emcash

We just booked a trip to Cap Juluca for my husband's 40th. I'd like to make dinner reservations. We are huge foodies -- so I'm looking for GREAT food, great atmosphere and pretty much the best places to go to dinner. Any suggestions? TIA!

Becca

My husband and I stayed at Cap Juluca for my 30th birthday. The night of my birthday we ate at Blanchard's, and the food, service and atmosphere were all wonderful. (Actually, we ate there for my 31st birthday as well!) Check out their website (www.blanchardsrestaurant.com). Before you go, read the book by Bob and Melinda Blanchard, "A Trip to the Beach," which is their memoir about opening the restaurant. When you make reservations, be sure and let them know it is your husband's birthday and they will make him a dessert.

HowardC

Zurra the Blanchards new restaurant at The St Regis is a must do. Also recommend Barrel Stay in Sandy Ground and Altamer. Hibernia in Island Harbour is asian fusion and excellent. Sort of a long drive but you can also go for lunch. Trattoria Tratmonto in Shoal Bay west is also excellent and wonderful atmosphere dining on the beach. Koal Keel in the Valley is also excellent as is Straw Hat. You might also try Balnchards original restaurant on Meads Bay. So many restaurants so little time.

HowardC

P.S. go to the forum at www.anguillaguide.com and check the restaurant section for comments

A_Traveller

There are over 80 restaurants on Anguilla and many are among the finest in the Caribbean. If you type "Anguilla Restaurants" in the Search box at the top of the page you'll find scores of posts listing everyone's favorite.

As for Blanchards, you should know that the restaurant gets a lot of mixed reviews. It became a very popular spot shortly after the book (A Trip to the Beach) was published. It's an interesting story and, of course, it turned out to be a great marketing ploy for the restaurant since everyone who read the book felt they just "had to visit the restaurant". The thing is the Blanchards are not always on island and when they are not there to supervise the food and and service is sometimes not up to expectations given it's one of the most expensive restaurants on the island. To be fair, when the Blanchards are there it can be very good but other times it can be very eratic. This restaurant gets a lot of mixed reviews - it has its fans and probably an equal number of those who feel the restaurant was a disappointment. I too am a "foodie" and feel that while the food Blanchard's is good, it is not great. We ate there 3 times over a periord of several visits to the island, twice when the Blanchards were off-island and once when they were there. The fisrt time was when they were off-island so the meal was just OK. We figured we hit the restaurant on an "off-night" so on our return trip we decided to dine there again. This time the Blanchards were there and the meal was very good. The third time they were off-island and we were disappointed with the food and service. After that meal we decided to cross Blanchard's off our list of frequented restaurants - at those price I want a better than 33% chance I'll get a great meal. There are just too many better places to eat on the island. All I can say is as restaurantuers they wrote an interesting book.

We had some wonderful meals at Altamer - it's a visually stunning restaurant with excellent food and attentive service. We also highly recommend Oliver's, Trottoria Tramonto, Cove Castles, Hibernia, Straw Hat and Bistro Phil's.

As one foodie to another - have fun eating your way across Anguilla.

HowardC

Bistro Phils has been closed for over a year. It is going to reopen as an Italian restaurant. Blanchsrds were off island when we ate at Zurra and the meal was outstanding !!!