201 Best Restaurants in Bahamas

Yacht folks, locals, and visitors alike rub shoulders at Kenneth Bowe's funky open-air beach bar on the point at Stocking Island. All the food is grilled over an open fire; awesome conch burgers with secret spices, freshly made conch salad, burgers, and a variety of drinks attract diners from all over Great Exuma. Dances and bonfires on the beach during the winter season are famous island-wide. Sunday pig roasts, which start around noon, are legendary (call first to make sure it's scheduled). Most guests arrive by sailboat, but you can get here by water taxi (242/464–1558; or call Capt. Elvis Ferguson on VHF radio channel 16) from the Government Dock, which leaves on the hour during the day.

A meal at this hillside mansion's formal restaurant begins in the elegant parlor, where drinks are served over the sounds of a live piano. It's a rarefied world, where waiters wear tuxedos and Cuban cigars and cognac are served after dinner. Graycliff's signature dishes include Kobe beef, Kurobuta pork, and Nassau grouper. The wine cellar contains more than 200,000 bottles that have been hand-picked by owner Enrico Garzaroli, some running into the tens of thousands of dollars. There are plenty of less expensive bottles, but you'll find the markup on better vintages to be much less than what you'd find in a big-city restaurant almost anywhere in the world. You can even buy the world's oldest bottle of wine, a German vintage 1727, for $200,000. Mere mortals can settle for the weekday wine luncheons. For an extra-special dining experience, you can book the wine cellar's private dining room.

Take in the sunset view as you enjoy a glass of wine and an island-inspired pizza or seafood meal. Located at French Leave Resort, 1648 boasts a sweeping view of the Bight of Eleuthera and its stunning turquoise water. The chic atmosphere is just as stunning at night, when the pool becomes a deep, vivid blue as part of the resort's "Dark Sky Paradise," which aims to reduce light pollution, increasing star visibility.

Set in the country-club-style main lodge splashed with lively Bahamian colors and boasting floor-to-ceiling windows that provide an incredible view of the ocean, the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to guests and visitors in classic island style. Fresh-baked bread, fruit, and lobster or Mexican-style Benedict are breakfast highlights. At lunch, sample the sesame seared tuna or the cheeseburger wrap. For dinner, grilled grouper can be prepared to your liking, but their piccata is a favorite. There's also crawfish in season—blackened, grilled, fried, or coconut-fried—as well as escargot. 

Briland's only Italian restaurant offers a change of pace from the island's standard fare–and a change of scenery, too. It's located at the top of the hill at Romora Bay Resort, with a dockside terrace where you can take in the sunset while sipping one of its exclusively imported Italian wines. Chef and owner Manfredi Mancini's hearty portions of fried calamari and penne vodka don't disappoint, and the seafood entrées are always a good choice.

This Port Lucaya Marketplace spot offers Mexican staples with a unique Caribbean and Bahamian blend. The Caribbean Jerk Burrito is packed with chicken or shrimp, black beans, rice, roasted corn, bell pepper, and their signature creamy jerk sauce. The Latin Burger is topped with guacamole, bacon, and fried jalapeños. Their unique and tasty cuisine and various drink specials make this a popular and lively spot.

You're greeted with a welcoming "Opa!" at this family-owned authentic Greek spot where they serve up tasty lunches at moderate prices. Sit on the second floor among Grecian statuary or on the balcony overlooking the action below. Enjoy souvlaki, moussaka, or a hearty Greek gyro, a break from the Nassau culinary routine, in a relaxed and friendly establishment. Be sure to save room for one of their authentic Greek desserts. The baklava cheesecake is divine. Dinner is an option only if you eat very early; they close at 5 pm.

A longtime staple in the historic village of Adelaide, the original restaurant closed years ago, but the owner's daughter and son-in-law have brought it back to life. They serve traditional Bahamian fare, but elevate the ingredients with an upscale flair. If you're lucky your visit will coincide with a live music jam session. Weekend Bahamian brunch is also worth the drive to this southwestern side of the island. 

Three generations of Bahamian women treat patrons as if they were guests in their own home. And the Bahamian food whipped up in the kitchen is as close to homemade as you can get in a restaurant. This simple locale is bustling with local professionals during the week and has also become a popular spot for cruise-ship passengers. Grandmother Mena swears their conch fritters are the "conchiest" you'll find. Takeout-only breakfast is served Monday through Saturday, while lunch is both sit-down and take-out the same days.

