Breakfast dishes A typical Guyanese breakfast may feature bakes (fried breads) served with
saltfish, known locally as bake and saltfish. Other options include
fried rice or Guayanese chow mein, especially as leftovers. On
Christmas mornings, families enjoy
Guyanese pepperpot with homemade bread. The key ingredient in pepperpot is
cassareep, a syrup made from bitter
cassava that also serves as a preservative. {{Image frame|width=200|content= Indo-Guyanese options include
sada roti with fried eggs or
dal.
Porridges made from cornmeal or oats and dishes like plantain and eggs are common.
Lunch and dinner Lunches and dinners commonly feature
curry and
roti, such as
dhalpuri,
oil roti, and
aloo roti. Curries are made with garlic, cumin,
garam masala, and other spices. Creole dishes include cook-up rice, a one-pot meal of rice, beans, coconut milk, and meats such as pig tail or salted beef.
Metemgee, a stew of root vegetables, plantains, coconut milk, and dumplings, is rooted in African and Amerindian traditions. Chinese influences are seen in Guyanese fried rice and Guyanese chow mein, adapted with Caribbean spices and ingredients.
Lo mein and other stir-fries are also popular. Colonial legacies include
macaroni pie, baked meats,
souse, and black pudding.
Street foods and snacks Common street foods include
pholourie, egg ball, cassava ball, saltfish cakes, and
doubles. Chinese-style snacks such as wontons and egg rolls are sold by roadside vendors.
Festive foods {{Image frame|width=200|content=
Christmas dishes include Guyanese pepperpot,
garlic pork (of Portuguese origin), and
black cake. During
Eid al-Fitr,
Diwali, and
Phagwah, Indo-Guyanese communities prepare sweets such as
sawine,
gulab jamun,
mithai, and
parsad. Cook-up rice and soups are prepared for
Emancipation Day and
Old Year's Night. ==Sweets and pastries==