14 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.

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.

L'Astrolabe gets raves for its modern interpretations of classic French cuisine served poolside at the Esmeralda Resort. Menu highlights might include duck breast in a smoked paprika sauce, black Angus filet mignon, sea scallops with fennel and preserved lemon, and fresh-vanilla crème brûlée. You can enjoy a fixed-price surf-and-turf menu on Monday, a lobster menu on Friday, and live music on both nights. The restaurant is also open daily for breakfast. 

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.

This bakery with umbrella-shaded outdoor tables is a great place to stop for a snack, as well as for breakfast (pancakes, omelets, bagels) or lunch (panini, club sandwiches, quiche).

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.

Whether you opt for the three-course prix-fixe menu or the à la carte offerings, you can't go wrong at this classy, breezy restaurant, set in a charming cottage in the middle of Grand Case. Choose from such classic French starters as frog legs, onion soup, or escargots before moving on to duck breast in a pepper sauce, Angus beef fillet in a fois gras sauce, triggerfish meuniere with turmeric-flavored rice, or branzino in a bell-pepper sauce.

It's easy to slow down and relax at this open-to-the-breezes spot. Come for breakfast, lunch (burgers, sandwiches, salads), or a snack.

Enjoy Italian fare and a beautiful water view from this restaurant's terrace. The hardest part of a meal here might be choosing one of the many varieties of pizza—either rossa or bianca—on offer here.

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.

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.