Don’t be fooled: there is a formula to creating a great restaurant. It’s the same formula we use to evaluate the region’s best places to eat. You see, every great restaurant is built on three core pillars: food, service and ambience. Superlative restaurants check the boxes in all three, reminding that a great restaurant is not solely about its food or the way it looks; it is about how it makes you feel. Because when you make the decision to travel to a restaurant, you are looking for something transcendent, something unforgettable. You are looking for a memory. And the best restaurants deliver precisely that.
It has now been 11 years that the Caribbean Journal team has been carefully surveying the Caribbean restaurant landscape, a time in which there has been remarkable change and growth in the region. In short, the Caribbean’s food scene has never been more dynamic or diverse. As top local chefs continue to emerge, more and more of the world’s most renowned culinary stars are also looking to bring their own gastronomic excellence to the region, with the fusion of those forces making for an enviable global culinary power. The Caribbean is now a global culinary superpower, and it’s time that the world realized that.
We’re excited to share the 11th annual edition of the 50 Best Restaurants in the Caribbean. Congratulations to all of this year’s selections!
#1 Brass Boer, Bonaire Bonaire’s legendary oceanfront eatery retains the top spot this year, with a remarkable blend of Michelin-level Dutch Caribbean fare, ultra-focused service and a spectacular setting by the sea at the Delfins Beach Resort. The Caribbean outpost of Holland’s three-Michelin-star Die Librije is precisely as good as its forebear, and it only keeps getting better.
#1 Le Pressoir, St Martin It’s another tie for the top spot in the Caribbean this year, with the legendary Le Pressoir in Grand Case, St Martin taking the crown for its world-beating French Caribbean fare served in an old Creole house. The Le Pressoir team just gets it: it’s not just about delivering impossibly good wahoo or lobster medallions; it’s about, for one evening, taking you out of space and time and into a new dimension.
Graycliff, Nassau, The Bahamas It’s hard to believe it has been 50 years since Nassau’s Graycliff opened its doors as the Caribbean’s first five-star restaurant. A half-century later, it’s still a pinnacle of Caribbean dining, with the best service anywhere in the Caribbean, impossibly well-sourced, French-Bahamian food; and one of the great wine lists in the world. You can’t go to The Bahamas without eating a meal here. Period.
CHEFS, Bonaire There’s not really anything in the Caribbean quite like this tucked-away chef’s table experience at the Bamboo Bonaire hotel. It’s only open a few days a week, there’s no set menu and the dinner is as much a conversation as a tasting. But it remains one of the most unforgettable dinners you will ever have — anywhere.
Sheer Rocks, Antigua Antigua’s greatest restaurant has it all: the views, the pool, the service and, of course, the world-class food, led by a local team led by Antigua’s own Jamal Warner that has quickly become one of the most talented in all of the Caribbean.
Armadillo, Grenada Hidden away in the lush, wild north of Grenada, this restaurant and guest house rewards those who venture here. It’s quickly become the most sought-after table in Grenada, with a vibrant menu that always manages to delight the palate: its concise menu belies the wonderfully creative; every dish is a symphony of eclectic, somehow harmonized flavors and tastes. The result is something rather extraordinary.
Savant, St Croix There’s something about the candle light, the energy, the old Danish brick building, Savant is pure magic. And that is equally true of the food, from the ultra-fresh, locally-sourced fish to David Cioppa’s endless culinary permutations.
Blue by Eric Ripert, Grand Cayman The only Caribbean outpost of the legendary Le Benardin chef is an endlessly loyal creation, with a similar multi-course option in an intimate space underneath the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. And yes, you can get the foie gras and tuna.
Ever, Aruba This has in a short time become one of the Caribbean’s truly great dining experiences, a speakeasy-style chef’s table concept led by brilliant Chef Ever de Peña, whose multi-course, omakase-style journey is a bucket-list check mark.
Paranza, Nassau, The Bahamas The newest addition to this list is an instant home run, with Chef Michael White’s first Caribbean eatery, set at The Cove at Atlantis, quickly establishing itself as a Caribbean culinary heavyweight. The story is authentic Italian cooking, but the biggest standout is the sourcing of Bahamian seafood.
Baoase Culinary Beach Restaurant, Curacao Chef Rene Klop’s Curacao masterwork is a truly unforgettable dining experience, where you can sit with your toes in the sand and take a voyage to the gastronomic stratosphere (the steak tartare is the best in the Caribbean, period.)
Le Petibonum, Martinique Guy Ferdinand isn’t just Martinique’s most famous chef, he’s also one of the island’s greatest ambassadors. His beachfront eatery is one of the single-biggest reasons to visit the island, a pretention-free, bon vivant’s paradise where every day is a chance to try something new and remarkable.
Brass Boer, Curacao Yes, there are two Brass Boers, including the recently-opened Curacao outpost, which lives up to its name with a beachfront eatery inside the island’s Blue Bay resort. There are some BB favorites (including the “egg caviar” but also some new, innovative additions of their own.
