Sitting under a palapa at the water’s edge, dining on whole snapper glazed in unagi joined by a 2016 Astrid & Therese riesling, one begins to realize just how much the Caribbean culinary scene has changed in recent years. 

Because experiences like the above aren’t unique anymore — the region’s gastronomic might has grown by leaps and bounds, with both a renewed appreciation for local cuisine (and sourcing) and a new injection of international styles and techniques. 

It all adds up to what is a truly thriving food world in the Caribbean. 

But certain destinations are setting the bar even higher, thanks to intrepid chefs, risk-taking restaurateurs and a good, old-fashioned love of fine food. 

St Croix, US Virgin Islands Nowhere in the region is generating more culinary buzz right now than St Croix, the increasingly hip hotspot in the US Virgin Islands that has seen a full-fledged gastronomic boom, primarily in the historic downtown of Christiansted, where top eateries like Balter, Zion, Uptown Eatery, Too Chez and the island’s Grande Dame, Savant, have all cultivated a vibrant food scene, along with an impressive craft cocktail culture ranging from Frank Robinson’s BES Craft Cocktail Lounge and Rum and Wine to the island’s first true tiki bar, Breaker’s Roar. Plainly, it’s the buzziest foodie destination in the Caribbean right now.

But it’s not limited to Christiansted: the west-coast town of Frederiksted is getting tastier, too, from the brand-new 7AF Asian fusion eatery to the beachy Louie & Nacho’s gastropub. A lot of the credit, too, goes to local Chef Digby Stridiron (and his newest venture, AMA at Cane Bay), who has helped tell the story of Crucian food to the world.