2 Best Restaurants in George Town, Cayman Islands

Actuaries, bankers, and CEOs frequent this contemporary throwback to a colonial country club for lunch and for "attitude adjustment" happy hours with creative cocktails and complimentary canapés. Inviting fusion farm- and sea-to-table cuisine, which emphasizes local ingredients whenever possible (the restaurant has its own boat and garden), includes terrific bar tapas. Dishes deftly balance flavors and textures without sensory overload: this is serious food with a sense of playfulness. Save room for dessert, from an artisanal cheese plate to an ice-cream-and-sorbet tasting menu and elaborate architectural confections. Lunch is more reasonably priced but equally creative; the adjacent Market excels at takeout, and the wine list is well considered.

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.