4 Best Restaurants in St. Martin, St. Martin and St. Maarten

One of the five lolos in the middle of the village on the water side couldn't be more informal—with plastic utensils, paper plates, and leisurely but friendly service—but it's a fun spot to enjoy an iconic St. Martin meal. Main dishes—everything from succulent ribs to stewed conch, fresh snapper, and grilled lobster—all come with tasty sides like plantains, curried rice, beans, or coleslaw. On weekends there may be live music.

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.

Follow the locals to Yvette's Kitchen, set in a private house, for the island's best Creole cooking. All the St. Martin favorites are dished up in big portions at a reasonable price, so this is the place to try stuffed crab backs, conch and dumplings, or coconut curry chicken. Fried plantains, rice and peas, and hot johnnycakes come on the side. It's hard to find, so consider scoping it out in the daylight before your visit, or come for lunch.