7 Best Restaurants in Soufrière and the Southwest Coast, Saint Lucia

The terrace restaurant at Ladera Resort has breathtaking close-up views of the Pitons and the sea between them, especially beautiful at sunset. The atmosphere is casual by day and magical at night with a menu that features appetizers like the soup of the day and entrées like grilled island seafood with a choice of flavored butter or sauces, shrimp Dasheene (pan-fried with local herbs), and risotto. Light meals, pasta dishes, and fresh salads are also served at lunch—along with that million-dollar view.

Located on the Rabot Estate, a working cocoa farm, chocolate is infused into nearly every dish. Starters include an organic citrus salad with cashew nuts and white chocolate–coconut dressing as well as sea scallops marinated with cacao, seared and basted in a cacao-citrus sauce. The main course might be cocoa pork tenderloin, a rib-eye steak matured and infused with cocoa nibs, or a handmade cacao linguine with vegetables in an earthy tomato-basil sauce. For dessert, don't resist the Rabot Chocolate Lava, a sponge dome with a molten interior paired with coconut milk sorbet, inspired by the nearby Pitons. In a word: Yum.

India has had an important influence on the Caribbean islands, from the heritage of their people to the colorful madras plaids and the curry flavors that are a staple of Caribbean cuisine. At night, Anse Chastanet's Trou au Diable restaurant transforms into APSARA, an extraordinarily romantic, candlelit, beachfront dining experience with modern Indian cuisine. The innovative menu, mixing East Indian and Caribbean cooking, produces food that's full of flavor but not too spicy, although you can opt for some hotter dishes. Roasted cashew nut and raisin samosas with chunky mango-ginger sauce might be followed by tandoori-roasted salmon, lamb, or chicken. Definitely order the naan, either plain, stuffed with cheese, onion, and chili, or flavored with almond, coconut, and raisins. For dessert, choose the mango, saffron, or sea moss kulfi (Indian-style ice cream) or go all the way with Apsara's Temptation (tandoori-baked pineapple with honey, saffron, and passion-fruit syrup, kulfi, and sun-blushed chili).

This pair of small rustic restaurants are two of the most popular spots to enjoy a Creole lunch when touring the natural sights in and around Soufrière. Bamboo offers à la carte options at both lunch and dinner, while the Creole Pot serves breakfast daily. Nearly all ingredients are locally sourced. Wash it all down with a local fruit juice or evening rum punch, and finish with something sweet such as coconut or banana cake. Private dinners by candlelight are offered at The Creole Pot. The à la carte menu often features a choice of seafood, chicken, beef, and pasta dishes with a local twist—pepper pot, for example. Most people who come for lunch also take the Heritage Tour of the estate and learn about how the cacao growing on the plantation is turned into delicious chocolate, which you can purchase at the gift shop. 

Cacoa Sainte Lucie's second-story restaurant sits perched above their chocolate shop and processing facility with rainforest views of the surrounding hillsides. The menu is, of course, chocolate inspired, with cocoa inventively worked into sauces and seasonings. Burgers, wraps, salads, and entrees like cocoa-crusted grilled mahi are available, as are milkshakes, smoothies, and desserts. Downstairs, a tantalizing display of chocolate bonbons and bars flavored with local spices, nuts, and fruit tempt you in. Cacoa Sainte Lucie also does chocolate-making and tasting workshops. 

A man on a mission, chef Orlando Sachell opened his restaurant in downtown Soufrière to present his "Share the Love" (or STL) style of Caribbean cooking. Portions are small, but the flavors and richness of the food make it perfectly filling. Orlando supports local farmers and fishermen by using only locally grown organic produce, local meats, and freshly caught fish in his delicious—and world-class—dishes. And if there's something on the menu that you can't eat or doesn't appeal to you, chef Orlando is very accommodating.

Even when closed, chef Orlando will happily open the restaurant for six or more people.

As you're traveling south to Soufrière, watch for this tiny bakery in Anse La Verdure, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it spot on the West Coast Road between Anse La Raye and Canaries. Cinnamon, cherries, raisins, coconut, and other flavorings are added, then the dough—13 varieties in all—is formed into small buns, placed on banana leaves, and baked over hot coals. Plas Kassav (Creole for "Cassava Place") began as a small family bakery in 1998 and has grown into a popular local enterprise simply by word of mouth. There is a small sign, but taxi drivers all know where it is and will not hesitate to stop so you can try a warm mouthwatering treat that is a staple of St. Lucia's traditional cuisine.  If you're there early enough, you can see the cassava roots being grated and processed into flour using traditional methods, as well as the cassava bread dough being mixed in huge copper caldrons.