You might have a few ideas for what makes the best beach day food, but it would change after you try Royal Caribbean's mozzarella sticks.
Specifically, the mozzarella sticks at Perfect Day at CocoCay stand out as being the perfect batch.
It's strange to think that this particular snack could be so darn good, but they really are. And it's even more surprising because the mozzarella sticks served on Royal Caribbean ships aren't nearly as good.
When Royal Caribbean first revamped its private island with new amenities, it totally re-thought the private island beach lunch. Traditionally it had just been burgers and hot dogs, but the new offering includes so much more.
One thing that quickly stood out were the outstanding food choices at the Snack Shack. There are now four locations around the island:
- Breezy Bay
- Thrill Waterpark
- Hideaway Beach
- South Beach
In terms of cruise ship private island food, I think CocoCay's mozzarella sticks are a prime example of how good Royal Caribbean's island food game has become. Best of all, it's totally free and you can order as many as you want!
If you haven't tried them yet, they're a must-eat on the island.
What makes Royal Caribbean's mozzarella sticks the best?
At first I thought perhaps I alone preferred the mozzarella sticks from the Snack Shack, but it turns out a lot of other people really love them too.
Adriana Scates wrote on Facebook her idea of a great day on the island is to, "get drinks, lay in the sun on South Beach and eat your weight in mozzarella sticks."
The secret ingredient has to be the breading they use for them.
I'm not sure exactly what's so different about the breading for the mozzarella sticks at Snack Shack versus the ones used on the ship, but they've figured it out.
Served with marinara sauce to dip them in, it's the perfect quick snack. It also helps when you order them they usually come out piping hot.
You could also use the mozzarella sticks as the building blocks to customizing an even better sandwich.
Not listed on the menu, but you can order the "secret sandwich" from the Snack Shack.
Crew members learned this dark art from the launch of the restaurant, and it combines the mozzarella sticks, marinara sauce, and the chicken sandwich to create my go-to meal any time I visit.
It's essentially a chicken parmigiana sandwich, but instead of the cheese being melted on the chicken, you get the crunch of the mozzarella sticks.
On a recent visit to the Coco Beach Club, which has its own excellent food options, I walked out of the club and over the Breezy Bay to get a few mozzarella sticks because they're that good.
The next time you're at Perfect Day at CocoCay, order them with your meal. Not only are they included with your cruise fare, but it's a fantastic comfort snack.
More CocoCay food you won't regret trying
While mozzarella sticks are wonderful, there's a lot of other food you ought to try while visiting.
At either Chill Grill or Skipper's Grill, I'm a sucker for the taco bar because you can customize it just the way you want.
I prefer to grab a plate and do my best attempt at creating a Chipotle-style bowl with the meat, toppings, and plenty of guacamole.
If you happen to buy admission into the adults-only area, the Island Guava Barbeque Chicken Pizza is a must-order every time.
I think the combination of sweet BBQ sauce with the salty cheese really blends well.
My kids would tell you to try the soft serve ice cream just because who doesn't like ice cream on a hot day?
They now always opt to make an ice cream sandwich instead of getting it in a cone.
Perhaps the top food at CocoCay is the entire menu at the Coco Beach Club restaurant, which has filet mignon and lobster on the menu.
I really think the filet here is just as good, if not better, than the filet served onboard the ship.
