What’s hot in the Caribbean dining scene?
The region’s culinary footprint continues to grow, as more and more extraordinary eateries continue to pop up around the Caribbean.
But some culinary outposts have that perfect blend of quality and buzz – they’re the ones that simply demand your presence – if you can get a table, that is. They’re the hottest places to eat, the ones that aren’t just great restaurants – they’re destinations in their own right, from remarkable settings to out-of-this-world food. And they’re all over the Caribbean.
Here are the 10 hottest tables in the Caribbean to try right now (and for more, don’t miss our annual ranking of the 50 best restaurants in the Caribbean).
Graycliff, set in a nearly three-hundred-year-old former pirate’s mansion.
Graycliff, Bahamas The Caribbean’s first five-star restaurant is still one of the most sought-after tables in the region, a celebrity favorite that’s a regular destination for clientele from Jay Z to Michael Jordan. Make sure you stop in the wine cellar, the third largest private collection in the world. It all adds up to a reason on its own to travel to Nassau — and the Caribbean’s most memorable place to eat.
La Table de Marcel, Martinique The French Caribbean island of Martinique has long been an under the radar destination for foodies, but it got a major boost several years ago with the debut of Michelin-star Chef Marcel Ravin and Martinique native son’s first eatery on the island, set in a corner of the Simon boutique hotel in Fort de France. There’s the kind of Michelin-level gastronomy you won’t find anywhere else in the region.
Screaming Eagle, Aruba superstar Chef Erwin Husken helms Aruba’s greatest eatery, offering an ever-changing menu whose only main focus is world-class sourcing. The lounge setting, replete with beds, makes it that much more romantic.
Sheer Rocks, Antigua Antigua’s signature restaurant is also its biggest-ticket reservation, with simply sublime fusion cuisine offering with a local twist — and a cliff side setting that’s one of the most spectacular in the Caribbean. Indeed, the views are so good it almost makes it more intoxicating to dine here at lunch, when the tapas-style menu is a draw on its own.
Blue by Eric Ripert The tasting dinner here is perhaps the Caribbean’s bucket list meal, tucked away in a rarefied dining room at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, where you will have simply sublime seafood and an all-time great gastronomic experience.
The Cliff, Barbados Superb seafood is the story at this Barbados institution, a celebrity favorite in the heart of the Platinum Coast with jaw-dropping vistas and a pricey, impressive tasting menu.
Jose Enrique, Puerto Rico Perhaps the toughest table to get in Puerto Rico, this Santurce-set eatery by Jose Enrique himself is the local chef’s masterwork, with a simple but marvelous menu and some serious cocktails, too.
Dasheene, Saint Lucia Home to the best views in Saint Lucia, the flagship eatery at Ladera has taken its cuisine to new heights, with an emphasis on authentic Saint Lucian cuisine (and a great wine list, too). Make sure you try the accras.
Savant, St Croix While St Croix has quietly developed one of the Caribbean’s most impressive food scenes, Savant remains the must-dine experience, with inspired cuisine, an ever-changing menu and a torch-lit setting adding up to a truly unforgettable meal.
25 Quarter, St Barth It’s hidden away in Gustavia, equal parts restaurant and lounge, but this St Barth eatery is one of the region’s most innovative eateries, offering everything from authentic Asian street food to a weekly plant-based menu. (And, oh yeah, the Caribbean’s greatest rum bar is next to the kitchen).