10 Best Restaurants in Marigot, St. Martin and St. Maarten

At this quiet, understated café with a slightly sophisticated vibe, you can rent lounge chairs and umbrellas (half price with lunch) and relax, drink, and dine on the sand from morning till sunset—a spectacular sight here. Along with burgers and sandwiches are bistro standbys like tomato-and-goat-cheese tartlets, and a blackboard lists the daily meat, fish, and salad specials. To get here, look for the red-and-black signs on the road between Grand Case and Marigot, and drive slowly because the road is rough, especially the last 200 yards before the beach.

The authentic decor and classic dishes at this romantic spot transport you straight to Morocco. The meze (mixed appetizers) are delectable, and the couscous and tagines are nicely spiced well. After dinner, you can lounge in the tented rooftop, where belly dancers perform on Friday.

Flavorful creole dishes and island-inspired cocktails are on hand at this beach restaurant, run by the same owners as the popular 978 Sanctorum jazz lounge and brunch spot near Friar's Bay in the Rambaud area. The lunch menu here often changes based on the availability of local ingredients, but favorites like the conch and dumplings or the meat and fish mixed grill make regular appearances. In addition to having live music on Saturday and Sunday, this is the spot for the monthly all-white full-moon party, a beloved and sophisticated affair.

The creole, lolo (open-air-grill)--style food at this no-frills, family-owned restaurant is a Marigot must. Specialties include garlic shrimp, fresh lobster, and rice and beans, but you better come early as some of the best dishes sell out.

Somewhat hidden behind the boutiques of Marina Port La Royale, this tiny restaurant features a French seasonal menu as well as salads, soups, and pastries. The pasta dishes are inventive, but lighter fare such as the crab tartare with seaweed or the chicken salad are also delicious.

It's hard to top the authentic French fare (steak au poivre, sweetbreads with mushroom sauce, sole meunière) at this friendly, intimate, air-conditioned restaurant. Although it's routinely packed until closing, it's also a bit tucked away on an alley in a neighborhood that isn't exactly upscale and where parking can be hard to come by, so it's best to take a taxi at night. The prix-fixe menu is a very good value, as are many of the bottles on the wine list.

This well-established Marigot gem with indoor and alfresco seating is, as they say in French, incontournable (unmissable). It's known for its unique French cuisine with a Creole twist, and, whether you love seafood or prefer meat, you'll find something to suit your palate.

With a varied menu, reasonable prices, and a friendly staff, it's no surprise that this bistro in the bustling Marina Port La Royale is popular. At lunch, salads like the Niçoise with medallions of crusted goat cheese are good bets, and, at dinner (when it's best to arrive by taxi as the parking lot is sketchy), there's an array of delicious steak or seafood dishes and desserts, including old standbys like crème brûlée.