second protein
If you want a second protein that feels genuinely different from the jerk or roasted chicken, a curry is the move. Curried goat and curried chicken are staples in Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guyana, and they reflect the Indo-Caribbean influence that shaped a lot of the region's cooking.
The spice profile leans warm: turmeric, cumin, allspice, and sometimes cinnamon. It's a completely different flavor world from jerk seasoning, which means the two proteins complement each other on the same table instead of competing.
Curry goat reads as special occasion food. The meat is rich, the sauce is thick, and it tends to get a strong reaction from people who've had it before. Curry chicken is often the more universally familiar option for larger groups. Both are slow-cooked and both pair well with rice.
Portions: one generous scoop per person. If you're running both jerk chicken and curry, you can reduce the quantity on each since people will split across both options.
5. Rice and beans: the base every Caribbean order needs
Rice and beans is the one side dish that belongs in every Caribbean catering order. The preparation changes by island: arroz con gandules in Puerto Rico (rice with pigeon peas and pork seasoning), moro de habichuelas in the Dominican Republic (rice cooked with red beans), rice and beans with coconut milk in Jamaica, and moros y cristianos in Cuba.
The names are different, but they all serve as the base of the plate: the thing that ties the proteins and sauces together, and is an easy base for guests who prefer milder or more familiar flavors. It's also naturally vegetarian and gluten-free in most preparations, which means it covers a lot of dietary ground.
Portions: at least one rice tray for every protein tray. Rice goes faster than you'd expect, especially when the proteins have a sauce that people want to mix in.
6. Fried plantains and festival dumplings to round out the table
Plantains show up on every Caribbean island in some form. Maduros (sweet, ripe plantains sliced and fried until caramelized) are the version most people in the U.S. have tried. Tostones (green plantains, flattened and fried twice) are salty and crunchy.
If you're ordering from a Jamaican restaurant, festival dumplings are worth adding. They're slightly sweet, fried, and play well alongside jerk chicken specifically. Think of them as the cornbread equivalent on a Caribbean table.
Portions: consider 2-3 pieces of plantain per person. 1-2 festival dumplings if you're adding them. These are supporting sides, not the centerpiece, so don't overthink the quantities.
7. Coconut or pumpkin flan for a Caribbean finish
The classic flan version has a caramel custard, but coconut flan and pumpkin (calabaza) flan use Caribbean ingredients that make the dessert feel intentional.
Coconut flan is rich, creamy, and has a flavor that reads as distinctly tropical without being unfamiliar. Pumpkin flan is a bit earthier, with warm spice notes that pair well after a meal heavy on savory proteins and rice.
The practical advantage of flan for office catering is that it comes pre-portioned or slices cleanly, which sidesteps the entire “Who's going to cut this cake and distribute 40 pieces?” problem.
Portions: account for one slice per person, and order a few extra for second helpings if you've got a group that skews toward dessert. Availability varies by restaurant; if flan isn't on the menu, ask the caterer about rum cake or tres leches as Caribbean alternatives.
8. Sorrel, ginger beer, and tropical juices to complete the spread
A small detail that makes a Caribbean catering order feel finished: the drinks.
Sorrel is a hibiscus-based drink spiced with ginger and cloves, traditional in Jamaica, and usually served at celebrations and holidays. It's tart, slightly sweet, and caffeine-free.
Ginger beer (non-alcoholic, despite the name) is available on many Caribbean catering menus and has enough bite to stand up to heavily seasoned food.
Tropical fruit juices like mango, guava, and passion fruit round things out. They're widely available and they pair well with spicier dishes because the sweetness takes the edge off the heat.
Including at least one Caribbean beverage makes the whole spread feel like a considered choice rather than Caribbean food next to a stack of water bottles and a coffee urn.
Balancing heat levels and dietary needs across your team
The number one concern people have about ordering Caribbean food for a group: spice.
Although most caterers can adjust, and Caribbean menus have plenty of mild options alongside the spicier ones, here are three things to do before you place the order:
Ask the caterer about heat levels
This sounds obvious, but a lot of office catering orders go in through an online menu without anyone confirming how spicy the jerk chicken actually is. A quick note in the order comments, or a call if the restaurant allows it, saves you from surprises. Ask for mild-to-medium if you're not sure about your group's tolerance, and request any hot sauces or peppers on the side so people can add heat themselves.
Check the menu for naturally mild dishes
Rice and beans, fried plantains, empanadas, flan, and curry chicken (which is aromatic but usually not very hot): these are all standard Caribbean menu items that most people will eat comfortably regardless of spice preference. A well-built order has enough mild options that someone who avoids spicy food entirely can still fill a plate.
Label every tray
Protein type, heat level, and whether the dish is vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free. For groups larger than 25 or so, the person who placed the order probably will not be standing next to the table answering questions when everyone lines up. Labels handle it. Most Caribbean dishes are naturally gluten-free (rice-based sides, grilled proteins, plantains), and several are vegan without modification (rice and beans, callaloo, fried plantains). That information is only useful if people can see it on the tray.
If your team includes people with halal or kosher dietary requirements, confirm sourcing with the caterer before ordering. Not all Caribbean restaurants will have this information readily available, so it's worth asking directly.
Order Caribbean catering for your team on DoorDash for Business
Caribbean-American Heritage Month comes up in June, which gives you a built-in reason to plan a team meal that's different from the usual rotation.
With DoorDash Catering, you can browse Caribbean menus, check portion sizes and dietary tags before committing, and set a delivery time that lines up with your event.
