Proudly self-described as the “first dine-in Haitian restaurant in Utah,” Golden Bees Caribbean Cuisine is nailing the made-from-scratch traditions of Haiti right here in the heart of Utah County.
It’s is an all-hands-on-deck family operation, directed by cook/owner and matriarch, Myriam Victor. You’ll find spouse and co-owner Michel greeting customers and mixing up refreshing juices and traditional drinks like soursop corossol. Daughter Kamala oversees the operational and business side of things. Sons Michar and Nathan (who is in culinary school and also helps in the kitchen) run the cash register, table service and generally provide terrific hospitality for customers, including helpful suggestions for those unfamiliar with Haitian cuisine.
I was definitely one of those guests seeking some guidance. Having enjoyed many fantastic Caribbean meals, I was expecting something high on the spice scale, with Scotch bonnet pepper playing a predominant role. Kamala explained that’s not the case for traditional Haitian food, which is differentiated by the type and level of spices used to create épis: Haiti’s universal marinade, sauce and condiments. “We blend fresh vegetables—leeks, onions, garlic, green onions, celery, green and red bell peppers, parsley and habanero peppers—to make our seasoning base,” she said of their restaurant’s vibrant and balanced épis recipe. “It’s the heart of Haitian cooking.”
Originally hailing from Haiti, the Victors lived for a while in Miami, Florida. Kamala went to BYU-Idaho to study biochemistry, and the rest of the family moved West shortly after. “My mom cooked for celebrations and big family meals,” said Kamala of Myriam’s love for feeding a crowd, no matter where they lived. “She said, ‘Why not open a restaurant and do it for everyone?’” So they did, joining University Avenue’s vibrant food row in April 2025.
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It’s fragrant, bold and comforting food, made with care and served with gracious hospitality. If you only get one appetizer, I implore you to order akra, fried fritters of spiced mashed malanga (a taro-like root) served with pikliz, a zingy épis-dressed cabbage slaw. Fried stuffed patties made with a choice of spiced meat fillings are superlative with a drizzle of épis hot sauce. (Take Nathan’s advice and order anything made with goat when it’s available.) Fish is a big part of Haiti’s culinary culture, and here it can be ordered deep-fried whole or prepared as a brothy pwason grodsèl (poisson gros sel). Haiti’s national dish, griot, is pork painstakingly marinated, boiled, then deep-fried to order. It’s served with plantains or a side of rice and beans.
“We want to remind ourselves to always make authentic food and to make it with love and compassion,” said Kamala of Myriam’s choice to name their restaurant in honor of industrious honeybees. In that and so many other ways, Golden Bees Caribbean Cuisine ably represents the heart and soul of Haiti right here in Utah, thanks to the Victor family’s remarkable fare.
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