Directly on Fortune Beach, Banana Bay is a great place for lunch or daytime cocktails, whether you sit on the restaurant's shaded deck or on a lounger in the sand. In addition to daily fresh fish specials, the kitchen serves up homemade warm loaves of banana bread along with salads, sandwiches, wraps, and seafood appetizers like conch fritters and crab cakes. On windy days, you will have a front-row seat to kite surfers in action. A few times a week, cruise ships drop off tourists en masse, so you can expect service to get a little slow—but that just gives you more time to enjoy your Bahama Mama. As the tide rolls out, the beach grows, creating a wonderful shallow lagoon and sandbar, perfect for wading and for frolicking kids. 

For lunch with a view, try the oceanfront bar and restaurant at Coral Sands, where executive chef Ken Gomes creates delicious lunch options that go perfectly with a tropical cocktail or a glass of white wine. In addition to seafood options like conch fritters, lobster salad sandwiches, and grilled mahimahi, the restaurant also serves gourmet pizzas and popular local cocktails.

Nestled in the middle of the International Arcade linking Bay Street and the wharf is this lively bar and restaurant serving up tasty appetizers and meals. Try the traditional Bahamian cracked conch or conch balls. If you're particularly hungry, order the gigantic burrito or Godzilla Burger. Wash it all down with something from the extensive drinks menu, and don't forget to sign your name on the wall before you leave. Kids are welcome, but the menu isn't the most kid-friendly.

For the freshest—and according to locals, best—conch salad and the coldest beer, look for the splatter-painted seaside shack a stone's throw from Grand Isle Resort. Big D catches the conch right outside the restaurant, and the salads are often prepared in front of customers. Other seafood favorites include grilled snapper, cracked conch, and coconut shrimp. You also can't get a better water view than here, and the beach is great; bring a swimsuit.

Located in the Port Lucaya Marketplace along the water, Big Daddy Brown's offers fresh conch salad and authentic Bahamian staples. Watch this family team put on a show as they prepare the salad right in front of you; they also serve conch fritters, fried fish, and fried lobster in this little, brightly painted shack. Grab a cold Sands beer at any of the open-air bars surrounding the stand and enjoy sipping and munching while people-watching in Market Square.

Dine on a rib eye with smashed potatoes or a broiled lobster tail while overlooking gleaming rows of yachts moored in the Boat Harbour Marina at Abaco Beach Resort. For fresh seafood, the seared snapper and lobster ravioli are particularly good. For dessert, try the calorie-drenched guava duff or bread pudding. For lunch, the menu offers a lighter side, with an array of soups, salads, appetizers, and burgers.

Blu on the Water is a must-have dining experience when visiting Great Exuma. Chef Ty Wong has crafted a delicious fusion of Asian and Bahamian dishes that will sweep you into culinary heaven. The dining room offers a stunning view of Elizabeth Harbour, and that coupled with the quiet ambience make it one of the most romantic restaurants in Exuma.

Blue Bar & Kitchen at Pink Sands is a famed, open-air restaurant and bar featuring blue and white decor that complements the pristine pink sand and clear, blue ocean that the restaurant overlooks. You'll have an unbeatable view while sipping one of their signature cocktails and enjoying conch tacos, a tuna poke bowl, or any of the other island-inspired menu options. Blue Bar also serves breakfast and has brunch on weekends.

This cozy little café offers strong gourmet coffees, delicious pastries, and creative and delicious chocolates, handcrafted in-store. It's also a great spot to cool off with handmade ice-cream treats. Try inventive flavors, such as black tea and ginger, goat pepper and balsamic caramel, or Bahamian sea salt and hibiscus caramel—a unique taste of The Bahamas to take home. Large windows allow you to peek into the kitchen to watch the chocolates being made.

Stop off at this bakery–café in the Treasure Cay shopping strip for just-made muffins and some of the best cinnamon rolls you'll ever try. You'll know you've found it by the smell of those fresh-baked treats and the line of people waiting to indulge. They serve American and Bahamian cooked breakfast as well. Lunch is cheeseburgers, grouper fingers, lobster, and conch snacks, as well as a variety of sandwiches. Anglers can order picnic lunches to go. You can also arrange for the chef to cater private dinners of lobster, steak, and more in your rented condo or cottage. 

The original restaurant, which was made famous in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, has long been bulldozed, but with the help of renowned international chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and New York designer Adam Tihany, this resurrected classic remains one of the hottest tables at Atlantis. Nestled in the center of Marina Village on Paradise Island, Café Martinique is the height of sophistication in design, service, and cuisine. The decor includes a wrought-iron birdcage elevator and a mahogany staircase; a grand piano helps create a refined experience. The classic French menu offers simple, beloved dishes made spectacular thanks to the highest-quality ingredients and Chef Jean-George's influence. The five-course chef's tasting menu is a special culinary treat.

