3 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.

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.