Ask ten Bermudians what summer tastes like and you'll probably get ten different answers.

Some will talk about fish sandwiches. Others will talk about rum swizzles, rosé, seafood dinners overlooking the water or home-made potato salad at a family gathering. But beneath the individual preferences, there is usually something deeper connecting them all.

Summer in Bermuda isn't just a season. It's a collection of rituals.

It's camping on Front Street before Bermuda Day. It's boat days with friends. It's fish sandwiches after the beach. It's family meals that stretch into the evening and drinks enjoyed while watching the sun disappear over the water.

We spoke to three locals about what summer on “de rock” tastes like to them.

For Trisha Lambert, sommelier at Pitt & Co, summer begins long before the calendar says it should.

"I think it starts with camping on Front Street for Bermuda Day. That's the onset of summer. Knowing that everybody is putting their tents up, stocking the coolers and getting everything ready."

And once summer arrives, one food immediately comes to mind.

"It's definitely fish sandwich season."

Her favourite?

"Munchies. I live in the west, but it's worth the drive."

For Bobby Lee, owner of Hook & Cook, it's impossible to separate the season from Bermuda's waters.

"The first thing I think about is a fish sandwich made from local snapper, local wahoo or local turbot. And red hind. Those are my top."

The memories attached to those foods are just as important as the flavours themselves.

"Fish sandwiches from Butch's [Art Mel’s] bring back memories of Admiralty House and diving off the cliffs all day."

Hospitality veteran Perry Thompson had a similar answer.

"Definitely fish. Definitely seafood. Red hind, amberjack or wahoo."

His favourite summer plate isn't particularly complicated.

"Pan-fried fish, peas and rice, mixed vegetables and coleslaw. That's summer in Bermuda."

As for the drinks, summer tells a different story for each of our interviewees.

For Ms Lambert, summer tastes like crisp, cold wine.

"Definitely rosé," she says without hesitation.

Mr Thompson stays closer to home.

"Rum swizzle. Dark 'n’ Stormy. I'll keep it local."

Although even he admits Bermuda's drinking habits have shifted.

"Tequila is the big thing now, so also, any spicy tequila cocktail."

Mr Lee agrees: "My favourite tequila drink right now is a Cabrone."

But when the weather gets particularly warm, he reaches for something a little more tropical.

"A piña colada. I can't have too many of them but I definitely like them during the summer."

While the food and drinks varied, all three interviewees eventually arrived at the same conclusion: the best summer meals aren't really about the food. They're about the people around the table.

For Mr Thompson, that's where the magic happens.

"Food plays the most important part. Alcohol is always going to taste the same but the food will be different."

He believes the best summer meals rarely come from a restaurant.

"Home-cooked meals are always better. It's made with love. It's not being made for a profit or having to cut back. All the seasonings, all the flavours."

Mr Lee echoes the sentiment.

"Food always brings everybody together. Especially home-made local dishes. It's got to be made and prepared by Bermudians."

For Ms Lambert, food has become a bridge.

As someone who did not grow up in Bermuda, she sees meals and gatherings as one of the easiest ways to connect with people.

"As someone who moved here, it's a good way to bond with people. Food starts a conversation."

She loves introducing people to something new, whether it's a bottle of wine, a favourite dish or a food tradition they haven't experienced before.

"You can walk into a room with something different and it becomes a conversation starter."

Summer cravings tell their own story.

Mr Lee's seasonal comfort foods are rooted in family traditions.

"My mama makes an excellent potato salad and fried chicken. There’s nothing like some boat action with fried chicken."

For Ms Lambert, one dish rises above everything else.

"It would absolutely be Deja View's rockfish tiradito. It's refreshing."

Pair it with a glass of Baron de Rothschild blanc de blancs champagne and she's happy.

Mr Thompson's answer is considerably less refined.

"Potato salad."

Not just any potato salad, though.

"A good home-made potato salad, not this mayonnaise watery thing in some restaurants."

When asked to describe their perfect summer meal, all three painted distinctly different pictures of Bermuda.

For Ms Lambert, it's an evening at Sul Verde at Rosewood.

"A glass of wine outside, wood-fired pizza and a lovely bottle of wine," she said.

The Sul Verde pizza is loaded with parma ham and gooey stracciatelle cheese, enough flavour to keep her full for days.

For Mr Thompson, the answer is Achilles.

"The food, the sunset, the view. All of their seafood dishes are good."

The evening begins with a spicy margarita and ends with wine.

Mr Lee's ideal meal stays much closer to home.

"Some fried or pan-fried fish, macaroni and cheese, peas and rice, coleslaw, potato salad and some homemade swizzle made by my mama."

Asked to describe the taste of a Bermuda summer in a single bite or sip, each answer felt unmistakably personal.

For Ms Lambert, it's fresh local fish and a refreshing drink that keeps you going whether you're heading to a boat, the beach or a party.

Mr Thompson didn't overthink it.

"One sip would be spiced rum and one bite would be fried shrimp with tartar sauce and hot sauce."

Mr Lee's answer was equally direct.

"A Hook & Cook fish sandwich."

And for the drink?

"I like some of the natural drinks. Soursop and ginger. The fresh juices. I'm really one for the fresh juices."