Low-slung settees, stucco arches, and reproductions of the eponymous artist's works set a casual and refined tone at this restaurant owned by a husband-and-wife team. He's Bahamian, she's northern Italian, and the fare perfectly blends the two cultures. Sit in the ground-floor garden under large white umbrellas or dine inside the century-old house for lunch or dinner. Start with the warm Parmesan terrine, then dive into freshly made pasta or risotto with prawns, or the filet drizzled with a mouth watering green peppercorn sauce. Be sure to save room for dessert and the delicious handmade cookies that come with coffee.

This family-run cozy Italian restaurant offers consistently good food and great service. Traditional comfort pasta dishes adorn the menu, like pesto gnocchi and seafood linguine, in addition to steaks and daily fresh fish specials. The dining room and outside patio are both small and intimate, which makes this restaurant the most charming and romantic choice in Port Lucaya. 

This Italian restaurant is a great place to go with a small group. Appetizers, entrées, and desserts come in extra-large portions meant to feed a crowd and are served family-style, so the prices can be more affordable (by Paradise Island standards, at least) than they seem at first, especially if you share among several people. The waiters can help you figure out how many dishes you should order without overdoing it. Whatever you choose, save room for dessert—the chocolate cake and ice cream concoction called the "Titanic" requires all hands on deck.

Guests who discover The Carriearl Roost are pleasantly stunned that a restaurant of such charm and caliber just happens to be on their tiny island. The staff provide excellent service, and they are responsive and amiable. This is the place to get a great meal after catching bonefish, triggerfish, and mutton snapper all day. You'll be spreading the word about Carriearl's for days, or more likely, years.

At this airy oceanfront restaurant a few steps from the beach, Chef Pierre has been serving sumptuous cuisine since 2002. This curmudgeonly chef serves the best food on the island, hands down. Specialties include pasta dishes with shrimp and scallops, fresh fish, and pizzas to die for. Bahamian lobster, steaks, and chicken, along with vegetarian dishes, are also available, and the salads (big enough to share) are both fresh and beautiful. A full bar is available on the honor system, and you're expected to get your own drinks because Pierre runs the place almost single-handedly. The surly host greets you himself; make sure you are on time for your reservation or he'll be tempted not to serve you at all! But pay no mind, as the food is well worth it, and there is a smile hidden deep beneath his brusque outer shell. To get here, watch for the sign on Queen's Highway between the settlements of Weymss and Millers.

Award-winning chef Danny Elmaleh's Cleo upholds the imaginative twists on Mediterranean cuisine for which his series of restaurants have gained acclaim. Order hummus and baba ghanoush for starters, followed by grilled octopus or saganaki Haloumi cheese, which is flambéed right at the table. The tagine dishes (served in authentic Moroccan hand-painted tagines) are bursting with flavors. The traditional lamb tagine is a crowd favorite, but there are also vegetarian, seafood, and chicken options. Be sure to save room for some baklava for dessert.

Breakfast and lunch are served harborside on a covered, screened-in patio, while dinner takes place in the elegant dining room. At lunch, treat yourself to lobster or fish tacos, conch chowder, or a wrap. Dinner is where the club really shines, transporting you back to the 1920s with elegant dining beneath antique chandeliers. The steak is among the best around. The jumbo lobster and artichoke ravioli, crispy grouper with Thai red curry noodles, and black and white tuna are just some of the temptations on the extensive menu. Saturday night, prime rib takes center stage. You can also pre-order a picnic lunch to take out while you explore the island by golf cart or surrounding cays by boat.

Located on the western end of the island with a view of the harbor, this charming coffee shop has lots of space to sit and relax while you enjoy a latte and a sandwich. They also serve nondairy drinks like smoothies and organic juices, plus a variety of breakfast sandwiches, salads, pastries, and acai bowls.

Whether you want a quick breakfast before heading to the beach or dinner under the stars, this open-air beachside bistro at Paradise Bay is a top place to dine. This bistro serves three meals a day, combining Bahamian and French cuisines. The menu is varied, with poke bowls, burgers, seafood dishes, steak, and even duck. There's also a children's menu for lunch and dinner.

This brightly painted restaurant is perched on a wooden dock over the southwestern side of the harbor. The Bahamian food menu is simple, but everything is delicious. Be sure to order some conch fritters to start—they're some of the best you'll find. They also have a delicious brunch on Saturday, complete with bottomless mimosas or pitchers of freshly made sangria or mojitos. Specialty nights draw a crowd—there's karaoke on Tuesday evening. Wednesday Hump Day, you can enjoy all-day happy-hour specials on wings, conch fritters, and margaritas.