Drop Anchor Grill, St Kitts This eatery by Chef Emanuel Fuentes del Valle and Executive Sous Chef Alicia Joseph at the marvelous Sunset Reef hotel in St Kitts has quickly become the island’s best restaurant, with stunning ocean views, warm, attentive service and an almost impossibly well-sourced kitchen dishing out seafood that’s as good as you’ll taste anywhere in the Caribbean.
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, St Barth The first-ever Caribbean outpost of the Robuchon brand is better than some of its internatioanl cousins; you’ll find the same workshop-meets-lab dining experience, with a robust wine list and both a la carte and tasting menu options. We’d always suggest the tasting.
Amis St Barth Set at the stunning Le Barthelemy Hotel, Amis is now led by Michelin-starred Chef Jéremy Czaplicki, who puts together an astonishing menu of locally and internationally-sourced delicacies: think Puglian burrata with Kristal caviar and roasted red snapper with nori.
Bistrot Caraibes, St Martin You can eat here 10 times and struggle to find a single flaw at this Grand Case star, now celebrating three decades of foie gras millefeuilles, fresh lobster Thermidor and endlessly indulgent beef tenderloin filets.
Sugar Mill, Jamaica Jamaica’s Grande Dame is this tree-covered destination restaurant at the Half Moon resort, where the story is fine-dining takes on classic Jamaican dishes. Yes, the slow-cooked jerk beef short ribs are that good.
Blue 11, St Thomas St Thomas has been quietly becoming a buzzing foodie destination, and the epicenter is Chef David “Benji” Benjamni’s Yacht Haven Grande eatery, which features different multi-course options marrying West Indian cooking (the callaloo is a must) with favorites like New York Strip and watercress salad. The wine list is playful and refreshingly creative.
Lima Bistro, Aruba The culinary power of Peru comes to Aruba in Chef Teddy Bouroncle’s harborside hotspot in Oranjestad, where the focus is on meticulously sourced, exquisitely prepared ceviche, tiradito, lomo saltado and impeccable service.
Parallel 23, Turks and Caicos Turks and Caicos’ most romantic dining destination is a thoughtful, always stellar restaurant, with a new-look menu with hits like Chicken a la Kiev, Korean barbecue short ribs and South Caicos wahoo.
Auberge Gourmande, St Martin A true French Caribbean classic, this Grand Case hotspot in an old Creole building oozes Gallic charm and flavor, from its superb trilogy of foie gras to its uncanny seafood to, yes, fantasic escargots and frog legs.
Rokuni, Antigua Hidden away at the Nonsuch Bay resort in eastern Antigua is another Rocks Group hit (the team behind Sheer Rocks): the Asian-fusion Rokuni, home to an impossibly good selection that hits just about every signature of that continent: nigiri, bao buns, duck pancakes, spring rolls, maki and noodles, all executed perfectly. That’s without mentioning the pool, perfect for all-day culinary adventures.
Orlando’s, Saint Lucia Part of the pantheon of Caribbean chefs, Orlando Satchell continues to deliver an essential Caribbean dining experience in his lovely, intimate atelier-style restaurant in the heart of Soufriere, Saint Lucia.
Le Cotage, St Martin The endlessly lovely Le Cotage is in the heart of the culinary epicenter known as Grand Case Boulevard, with spectacular French Caribbean fare delivered with the intimacy and warmth of a neighborhood bistro. The wine list is a grand slam, too.
Cafe Boulud Bahamas Daniel Boulud’s only Caribbean restaurant lives up to his global standard of excellence, with an array of offerings inlcuding some Bahamian takes on Boulud signatures: think foie gras with guava and toasted coconut, curry salmon and, of course, a Boulud-style Bahamian spiny lobster.
Flying Fish Gastrobar, Grand Bahama Chef Tim Tibbetts’ Flying Fish remains Grand Bahama island’s culinary masterwork, with a truly creative lineup of fusion food ranging from sweet and sour conch bites to perfectly exceuted patatas bravas to outrageously good burgers. If you’re booking a trip to Grand Bahama, this is at the top of the list.
Fish by Jose Andres, Paradise Island, The Bahamas Jose Andres’ only Caribbean restaurant is this hotspot at Atlantis Paradise Island, a resort that has quickly become one of the region’s top foodie destinations. That includes Andres’ Fish, which has a vast menu of mostly seafood offerings (and some sensational Spanish wine). But the whole fried local fish is always the star of the show.
Le Bistro, Antigua Antigua’s legendary eatery is an elegant, romantic culinary retreat, with an outstanding lineup of French vintages and a gastronomic ethos born in the Vendee region of western France.
Sui Ren, Turks and Caicos This Japanese-Peruvian hotspot at the Shore Club on Long Bay is a dynamic journey through pan-Asian fare with a stop in the Caribbean. Think classic ceviche and local red snapper in Aji Amarillo sauce and just about everything in between.
