6 Best Restaurants in Anguilla

On beautiful Meads Bay, this restaurant continues to receive raves. Chef Alain has created a lovely open-air restaurant that turns out carefully prepared and nicely presented French food accompanied by good wines and personal attention. A delicious starter terrine of feta and grilled vegetables is infused with pesto. Hand-chopped Jacala steak tartare and olive oil–poached mahimahi with curry-lemongrass sauce are entrée standouts. Lighter lunchtime options include a cucumber-yogurt soup garnished with tomato sorbet. After lunch you can digest on the beach in a Fatboy lounger, but save room for dessert.

A not-to-be-missed restaurant where Caribbean flavors steal the show, Sharky's is a result of Chef Lowell Hodge's perfectionism. He does a few things here and does them well, as a usually full house well attests ("house," by the way, is an operative word---you'll dine on the front porch of a private home). The very creamy cinnamon spice soup is a great prelude to the Anguilla lobster cakes, mingled with red pepper. An outstanding entrée is the jerk shrimp served with creamy mashed potato or the chef's famous lobster stir-fry. Leave room for dessert because the black cake, a recipe that has been passed in the chef's family from generation to generation, is a must try. If you prefer your dessert poured into a glass, try the island flavored coconut mojito.

Da'Vida Beach Club is a nice, more relaxed lunchtime alternative to neighboring Da'Vida. Sitting on the stunning, calm beach at Crocus Bay, this spot is perfect for a stress-free day complete with delicious lunch options and a comprehensive cocktail and mocktail menu. Lounge under swaying palm trees or rent snorkeling equipment and fall in love with the underwater world here. Pedal boats and kayaks are also offered to take a tour of the bay on, or even make the short trip to nearby Little Bay. The Shrimp Caesar Salad pizza is a must-try.

This casual, feet-in-the-sand bistro right on beautiful Shoal Bay East is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The soups, salads, and simple grills here are served in generous portions with a bit of French flair, and the delicious pizzas are cooked in a stone oven. Come for lunch and stay to lounge on the beach chaises ($20 for two includes umbrella). In the evening, the restaurant has an intimate, romantic ambience with ocean waves providing the soundtrack to your simple yet tasty dinner. 

This casual, wildly popular bright-red roadside Caribbean taquería, opened by a young California couple, serves huge, tasty burritos with a choice of fillings, fresh warm tortilla chips with first-rate guacamole, huge (and fresh) taco salads, seafood enchiladas, chipotle ribs, and tequila-lime chicken grilled under a brick. Passion-fruit margaritas are a must, and there are some serious tequila options. The creamy Mexican chocolate pudding and a bananas Foster chimichanga make great choices for dessert. Seating is at picnic tables; the friendly proprietors cheerfully supply pillows on request. Reservations are highly recommended as this spot usually has a line out the door. 

Satisfying everyone's taste buds since 1999, this roadside restaurant in South Hill is a well-known spot for locals and visitors alike. You'll find that breakfast, lunch, tapas, or dinner at Tasty's is, well, very tasty. The restaurant is open from 9 am all the way through to 10 pm, making it the perfect first stop if you land hungry, and it's just a few minutes' drive from the airport or the ferry terminal. Chef-owner Dale Carty trained at Malliouhana, and his careful, confident preparation bears the mark of French culinary training, but the menu is classic Caribbean with a creole edge. It's worth leaving the beach at lunch for the seafood salad. A coconut crusted fish with spicy banana rum sauce is superb, as are the Thai inspired coconut curry chicken and the garlic-infused marinated conch salad. Don't be stuffy—try the goat stew. Yummy desserts end meals on a high note. Don't miss the specials, happy hour on Tuesday and Friday, or the Tasty's Sunday brunch. There's live music on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.