We’ve long hailed the wonders of the Caribbean’s gastronomic scene, and in many ways it’s never been better, with culinary capitals in places like St. Martin, Puerto Rico and Anguilla, to name a few. But there are so many more great spots to indulge in the Caribbean that you may not have heard of, places with rich food cultures, happening restaurants and world-class chefs. These are five “secret” foodie hotspots in the Caribbean that need to be on your radar. Now.
Marigot, St. Martin
While Grand Case deservedly gets high praise as the Caribbean’s culinary capital, French St. Martin’s tiny waterfront capital has a robust culinary scene, with great eateries both in the heart of town (like La Vie en Rose) and, more importantly, the terrific collection of restaurants inside Marigot’s Marina Royale like Tropicana, Le Galion and the seafood Mecca La Petite Auberge Des Iles. (Make sure you lunch at the creole stalls near the ferry terminal like Sandy’s.)
Sainte-Anne Guadeloupe
This ultra-laid-back beach town on the southern coast of Guadeloupe’s island of Grande-Terre just might be the food truck capital of the Caribbean, with scores of trucks serving up Creole food and more importantly, the bokit, a doughy sandwich that is alone worth the trip to Guadeloupe.
Soufriere, St Lucia
Do you like locally-sourced food? Do you like chocolate? Soufriere is for you. This lush corner of St. Lucia is mostly covered with rainforest, but the restaurant scene is robust, with farm-to-table, locally-flavored restaurants led by the world-class Boucan by Hotel Chocolat (which incorporates cacao grown on the premises into just about every dish). Then there are eateries like Dasheene at the Ladera resort and the in-town standout Orlando’s. You can spend your days hiking through cacao plantations (at Boucan and the Fond Doux Plantation) and then eat to your heart’s desire at night.
Christiansted, St. Croix
St. Croix’s largest city has always been a haven for history lovers, but now it’s grown a full-fledged culinary scene, with chef-driven restaurants aimed at turning the town into a foodie pilgrimage spot. Chef Digby Stridiron’s Balter has been getting much of the acclaim (and a spot on our 50 Best Restaurants list in 2016) but more and more top-level eateries have opened in recent years like Zion Modern Kitchen to complement existing standouts like Savant. And make sure you visit the St. Croix Food and Wine Experience in April.
Le Carbet, Martinique
The theme here is beach bar gourmet. This tiny hamlet near the town of St. Pierre is most famous for its beach bar, Le Petibonum (a must-visit destination in Martinique), but it’s quickly developed a robust food scene, with bakeries, food shops and some great restaurants like Restaurant 1643, La Lanterne and Beach Grill. (Make sure you ask for the foie gras and banana at Petibonum, one of the Caribbean’s greatest dishes).