Hi all,

We have five nights in St. Barths the first week of February and I am really looking forward to the dining (among other things) - we are going on our "babymoon" - our last trip without our soon-to-be daughter so we want to make the most of it. Could you tell us your favorite restaurants- from casual to a meal never to forget?

Also, what restaurants we def need advance reservations for?

Hotel Carl Gustaf is very expensive, but outstanding service. Nice place for just a drink above Gustavia. They have an outstanding website so you can see the view from the property.

Eddy's Grotto and Wall House have been very consistent over the years. Eddy's has excellent Creole dishes. La Marine is also good-mussels flown in from France on Thurs.

New hot spot is Santa Fe. We have gone there for the view at lunch. New management has solid reputation, recommended by a fellow restaurant owner.

Le Select is a hoot for a Cheeseburger in Paradise. Very touristy, but good food and great for people watching.

Would highly recommend a reservation for any of the above for dinner.

No reservations at the Select.

For this time of year, I would recommend reservations across the board.(other than the Select of course)

We loved Eden Rock...reservations needed, Andy's...fun and great and Z...or Zanzibarth ( I think that is the spelling) all located in/around St. Jean. There are a lot of nice restaurants in Gustavia. You will love the island. Be sure to take a snorkel trip on a sailboat,even if you don't snorkel (which I don't) it was a great day!!!

St. Barths has about a hundred restaurants and most of them are great.

I would highly recommend Le Ti - especially if you are there for the Full Moon Party. The food is very good, and it is an experience just going there. Carole Gruson owns several restaurants on the island, but this is the best.

This is an unusual suggestion, but I would recommend La Langouste on Flammands for the best example of classic St. Barths cuisine. (Go there for dinner, not lunch.) It is one of the oldest restaurants on the island (although the location has changed) and it is the only one owned by a St. Barths native. You'll find classic dishes, such as accras, christophine, crab farci, etc. Pipri Palace in Gustavia is also good for such dishes.

Francois Plantation may have the best food on the island but it is expensive, even by St. Barths standards.

GUSTAVIA restaurants to go to are: Sapotillier, another one that's been there since the seventies and has great classic French cuisine. Wall House has a great view and is inexpensive. La Marine is the former marina and is popular for Thursday night mussels. AU PORT is another great Gustavia restaurant that has been there forever (and is inexplicably not in Fodor's).

LUNCH. *Do Brazil* - this place is new and great. Spend the day there and swim at Shell Beach. Nikki Beach is probably the best place to have lunch and spend the day on St. Jean beach. Have lunch at Le Tamarin after spending the morning at Saline beach. La Gloriette is another great Caribbean restaurant on Grand Cul de Sac for lobster and crab farci.

PLACES I DON'T RECOMMEND. Everybody makes a fuss over Maya's but I've been there several times and I don't see what the big deal is. Le Select is a pop culture institution but go there for the experience or to just say "I had the Cheeseburger in Paradise." Have drinks at Carl Gustaf - the restaurant is only OK and the crowd was a little stuffy. If Le Rivage is still there, I don't recommend it. La Plage has a great location, but the food and service weren't great enough for the money you pay.

We just returned from St. B and our favorite meals were at Le Tamarin, The Strand, and Nikki Beach.

You will want to make a reservation at all of the restaurants, esp in February.

Enjoy!