4 Best Restaurants in George Town, Cayman Islands

Built in 1908 as the Petra Plantation House and transformed into the island's first upscale establishment decades ago, this grande dame evokes bygone grandeur sans pretension. Outside, hundreds of sparkling lights adorning the gazebos compete with the starry sky. Live nightly music and rumors of a charming blond ghost trailing white chiffon complete the picture. The interior rooms, awash in crystal, recall its plantation-house origins. Expertly executed classics include panfried foie gras with black currant and green apple purees, salted mango chutney, and microgreens; roasted lobster in creamy Chardonnay sauce; and chicken cordon bleu. The subtle yet complex flavor interactions, stellar service, and encyclopedic if stratospherically priced wine list ensure legendary status. Nightly happy hours with discounted tapas at the restaurant's On the Rocks bar are a substantial bargain.

The nondescript building belies the lovely marine-motif decor and luscious seafood at this second-story restaurant overlooking the harbor. Enjoy lobster prepared several ways (all à la sticker shock) along with reasonably priced wine, which you can sample by the glass in the cozy bar. The two musts are the Cayman Trio (lobster tail, grilled mahimahi, and garlic shrimp) and the Pot (lobster, giant prawns, and crab). The wildly popular Friday lunch special is the decadent CI$19 lobster burger, a hefty heifer topped with a perfectly cooked 3-ounce lobster tail, bacon, cheddar, shrimp, jalapeño, and onion rings (add the day's special wine for CI$9/bottle). The kitchen happily provides reduced-oil and -fat alternatives to most dishes; vegetarians love the flavorful chili-lime polenta with grilled artichoke in mango cream and the tofu, zucchini, and yellow-squash spaghetti. The balcony offers a breathtaking view of the sunset tarpon feeding.

The location of this waterside eatery is a series of elevated decks and Victorian-style gazebos in blue and white hugging the sea. Its enviable location helps to explain its enduring appeal (wedding parties have their own pavilion, but celebrations of all sorts can overrun the place, including Salsa Tuesdays, with lessons). The Ports of Call bar is a splendid place for sunset fanciers, and tarpon feeding off the deck is a twice-nightly (7 and 9 pm) spectacle. Save room for dessert: perhaps the Cayman lime pie or toffee banana.