La Savane, Guadeloupe It’s home to one of the most exotic menus in the Caribbean (yes, that’s filet de Kangaroo), but it’s also one of the best, married with a magnificent setting above the water in the foodie haven of Deshaies.
Mango, Nevis Set at the ocean’s edge at the Four Seasons Nevis, this modern take on classic West Indian cuisine is the spot for Nevis’ most unforgettable dining experience (and its best sunsets, too).
Too Chez, St Croix The Kendricks are culinary royalty on St Croix in the US Virgin Islands, and now two generations of the family have teamed up for this superb eatery set in an old Christiansted courtyard.
Queen’s Hotel Restaurant, Saba The greatest place to eat on the island of Saba has some of the most magnificent views of any restaurant in the region; and the food delivers on the promise, with thoughtfully sourced produce and seafood including what just might be the best lobster you’ll eat in the whole Caribbean.
Pushcart, Negril The setting on the turquoise waters of Negril’s famous cliffs would be worth the trip alone. What you find at this eatery at the Rockhouse hotel is something far more: an authentic, exquisite journey through real Jamaican food.
Nobu Barbuda People fly in here for the day by helicopter just to spend a few hours eating world-class sushi on an impossibly beautiful Barbuda beach. It’s everything you expect from Nobu, with some unique experiences like beach barbecues and sunset omakase.
Da Vine Sushi and Wine Bar, Harbour Island, The Bahamas It’s some of the best sushi you’ll eat anywhere, Caribbean or otherwise, all set in an intimate, sushi bar-wine bar setting just across from the water in Harbour Island’s charming Dunmore Town.
Roxxy Beach, St Maarten The coolest place in Dutch St Maarten isn’t just a great beach bar, it’s also a gourmet eatery, with fabulous Riviera-style cuisine with a hard-to-beat Simpson Bay setting.
Sapodilla, Nassau, The Bahamas This veteran of Nassau’s booming food scene is the brainchild of Chef Edwin Johnson, who has cultivated an unforgettable dining experience in an old New Providence estate.
Estero Riviera Maya Culinary genius and Michelin-starred Chef Virgilio Martinez Veliz opened his first Caribbean eatery at the La Casa de la Playa hotel in the Riviera Maya; the result is this Latin American-Mexican fusion eatery that is worth the trip.
Marcus Fish + Chop House, Nassau, The Bahamas Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s first Caribbean restaurant is this beachside eatery at the Baha Mar resort in Nassau, where Samuelsson has created a playful, artful menu focused on seafood and unique takes on Bahamian classics.
Cliff at Cap, Saint Lucia Chef Craig Jones is the longtime steward of this stunning cliffside restaurant at Saint Lucia’s Cap Maison, home to the island’s most romantic dining and an innovative fusion of Caribbean and Continental fare.
Tamarin, St Barth Set in a garden at the edge of St Barth’s famous salt pond, Tamarin is still a St Barth signature, whether you’re starting out with the mi-cuit foie gras or sampling some of its superb crudi.
3 Palms, St Thomas Somehow, this outstanding eatery is still a bit of a secret in St Thomas’ busy Red Hook area, perched on a second-story and serving up a daily-changing menu of world-class seafood and some VI takes on Italian favorites thrown in for good measure.
Mario Pagan Restaurant, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico’s buzziest chef is most certainly Mario Pagan, who has an ever-expanding culinary empire on the island (now five in total), but his signature spot is the eponymous one in Condado, where inspired fusions of Puerto Rican classics and meet unique takes on all kinds of international fare. Think tuna sashimi with fried egg emulsion and caviar or Spanish rabbit meatballs wiht sage broth and kalamata olives.
Veya, Anguilla Chefs Carrie and Jerry Bogar have been living in Anguilla for nearly two decades, and their “cuisine of the sun” eatery in an antigue Anguilla estate remains the best place to eat on the island.
Ocean82, St Martin This restaurant perched right above the beach in Grand Case is the quintessence of what makes Grand Case Boulevard’s culinary scene so good: exquisitely prepared, meticulously sourced French fare that marries flawlessly with the gastronomic ethos of the French Caribbean.
Catherine’s Cafe, Antigua Antigua’s top brunch spot is a fantastic amalgam of breezy beach fun and gourmet food, with an international menu that includes one of the Caribbean’s most inspired wine lists.
The Terrace, St John Great wine and great desserts are just the tip of the iceberg at this Cruz Bay standout, with a spectacular menu led by Chef Erica Miner that has some of the best seafood in the whole Caribbean.
The Cliff, Barbados The Cliff is back and better than ever, with a menu of fare from around the world led by Michelin-starred Chef Matt Worswick, who has everything from beef wellington to Dover Sole and cacio e pepe on the table — all done marvelously.